Not Your Average Story of Girl Meets Job
113 days ago I put on my out-of-office message, closed down the lid of my (standard grade, quite heavy) laptop and sighed. With happiness. Plus a side order of nerves to go.
I was now Post-Corporate.
I had officially exited a grown-up job. The kind of job my parents could (sort of) explain to their friends, and be proud (cool industry, brands you might have in your cupboard, “Director” in the title). The kind of job you work 14 years towards. The kind of job that pays you a salary, a pension, a bonus, share dividends, flexible benefits…
Wait, what had I done now?
Ahh. That’ll be the nerves kicking in.
The key to success is to start before you’re ready – Marie Forleo
Well that is actually really helpful advice thanks Marie, because I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I was ready for anything then other than a nap.
I had a nap.
On 2nd Jan, I waved my husband off to the office (sucker!), sat down with my notebook and sharpies and started to ponder the future. I won’t lie, I wasn’t starting from a totally blank piece of paper – I had given it a couple of months’ thinking. I was going to start a business bringing together all the things I loved best – people and learning and talking and problem-solving and behavioural change and playing and making a difference. I knew what I was good at. I knew I had the energy to make a success if it. I just needed to start.
So I did.
The best way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing – Walt Disney
Those first few weeks, I revelled in playing at being a business – getting an accountant, getting incorporated, writing my design brief, getting my website set up. Business cards, those cardboard rectangles of joy! I loved them all.
So now I had a business (and the cards to prove it). What next?
Now I needed business.
Let’s get down to the business of business – Me, trying to sound like an 80s management guru
To be continued…
Over the next weeks and months, I’m going to share my stories and adventures here on Medium (and via my blog etc) on what I’m learning, what I’m having to unlearn, and a few mistakes I’ve made along the way. I’ve been religiously reading articles, learning from the masters like Tom Kuegler (I’ve just signed up for his 5 day Medium course, so if you liked this, be excited, it’s going to get even better!), Josh Spector (His For The Interested Newsletter is one of the best things I’ve ever read) and Michael Simmons (the 5 hour rule informs my every week), so thanks for the inspiration guys. Can anyone recommend any inspirational female learning or start-up authors for me to follow on Medium?
Abbi Buszard is a coach, learning geek and wannabe social entrepreneur with a hunger to start something new and an energy that just won’t quit. In Jan 2018 she started Grow Your Own Organic Learning, based in London. She coaches individuals, particularly through career transitions, and designs and delivers bespoke experiential learning for businesses and charities. Her clients include Treasury Wine Estates and Spark Inside. For every commissioned contract, she ‘pays forward the growth’ by doing something pro bono for her charity partners. Contact her via her website www.growyourownlearning.com
