How To Make The Leap To Self-Employment

Wondering how to make a leap to self-employment? To be sure, it can feel like a big leap to most that have done it. And if you're sitting on the edge ready to make the leap it can feel daunting and you might even be tempted to retreat and NOT do it.

My husband and I are both self-employed solopreneurs. Below is Part 1 of how we made our power-filled leaps to self-employment. We have never been tempted to go back to how things "were". I believe that's because we started in the right place, which is #1 on the list!

1. Follow your passion

WHAT do you care about deeply and feel called to do with your life? Do that.

First of all, if you have a desire to work for yourself really listen to the part of yourself sending you that message. Then, get really curious about what self-employment might look like for you.

How do you want to spend your days? What kind of work do you want to be doing? What's your calling? Can you somehow parlay your calling into a business?

Listen, self-employment isn't for everyone. I know that. But I think for more and more people it's becoming an attractive alternative and something to look into.

As for me, I knew with certainty I wanted to work for myself since I was 20 years old. My parents were self-employed so I came by this desire naturally and it's also "just how I'm made". I knew I wanted to work for myself from a young age and then I did a lot of self-discovery work as to what that would look like for me.

As for my husband, he never saw himself as self-employed so he did something different - he followed his passion first and that's what led him to self-employment. In the end, self-employment was the most attractive alternative that allowed him to do the kind of work he loves to do.

Bottom line, you deserve to live a passion and purpose-filled life and you deserve to follow your dreams. Give your heart and soul a voice in your life and then find a way to live your life in alignment with your higher purpose. In my opinion, there's no better way to live.

2. Make a few plans

Both my husband and I wrote out a brief business plan before we made the leap into self-employment. Nothing fancy; as I remember each of our plans consisted of 1 sheet of notebook paper, hand-written and consisted of our vision and a few strategic get-started steps.

We also saved a little money (not a ton) and got our house in order, kind of like a lot of people do before they have a baby.

This is what we both discovered, making sense of our dream on paper helped give us the confidence to make the leap. Marc Allen wrote a great book on this, "The Millionaire Course". In it he walks you through important business planning steps and also offers a simple 1 page business plan to get you started.

3. Tell a few close friends what you're planning

This is one of the things I did that helped me do what I said I wanted to do...I told a few good friends about my plan to quit my good paying corporate job so I could start my own business.

It was one of the scariest times of my life! In fact, the day I woke up and knew I was going to give my 2-week notice I felt sick to my stomach and doubted I could go through with it.

Thank goodness for my two angels that day. They both called me on my way to work and encouraged me like no one has encouraged me before. Without their love and support I don't know if I could have walked into my boss's office and given my notice.

But I did.

And, it was one of the best days of my life.

If you're planning on a big leap let a few close friends in on your plans so they can stand by your side and encourage you. I don't know where I'd be today without the love and support of my friends.

4. Make the commitment to do whatever it takes to make a go of your dream...whatever it takes!

One time a friend asked me what Plan B was if Plan A didn't work out. Honestly, I've never had a Plan B for what to do if self-employment didn't work out. In my opinion there should be no exit strategies or plans and you must be willing to do whatever it takes to make a go of it.

Also be willing to make sacrifices. Some of my clients want desperately to work for themselves but they're not always willing to make the sacrifices to do so. Realize you might have to.

My husband and I have gone on fewer vacations then we'd like and we live in a smaller house than we like. But, in the end we know that will turnaround and we'll once again be able to have the material possessions we desire.

For now we have SO MUCH more. We have an abundance of freedom to do what we want, when we want. I'm home with my daughter most days when she gets home from school. From time to time my husband and I can play hooky.

For both my husband and I FREEDOM is one of our top values (in the top 5 for both of us) and today our life is perfectly aligned with what we hold most dear.

With that said, we are both known to burn the midnight oil and work long hours (more so my husband than me) but we still have the freedom to strike a good and healthy balance. It all works.

5. Take the leap

It all comes down to that golden moment in time when you must take the leap. When you do, jump in with both feet shouting a YAHOO as you do!

If you have a deep burning desire to work for yourself, you must go for it or you will regret it. Don't hesitate and risk the chance of looking back on your life with the question, "What if?"

I deeply believe if you have a strong burning desire...a dream...you will be shown the way to make that dream come true. You won't always see all the pieces at first so you have to trust the way will be shown. It will be.