I quit! - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

frogza · 10-26-2009, 10:14 PM

So I took the leap and quit my job to start my own business. I'll be working as a marketing consultant. It's something I've been doing on the side for years, but now it's all I have. Given the economy, there is a part of me that tells me that I'm insane to let go of a steady check but though the pay won't be as regular, it should be higher overall.

Unfortunately money wasn't the driving force behind me leaving my job. It was a horrible work environment! The infighting and politics were the worst I have ever seen. And that's saying a lot, since I have worked for some terrible people in my life.

After I decided to quit my wife told me that she was happy I was leaving there since I would come home every day irritated and stressed. She had been hoping I would quit but wanted me to make the decision on my own. At first I would tell her what was going on at work, but as time went on I stopped telling her everything. By the time I got home at night all I wanted was to put the day behind me and never have to think about it again. I'm not sure which was harder on her, the stories or the silence. Either way I felt like I wasn't being a good husband to her.

Today was my first day working on my own and it feels great. So far I've secured enough work to carry us through December. Tomorrow I'll hit more of the companies on my list and hope to pick up a bunch more work. Right now the feeling of relief and of promise is incredible. It feels like blue skies in spring, (yea, I know how cheesy that sounds) I can't put the feeling into words, it's just awesome.

I guess that's my "freedom story". So share yours, what have you done to get out of a bad situation? At what point in your life did things just feel right and full of promise?

Vigilante · 10-26-2009, 10:46 PM

That's awesome! Don't you love it when a plan comes together? /hannibal

I was as elated (and scared) when I told the orphanage I was moving in with my wife's family, back in high school. I was awaiting trial and everything was in chaos, but I knew the one thing I must do is get out of that dump. From there, things fell into place.

The_Jazz · 10-27-2009, 04:23 AM

Congratulations!

One of the things that we've been talking about a lot in my office is how now is when successful start-ups get their opportunities. The larger players tied up with survival and low capital reserves, so start-ups can often take business away and be more efficient. We haven't seen as many start-ups as we thought (a large minority of my industry's business comes from start-ups) but there are many other explanations than "they just aren't there."

Way to go!

GreyWolf · 10-27-2009, 05:23 AM

Good for you!! Far too many people live for the paycheck and not for life itself. If your job is just paying the bills and adding unwanted stress to your life, then it isn't a job, it's a sentence. I think your feeling of freedom and euphoria says it all... you and that job just weren't a good match. Hope you do well in your new endeavours.

Dano069 · 10-27-2009, 06:15 AM

Congrats and much success to you! Taking that step off the ledge is pretty damn scary isn't it? I've done it twice but not to start my own company. One firm I worked at decided to get rid of our department. They hired us on as consultants with their consulting firm. A year later, they wanted us to switch consulting companies so that they would have someone to sue if we didn't have the systems up for morning trading (in the five years I worked there, that NEVER happened)

The second time was due to politics and very ineffective department leadership. I'm with a non-profit now and haven't been happier! I just passed my nine year anniversary and the place is great to work at. The people are great and office politics is kept to a minimum. It's a very down to earth atmosphere.

Again, I wish you much success in your endeavor. Keep pushing ahead and don't look back. You'll be happier and healthier in the long run.

Lasereth · 10-27-2009, 06:40 AM

What exactly does a marketing consultant do? What do consultants do in general? I don't have experience with this stuff even though I took a ton of business classes in college. So you call up a business and say "hey do you need marketing advice?" I mean what kind of business is willing to shell out money for something so intangible? Please explain!!!!!

BTW super ultra congrats to you. I'm glad you feel great about it. Entrepreneurship is something I'm extremely interested in but I'm too scared to try it. Both parents, both sets of grandparents, and every one of my aunts and uncles are all entrepreneurs so it definitely runs in the family.

canuckguy · 10-27-2009, 05:18 PM

That is awesome congrats!

I am sorry but I had to post this....I work with many consultants mostly IT folks and if your good at what you do you'll never be out of referral work!

frogza · 10-28-2009, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lasereth

What exactly does a marketing consultant do? What do consultants do in general? I don't have experience with this stuff even though I took a ton of business classes in college. So you call up a business and say "hey do you need marketing advice?" I mean what kind of business is willing to shell out money for something so intangible? Please explain!!!!!

Many businesses don't have a plan, much less a viable marketing plan. What I do ranges from developing a campaign for a single product push to a five year plan for all marketing. Advertising is just one piece of a marketing plan, the full plan would contain the following and more:
Advertising
Target for ads
Verbage, colors, kind of pictures to use, method of delivery, etc
schedule for ads
tracking results

Customer Experience
Product presentation, packaging, store decor, signage
How company reps interact with customers

In House marketing
getting staff on board with company vision

Results Tracking

My clients have seen a 50%-128% increase in sales volume within 1 year by following my plans. With me they aren't buying a document or something to hang on their wall, they are buying increased profit.

Baraka_Guru · 10-28-2009, 07:25 AM

Congrats! ...not just on doing it, but for doing it for the right reasons.

Good luck.

dlish · 10-28-2009, 10:05 AM

good luck dude.

i did that once, and it didnt work out like i'd hope, but it wasnt all bad though.

sounds like you have your head screwed on right though, so im all for you doing well

frogza · 10-28-2009, 12:22 PM

Thank you for all the well wishes.

newone321 · 11-12-2009, 09:28 AM

I`m so happy for you. You`ve made a good decision. I wish you good luck.

dlish · 11-12-2009, 01:46 PM

how are things going with this frogza?

robot_parade · 11-12-2009, 08:30 PM

Congratulations. Here, I didn't know frogs even had testicles, and you're showing off a giant steel pair.

