You know the cliché “work smarter not harder,” so after 30 years on the corporate grind, I left the global, billion-dollar window view to launch my own business. Like most people, I’ve always wanted to be a business owner- my own “boss,” in charge of my own destiny, but The Golden Handcuffs had a tight grip. Working 60 plus hours a week, responding to ridiculous requests for minutiae of the utmost importance to a “higher up” (who needed to become educated on a topic you should be speaking on; but wasn’t) and holding too many people accountable for executing those ridiculous tasks, finally took its toll on my spirit. “I don’t have to keep going back” became my weekend chant. It’s funny how the soul works, more like amazing, how it takes over and guides you through the daunting task of starting over. Of course, this is only an 18 month look back for me. So why is it that African-American female executives are choosing to leave Corporate America in droves? https://womenintheworkplace.com/. 

Could it be that after toiling on the mainstream chain gang and “covering,” day in out, many have tired of being the first, only, and the first and only? Our best defense strategy - hanging up the handcuffs and laying down the Erykah Badu “bag lady” Louis Vuitton’s and taking the biggest professional leap of faith in our careers by starting a business. So, in many ways the dues I have paid, career attacks and burnout I’ve experienced have been worth it. I am now stronger, wiser, healthier and what is it...happier! This is MY “truth.” It’s really not as much of a daunting task as our linear minds would scare up.  I’m a girl that likes steps, so here are 10 steps I believe must occur to create your own “soft landing:”

Develop a 1-year plan – start with the end in mind

1. Meet with a financial advisor to ensure you have a savings you can access if the business takes longer to take off or if you need toacquire assets to run your business.  It’s a good idea to strive to have access to one year’s salary in case of a business downturn or setback.

2. Nail down your offering and the market for your talents.

3. Decide on the structure of your company and its tax implications (LLC, partnership, sole-proprietorship, S-Corp).

4. Obtain insurance before you open the door to your first client.

5. Scrub your network and secure your first potential client before you tender your resignation - someone who will hire you within your first 30 days because they know your work product, character, and reliability.

6. Know what resources you’ll need right away (business name, website, business cards, social media accounts, etc.). Hint: Pace yourself as I had a business name, business cards and a client before setting up a website and social media presence.

7. Create a workspace that is fully dedicated to your business.  This is crucial to keep your focus on work whenever you are in this space.

8. Reconnect - Set up coffee meet-ups to let folks know what you’re up to and volunteer your product/services to agencies that are important to you. Hint: When you volunteer you not only fill your “cup,” you also get solid work experience.

9. Share your proposed ideas with a few trusted mentors (preferably non-relatives who tend to be less emotional about your decision) to ensure you have a sound plan.

10. Ask for business - you will be able to gauge how to best approach prospective clients based off your relationships.

So how many of us are ready to do what Tyler Perry recently implored, “own your business, own your way?”