Does starting a new career mean starting over?

August 5, 5:35 PMCorporate to Entrepreneur ExaminerSilvia Johnson

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Photograph by Nicole Peattie

I’ve had a number of people that I’m coaching refer to starting a new business, or as they put it “starting a new career” as starting from the bottom. As they think about their small business dreams, whether it is starting a bakery, an organic farm, or a healing practice, the perception remains the same; you must start at the bottom no matter what your dream might be.

Let’s just stop and think about that for a moment. If all you have ever known is the corporate world, then the way the world works for you is as follows:

1. There is a ladder to climb
2. When you start you start at the bottom of the ladder
3. You get paid more the further up you are on the ladder

Therefore, if that’s how your thinking about the world why would you ever want to start your own business, if it means that you are starting at the bottom, which in turn means you wont be making money for some time to come. Even writing that thought down, makes it feel really heavy and insurmountable for me, and I already have a successful business.

Now you might be thinking, how should I think about starting my own business so that it isn’t like starting all over again? There are # things to begin thinking about in order to shift your thinking.

1. What skills will you be carrying over from your corporate job? I don’t care if it seems like you are doing something night and day different, there WILL be things that you will carry over.
2. Work with a mentor. A mentor, someone who has been there before, will help you get the information you need so that you aren’t starting at the bottom. This is a true shortcut to success.
3. Create a plan. When you create clear long term goals and the action plan to achieve them, you are then in the driver’s seat. It is being in the driver’s seat that will ensure your success.

Does starting a new career mean starting over? I hope by now you know the answer to that question. I’ll give you a hint, the answer is “No”!

If you liked this article check out: Top two fears for people wanting to become entrepreneurs; Five steps to breaking out of the corporate world; Laying the foundation for your business