Towards the end of last year, there was a promotion going in my job.
When I first joined the company around 4 years ago I was told that I was essentially the designate for the Sales Director position in my company and, since then, that carrot has been dangled in front of me leading me to take on more and more projects.
When the position became available, I was told that the job was mine but the company had to advertise it.
I wasn’t in a great place at this time, we’d had a death in the family, my dog had had quite a major operation, we were re-mortgaging the house and we also had the threat of Omicron which really seemed to screw with my head (I just hated the thought of another lockdown and the idea really messed with my head).
Had I been a bigger man, I would have said “no, I’m not entering the process as it’s not the right time for me” – but I’d been told the job was mine, so I went for it.
I completely screwed the interview and I didn’t get the promotion.
I came into the new year definite that I was going to move on and get another job.
While I was getting a lot of interest, frankly the idea of going through interviews just wasn’t appealing and I realised that I’d have to put up with the same bullshit anywhere I go.
However, I remembered a franchise opportunity I’d looked into last summer and got in touch with them as a very tentative initial enquiry.
I’ve always wanted to own and run my own business, and have always really enjoyed the strategic side of it – having run businesses for other people. I have dipped my toe in previously but backed out as I was missing a structure or format on which to base what I was doing.
As I spoke to the franchise organisation, I pretty much made my mind up instantly that that’s what I was going to do and, before I knew it, I was applying for government finance (which was accepted) and sending a franchise agreement to a solicitor for review.
And, yesterday, I handed in my notice to my current employer.
It couldn’t really be a worse time financially, I’m still up to my ears in debt and I don’t really have a war chest to rely on. However, I could wait another 5 years for my debts to be paid off. But, my life won’t have changed.
Or, I could jump in and try this and potentially, in 5 years, have paid off my debt far quicker and own a successful business.
So, in 8 weeks’ time, I join the world of uncertainty as I literally venture into the unknown without a clue as to where my first client is going to come from.
And I could not be more exhilarated by the prospect.
640 Days to 40 