Employment Just isn't for me!!

[natasha]

Just going to have a little rant....

As some of you may or may not know i work in part time employment at the weekends, it helps pay the bills and mortgage.
I've never been off sick, I've always worked most days when they ask me to do overtime.

I do enjoy the work i do and its giving me good experience for when i set up my own salon, but I'm just very annoyed.....

I asked weeks ago for next weekend off as its my daughter's 7th birthday, and its still not sorted out, i have just barely got the Sunday off but they really don't want to give me Saturday off, they could easily get someone to cover, we are at a quiet period of the business year and at the moment I'm just feeling like.... employment is just not for me, yeah its easy.... you get up, go to work, get paid and that's it!
But the freedom just isn't there, if i was working for myself i could have the freedom to pick and choose the days i want off....
I've got a business idea i want to get off the ground but i have been hesitant as i would be risking money i don't really have but if it pays off then it would be very beneficial.
And today has just made me think i should just go for it and take the risk.......

Although i already run my greeting card business, it didn't take any risk to set up, it just naturally happened.

I bet you guys have all had similar experiences, if so I'd like to know about them?

[Jon123]

I risked all my savings and all my sisters savings ( With there permission!!) when i was 17, on a container from China!! Paid off and now doing well bring over 8-10 containers year.

Jonny

[natasha]

well done jonny, was there anything that pushed you to take the step?

[go4it]

Working for a major mutli national supermarket, I remember at the end of my shift being asked into a room where 3 members of staff asked me to empty my pockets and take off my shoes, just to make sure that I hadn't pinched anything from the tills. Well they said every little helps.

And working for a major UK fitness chain, I once had to complain to outside orgs as they were putting kids at serious risk. Management would not listen to me. 2 weeks after complaining, they sussed it was me, was called into the office and given a @@@~~~@@@ as apparentley I was not in a position to make calls like that. 2 weeks later, despite having a superb working record, I failed my annual review and was dismissed. Had to go through a tribunial claim, but the company chickened out and offered me money to shut up. My solicitor advised me to accept it, but I feel sick that they got away with it, if I could give the money back I would. It is amazing that a company like this one would hang their own employee to try and save their back and protect their shareholders. The company is so massive that no matter what evidence I had, they would win. One of the companies other projects had a case where they dismissed a member of staff for a 'silly reason'. He took them to a tribunial and lost (Can't sat too much otherwise I will get into trouble for identifying them, how stupid is that?)

That all said, I work full time as a teacher at the minute. My aim is to create a social enterprise for the community, I'm getting all the info together at the minute. The fitness chain I worked for is just down the road, may go and ask them for some money as an investment!!

Walking down our high street yesterday, it is sad that mutli national companies, large high street companies etc have taken over outr towns and created clones. I encourage everyone to do what you can and breathe some life into our country!!

[Widgey]

Hi Natasha:

I personally wouldn't give up the weekend job unless you have a partner who is able to pay all the bills by themselves, if it all goes wrong.

With a 7yr old daughter at home, I would not risk it. It is VERY easy as you are aware, for it all to go wrong. If you have a partner living with you, then they might JUST be able to afford the bills, but what about all the other costs, birthdays, school uniforms, packed lunches/school dinners, car (petrol, insurance, tax) etc.

I would do a income and expenditure sheet for your partners earnings alone and see if it's a viable option, leaving yourself with a few hundred to spare at the end.

It was easy for me just to give up work as I had a little savings behind me, but I didn't have any dependants either.

Good luck in whatever you do though and hope it works out for the best.

Paul

[Jon123]

The opportunity for a good return on investment and with age on my side it made the choice easier.

The way i see business is that the sky is the limit but if your in a job there will always be a limit, you can only go so far up the chain before your at the top and only so much money you can earn, but in business your potential earnings are likely to be more than any job of course there are exceptions to this rule.

At the end of the day if you have an opportunity to quite your job and own your own saloon then dont let anything get in your way because you only have one life and it is better to have tryed and failed than to have not tryed at all.

you obviously have the right experience and commitment to start up your venture so why wait!?!?!

Jonny

[natasha]

Thanks Guys for your replies.

I would do a income and expenditure sheet for your partners earnings alone and see if it's a viable option, leaving yourself with a few hundred to spare at the end.

