Ladies Who Launch: Lay-off could mean freelance

I remember leaving my full-time job with a well-known supermodel (a very cushy, cool, hard-to-leave situation) and wondering ... what am I going to do with myself? I knew my expiration date had come on that gig but just didn't know where the next stop would be. Many people are facing that same situation now, only not by choice. Layoffs are rampant. The economy is in a fragile place. The 9 to 5, once the dutiful headquarters of health insurance and job security, isn't what it used to be since many employers aren't even offering insurance -- much less stability -- as they once were. At Ladies Who Launch, we see women leaving corporate America in droves. Some of them are being forced to go and others just can't stand it anymore. They want to own some thing. They want control over their lives. They want to pursue a passion. They want to make money doing it, and without a ceiling on how much. As contrary as it might seem, now is a pretty good time to explore your true calling. It may feel crazy to jump on the ledge into the great unknown, but with the right planning and mindset, it might be the best thing you ever do for yourself.

Here are some tips.

1. Make a cushion while you have some dough coming in. Allow yourself some room to live on savings while you plot your next revenue stream.

2. Take real time to think about what you love. Many who enroll in our Incubator program find that they come to the four week course dazed and confused, only to leave with acute clarity on what it is they should be doing. It's okay not to know; but it's not okay not to know for years and years. You could be doing something you love and making a bunch of money!

3. Think about an income attached to this passion. Do you want to make money off of it? Do you want to just do it for fun? Can you freelance using this skill? Who needs this particular thing in the marketplace?

The key is to think big first; don't think about exactly HOW you're going to do it, but just what it is you want to do. A creative community is key to moving forward. Surround yourself with like-minds. Be around those who you admire and want to be more like. Stay away from those who doubt you or who don't take risks themselves. Get out of the mentality that says "I can't." This is the time to be brave. So be smart, be strategic, save your earnings, plan for what's next. In a year from now you want to be doing something you truly love and putting your sweat equity into something you own. IE, your life!

By: Amy Swift, Chief Product Officer
Ladies Who Launch
Resources and Community
For Business, For Life

From the Community…

Comments 1-6 of 6

Posted by ladymichelle Wed Jul 23, 2008 3:59pm PDT

i agree about being just plane tired of corp. buisness.I have been a bartender for many years and in the food and beverage industry for 25,at 46 i have come to the realization that i realy hate the whole buisness,i want to be waited on and served...However the delima "What do i want to do?"I know i'm a great hostess and giving parties organizing,making arrangments ,putting things and people together.Love painting and fashion where is my perfect job? what is it?

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Posted by jessicathesecretary Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:33am PDT

I just recently quite my job in corporate America with a huge investment firm. It's been six months now. I ran out of money to stretch until I decided what else to do, but I have decided to look for something eles and then work long enough so save for my passion, then pull out. Over the last six months I have had soo much time to think about how I would like to produce an income, but also feel like I'm living out my life and following my passion and dreams. It seems like when you quite a career, you first go threw a faze before you come to this place of peace of mind. First I immediately felt relieaf, because I thought that I was losing my mind when I was working, then I felt like I just wanted to stay in the bed and sleep late and catch up on all of the rest that it felt like I missed out on. Then I felt regreat that I messed up a guarnteed source of income. Then I felt like I just wanted to enjoy the money that I did have by going shopping and treating myself to expensive dinners that I never took the time to do for myself before, eventually my funds started running low, but I was happy that my husband was able to get us by. I then grew bored and somewhat depressed so I started to think of ways to comfort myself, so I started to go to church and write and do Art which I had no prior experience doing before. I then decided to compose a poetry book which expressed the state of emotion that I was feeling at that time. I later meet a lady at church and found out that she could sew and that is when the idea of clothing design came into play. I am a very creative and fun young lady, and I felt like it was a great idea even though I have no skill. The idea of becoming a clothing designer and modeling my own fashion and then saleing my clothes online along with any Art or books I create was a satisfying idea to me. So I havent done anything yet beside completed the poetry book and a couple Art items, but my eyes is really beholding the vision of being successful at these things and actually being excited and enjoying it. I want control of my income and the time that I get to spend at work and home. I hope this could help someone elses.

