I built a six-figure remote business and walked away from the 9 to 5 at age 46. Every Tuesday, I email a story, tip, or idea to help you climb down the corporate ladder and live life on your terms.
She spent $40,000 on an MBA and wants to quit her job.
|
My wife and I recently visited with a friend who had just completed her MBA in mid-career. She had spent over two years studying, balancing her coursework with a demanding corporate job and being a Mom. I cannot imagine how challenging it must have been. I was ready for even more good news about how getting her MBA had resulted in a big promotion or that she was being considered for more senior roles in the company. Instead, she told us how frustrated she was. She had already been turned down for more than one promotion and even flagged for "underperformance" by a brand new manager who hadn't spent time getting to know her. Then she looked at me and said, "Honestly, I envy you. I would love to start my own business, like you did, and get out of the corporate world." When she said that, I felt bad for her. My friend believed that her company would recognize her huge sacrifice in obtaining her MBA—not to mention the $40,000 cost—and reward her with a bigger job, more money, and more respect. Like many, she worked her way up the corporate ladder only to become disillusioned and realize she had been chasing after something she didn't want. ________________ It will be interesting to see what our friend does in the future. If she wants to pivot, there's plenty of time to create a path from the 9-5. The same can be said for many people in her situation. If you're in your mid-40s and can't bear the thought of being stuck at your corporate job until you're 60 or 65, don't believe the conventional wisdom that it's too late for you. In fact, I think that if you are 15 or 20 years (or more) into your career, you are in an ideal position to build a business and leave the corporate world. After all, you've spent two decades developing skills worth far more than what your company is willing to pay you for. You're likely well-connected and should be more financially stable than in your 20s or 30s. Even if you're not financially prepared, there are steps you can take to get there. Do you agree or disagree? Feel free to reply to this email, I'd love to hear your thoughts! - Colin |
9-5 Escape by Colin Graves
I built a six-figure remote business and walked away from the 9 to 5 at age 46. Every Tuesday, I email a story, tip, or idea to help you climb down the corporate ladder and live life on your terms.
Happy Tuesday! I'm back to my weekly schedule after taking an unplanned break for a few weeks. A few of you reached out to see what was up — thanks for checking on me! : ) All is good! I thought I'd share an update on what's been happening this summer and my plans for the fall... Ottawa trip Laura and I were in Ottawa at the end of July for a few days to see my parents and attend a "cousins" reunion. I have 34 first cousins on my Mom's side of the family, and a few of them decided to plan a...
Happy Tuesday! While doing my once-per-month scroll-through of Threads this week, I was reminded why you should never look to strangers for advice on social media. (If you're unfamiliar with Threads, it's Facebook's parent Meta's version of Twitter). As I scrolled through my feed, I came across the following "Thread": "I NEED MULTIPLE STREAMS OF INCOME. What's your best side hustle?" Over 150 replies followed their question. I scrolled through about 20 or 30, stopped, and shook my head....
Step# 2 in my "Roadmap to Escape the 9-5" is to start a side hustle or business that can eventually replace the income from your day job. However, most people struggle to come up with a side hustle idea. There are likely a few reasons for this: They're focused on the wrong thing (money) - never chase the money They lack confidence in their abilities They're afraid to start Indecisive/ can't think of a 'good' business idea Regardless of the reason, if you're struggling to find the right side...