10-26-2009, 10:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
frogza Registered User Location: Right Here	I quit! So I took the leap and quit my job to start my own business. I'll be working as a marketing consultant. It's something I've been doing on the side for years, but now it's all I have. Given the economy, there is a part of me that tells me that I'm insane to let go of a steady check but though the pay won't be as regular, it should be higher overall. Unfortunately money wasn't the driving force behind me leaving my job. It was a horrible work environment! The infighting and politics were the worst I have ever seen. And that's saying a lot, since I have worked for some terrible people in my life. After I decided to quit my wife told me that she was happy I was leaving there since I would come home every day irritated and stressed. She had been hoping I would quit but wanted me to make the decision on my own. At first I would tell her what was going on at work, but as time went on I stopped telling her everything. By the time I got home at night all I wanted was to put the day behind me and never have to think about it again. I'm not sure which was harder on her, the stories or the silence. Either way I felt like I wasn't being a good husband to her. Today was my first day working on my own and it feels great. So far I've secured enough work to carry us through December. Tomorrow I'll hit more of the companies on my list and hope to pick up a bunch more work. Right now the feeling of relief and of promise is incredible. It feels like blue skies in spring, (yea, I know how cheesy that sounds) I can't put the feeling into words, it's just awesome. I guess that's my "freedom story". So share yours, what have you done to get out of a bad situation? At what point in your life did things just feel right and full of promise?

10-26-2009, 10:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
Vigilante Broken Arrow Location: US	That's awesome! Don't you love it when a plan comes together? /hannibal I was as elated (and scared) when I told the orphanage I was moving in with my wife's family, back in high school. I was awaiting trial and everything was in chaos, but I knew the one thing I must do is get out of that dump. From there, things fell into place. __________________ We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle. -Winston Churchill

10-27-2009, 04:23 AM	#3 (permalink)
The_Jazz Asshole Administrator Location: Chicago	Congratulations! One of the things that we've been talking about a lot in my office is how now is when successful start-ups get their opportunities. The larger players tied up with survival and low capital reserves, so start-ups can often take business away and be more efficient. We haven't seen as many start-ups as we thought (a large minority of my industry's business comes from start-ups) but there are many other explanations than "they just aren't there." Way to go! __________________ "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin "There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush "We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo

10-27-2009, 05:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
GreyWolf Sober Location: Eastern Canada	Good for you!! Far too many people live for the paycheck and not for life itself. If your job is just paying the bills and adding unwanted stress to your life, then it isn't a job, it's a sentence. I think your feeling of freedom and euphoria says it all... you and that job just weren't a good match. Hope you do well in your new endeavours. __________________ *The secret to great marksmanship is deciding what the target was AFTER you've shot.*

10-27-2009, 06:15 AM	#5 (permalink)
Dano069 is Nucking Futs! Location: On the edge of sanity	Congrats and much success to you! Taking that step off the ledge is pretty damn scary isn't it? I've done it twice but not to start my own company. One firm I worked at decided to get rid of our department. They hired us on as consultants with their consulting firm. A year later, they wanted us to switch consulting companies so that they would have someone to sue if we didn't have the systems up for morning trading (in the five years I worked there, that NEVER happened) The second time was due to politics and very ineffective department leadership. I'm with a non-profit now and haven't been happier! I just passed my nine year anniversary and the place is great to work at. The people are great and office politics is kept to a minimum. It's a very down to earth atmosphere. Again, I wish you much success in your endeavor. Keep pushing ahead and don't look back. You'll be happier and healthier in the long run. __________________ I may look attentive, but I'm taking peeks down your blouse faster than the human eye can follow.

10-27-2009, 06:40 AM	#6 (permalink)
Lasereth Knight of the Old Republic Location: Winston-Salem, NC	What exactly does a marketing consultant do? What do consultants do in general? I don't have experience with this stuff even though I took a ton of business classes in college. So you call up a business and say "hey do you need marketing advice?" I mean what kind of business is willing to shell out money for something so intangible? Please explain!!!!! BTW super ultra congrats to you. I'm glad you feel great about it. Entrepreneurship is something I'm extremely interested in but I'm too scared to try it. Both parents, both sets of grandparents, and every one of my aunts and uncles are all entrepreneurs so it definitely runs in the family. __________________ "A Darwinian attacks his theory, seeking to find flaws. An ID believer defends his theory, seeking to conceal flaws." -Roger Ebert

10-28-2009, 07:25 AM	#9 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru warrior bodhisattva Super Moderator Location: East-central Canada	Congrats! ...not just on doing it, but for doing it for the right reasons. Good luck. __________________ Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

10-28-2009, 10:05 AM	#10 (permalink)
dlish Currently sour but formerly Dlishs Super Moderator Location: Australia/UAE	good luck dude. i did that once, and it didnt work out like i'd hope, but it wasnt all bad though. sounds like you have your head screwed on right though, so im all for you doing well __________________ An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay? - Filthy

10-28-2009, 12:22 PM	#11 (permalink)
frogza Registered User Location: Right Here	Thank you for all the well wishes.

11-12-2009, 09:28 AM	#12 (permalink)
newone321 Upright	I`m so happy for you. You`ve made a good decision. I wish you good luck.

11-12-2009, 01:46 PM	#13 (permalink)
dlish Currently sour but formerly Dlishs Super Moderator Location: Australia/UAE	how are things going with this frogza? __________________ An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay? - Filthy

11-12-2009, 08:30 PM	#14 (permalink)
robot_parade Junkie Location: San Antonio, TX	Congratulations. Here, I didn't know frogs even had testicles, and you're showing off a giant steel pair.