Yes i do regular income/outgoing sheets and to be honest there isn't that much left over each month, although i could change that if we budgeted properly


Yes my partner is living with me and he earns a good wage, although my earnings do help out quite a bit as i have two kiddies not just the one.

I'm not thinking of quitting my job, the recent events have just pushed me more and more forward to taking the risk on this business idea i have.

I will still keep my part time job and do this project during the week.
So at least i wouldn't have to worry about money for our personal lives, the only risk being i would have to borrow to actually fund this project and that would mean making repayments to the cash i have borrowed.

My idea i have is separate from the salon idea, I've had this plan for many years and if this idea works out then it would help fund my salon idea.

decision's...decisions.....

[Widgey]

Keep us posted either way!!

Paul

[natasha]

Will do thanks Paul

Ps i may get saturday off as i've kicked up a little stink! :evil:

[Sherry_D]

I can understand your concern Natasha, sometimes you just need to go for it. I had my job as a civil servant for obout 4years and i took the brave decision to leave my job and go into full time business.

I am single parent with 6year old daugher and a mortgage. didnt have savings when i left. I just decided it was time and just had the faith in my business and I took the plunge. It hasnt been easy but i have no regrets and I will not go into employment at all.

With a mortgage of £900 to pay every month and then bills, I was prepared for the risks i was putting myslef in. Everyone in my family was VERY concerned about me and my mortgage but you know what, I had reached the point where if it means i had to loose my house now and temporarily move into rented accomodiation while I establish my business, i will do it. I just think the society expects a lot form people and that you should own your home and its your pride. After all as rich dad says its not my home, it belongs to my lender so i was just prepared for that senario which hasnt happened.

Sometimes its good when you have a partner to help out with bills but sometimes I feel quite lucky being on my own because i am not scared of taking the plunge and I will just go for it. I have been surving on LIDLs but hey thats only temporary.

This last week I have made very good progress. had press article about my business and this week they will run a question and answer on Thursday but it has taken me months to get here.

[natasha]

That's great Sherry D!

Well done to you, you have taken a big risk and i'm glad its working out for you.
It's true, what you say about owning your own home etc etc, and its also true what Robert says in his Rich dad books, your mortgage is a liability to you, its an asset to the bank!

I think as long as i'm sensible and i've done my research and i've assessed the risk, i think it will be OK but at the end of the day i will need my partner's backing on this, so I'll have to convince him and hopefully he'll also be involved in the project as i feel he has a lot to offer the project too.

Thank you and congrats about the coverage!

[crystal_vysion]

Illness pushed me into this.

I worked for a firm of solicitors and they were less than understanding when I became sick. Following several months off work, when I was receiving no actual wages but just SSP, I checked my bank balance on the day the SSP was due to go in. It hadn't gone in. My employers had withheld it because they "weren't sure exactly how much to give me".

That made my decision for me. I was not going to return to work for people like that if I became well again. And, as my condition has the doctors baffled (operation 2 weeks ago was their last hope and hasn't worked) there is no indication that I will be returning to work anytime soon.

So, I decided to work for myself.

K xx

[natasha]

Its a shame that "some" employers just dont know how to look after their staff.

Wishing you well and success for your business.

[Widgey]

Originally posted by natasha
your mortgage is a liability to you, its an asset to the bank!

Yeah it is to begin with! but won't be like that forever! Just think it about like this, you are now in debt so you can relax at retirement and not have to worry about a roof over your head and also you have something that you can pass onto your children!

I have nothing to pass on to mine apart from the house, so i will be holding on to mine as long as I can!

[crystal_vysion]

Thanks Natasha.

I'd say give it a go. Don't allow yourself an escape route.

You won't regret it.

I work much, much harder for myself than I ever did for a company. I take pride in everything I do. I work hard from the minute I wake up until the moment I go to sleep.

In return? I can take myself off to collect my niece from school whenever I want, I can take the morning off if I don't feel well and make the time up in the evening instead, I allow myself the occasional day in Starbucks brainstorming/action planning.

I've heard so many people say why they can't do it... not enough time, not enough money, too old, too young, too much risk. But I haven't heard a single person who has taken the risk say they regret it.

Good luck

K xx