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Posted by jessicathesecretary Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:33am PDT

I just recently quite my job in corporate America with a huge investment firm. It's been six months now. I ran out of money to stretch until I decided what else to do, but I have decided to look for something eles and then work long enough so save for my passion, then pull out. Over the last six months I have had soo much time to think about how I would like to produce an income, but also feel like I'm living out my life and following my passion and dreams. It seems like when you quite a career, you first go threw a faze before you come to this place of peace of mind. First I immediately felt relieaf, because I thought that I was losing my mind when I was working, then I felt like I just wanted to stay in the bed and sleep late and catch up on all of the rest that it felt like I missed out on. Then I felt regreat that I messed up a guarnteed source of income. Then I felt like I just wanted to enjoy the money that I did have by going shopping and treating myself to expensive dinners that I never took the time to do for myself before, eventually my funds started running low, but I was happy that my husband was able to get us by. I then grew bored and somewhat depressed so I started to think of ways to comfort myself, so I started to go to church and write and do Art which I had no prior experience doing before. I then decided to compose a poetry book which expressed the state of emotion that I was feeling at that time. I later meet a lady at church and found out that she could sew and that is when the idea of clothing design came into play. I am a very creative and fun young lady, and I felt like it was a great idea even though I have no skill. The idea of becoming a clothing designer and modeling my own fashion and then saleing my clothes online along with any Art or books I create was a satisfying idea to me. So I havent done anything yet beside completed the poetry book and a couple Art items, but my eyes is really beholding the vision of being successful at these things and actually being excited and enjoying it. I want control of my income and the time that I get to spend at work and home. I hope this could help someone elses.

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Posted by Luvsdarien Sat Jul 26, 2008 4:50am PDT

Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing to myself. I'm in the finance/accounting world and there's so much politics and lies and people playing favorites that I really got sick of it. I've jumped jobs a couple of times only to find out there are no best places to work. I sadly settled in to an investment environment. There were some people who threatened my job without training me on anything. I was really depressed and started moonlighting at a nearby restaurant hostessing/waitressing. I loved it. It helped me survive corporate america for 7 more months. Then the oppt came to do direct marketing and I thought, well, I love to sell makeup and stuff. So I did it. And that was fun. Eventually I know I want to start my own business. But I don't know what. So far, the restaurant and direct marketing business are letting me partially be my boss. And I'm taking Real Estate Classes. Don't give up on finding what makes you happy, But do something for while: Temp, take up a PT job, start off w/ direct marketing to see what you like.

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Posted by Amy S Tue Jul 29, 2008 11:22am PDT

I can relate to what all of you are saying. When I first left my steady 9 to 5 in 1999 I
suffered for a good couple of years, trying to figure out how to make ends meet and
not only that, do something I really and truly loved. It's one thing to wonder how to pay
the rent but it's another to wonder "where is my life going??" Together, they are sort
of a tough combo--especially when everyone around you seems to have a purpose. Ultimately
I followed instinctively what I knew I wanted to do, which was write--which led to freelancing
which led to co-authoring a book with the founders of a company of which I'm now a part of, Ladies Who Launch. And this is common--there are so many roads to following a passion--and no one right way. I encourage all of you to keep your mind, eyes and ears open to "what's next." We always say at Ladies Who Launch, "just start." Sometimes this can be hard without the right community and resources around you, so join one. Or, join an Incubator through www.ladieswholaunch.com. It really can open doors that transform where you are to where you want to be.

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Posted by personplace@ymail.com Mon Aug 4, 2008 1:07am PDT

the best answer has been through a program to help people figure out their career called fast focus careers. people should not stay stuck, they can and should do work based on what they love or are good at doing.

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Comments 1-6 of 6

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