In this video, I sit down with my friend and fellow coach, Greg Storch, founder of Lion Enterprise, LLC for a chat about, well, ME! We talk about how I started Corporate Escape Artist, why I do what I do and why so many more people are turning to freelancing and self-employment than ever before.
The journey to Corporate Escape Artist
I started my marketing career in Chicago (go Cubs!) and I basically just kind of fell into that traditional mindset that you go to a good school, get a good job, work hard for someone else, put some money aside maybe in a 401k so that at some point, if you live long enough, you can retire and then really start to enjoy your life. So, I basically did that. I worked really hard, moved several times for my job, climbed the corporate ladder and what I found was that the security I was supposed to feel working for someone else just really didn’t exist. I experienced, over the course of my career, several layoffs, downsizing, and companies being bought and sold.
I never really felt in control of my career. I didn’t really feel fulfilled. I felt like I had to be someone else at work to be successful when all I wanted was to be my authentic self in ALL areas of my life. So, at that point I decided to find a coach and that’s when I made my breakthrough. I left my career after 25 years in corporate marketing to start my business, Corporate Escape Artist, and become a business and life coach. Now I’m able to help people like me successfully make the transition from employee to entrepreneur.
The facts speak for themselves
Freelancing and self-employment are on a steep upward curve. It’s not surprising because with technology today, you can work from anywhere and you’ve got many more virtual nomads out there. A lot of this is being driven by millennials — actually 45 percent of millennials say they value flexibility over pay when it comes to choosing a new job. Also, 15 percent of Americans are working a side hustle to start their own business and by the year 2020, the number of self-employed people in the US is going to triple to about 42 million people. People today just want more fulfillment, autonomy and flexibility.
Quotable moments
“The key is really finding the intersection of what you enjoy and what you’re good at.”
“A side hustle without a plan to turn it into a full-time business, is just an expensive hobby.”
“Fear is always going to be there. Just don’t let it keep you from moving forward. That’s the key. The difference between successful people and very successful people, is that very successful people don’t let fear get in the way of their goals.”
“The whole idea of 9-5 is outdated. We should be focusing on productivity instead of working a 40-hour workweek because the time doesn’t really matter. It’s what people are accomplishing in that time that matters.”
Let me know below what comments you have on this topic and don’t forget to join me every Wednesday at 12pm CT on Facebook LIVE!