Folks who left their employment to pursue their own company/self employment .....

I’m 50 and wish I would have done it before I had kids, became the sole bread winner etc etc. I’m tired and no longer have any fire as I’m tired of working for someone else even though I’m well paid, moved up the ladder etc etc. Zero motivation.

Whereas had I started my own company I would now be at the point of having a management team or whatnot in place and be in a position to start looking at my exit strategy.

I’d say list out the pro’s, list out the cons and make a decision. If you don’t have any responsibilities then jump asap and do it. Worse case in a year you can go back to the public sector as a W2 employee again.

As the saying goes, stop thinking about everything that could go wrong and start thinking about all the things that could go right.

My oldest kid was in 8th grade and I was after more time. I didn’t care about money, it was about time and the money followed.

I got tired of depending on somebody else for my living.

Wife’s self employed business exploded and she needed help with the administrative side. I was also getting burned out with the stress and demands of my career in the offshore oil industry and was looking for ways out. Although scary at the time to leave it, it was the best decision I ever made and life is much better now.

Not having to worry anymore about being fired, laid off, injured, or killed was the highlight of the decision.

I believed I would succeed.

The ignorance and inefficiency of the workplace proved I was ready.

I didn’t know I would succeed in opening my own insurance agency. The only thing that gave me solace was the fact that I had worked in the field for roughly 5 years, met other owners, and had found myself to be harder working and more forward thinking than most of the industry.
For three years, I struggled. Worked nights and weekends at local bars/restaurants to make ends meet. Depended on my significant others teacher salary to provide.
After three years, finally figured out my stride, brand, biz model, clientele, etc.
Just celebrated 7 years, and more doors have been opened for me professionally and personally than I could ever have dreamed of.

My advice: take the leap. Make a sacrifice. Work hard. Be honest. Success is only a couple steps away.

My story is a little unique. Health issues with my father brought me back into the family business that I had sworn off for so many years. It's all been for the best, but the first few years were very tough. It's still tough, but I have so much more freedom in life than I had when I was working for someone. More money helps, too. Sure, some days suck, but most days are awesome.

One thing I wish someone had told me when I started: Find a group of other entrepreneurs you can confide in. You will often feel alone on your journey, and it can be emotionally taxing. It is nice to talk to people who go through the same thing.

I own a government contracting company unrelated to my work experience as a commercial real estate appraiser.

It’s been the best decision I ever made in terms of the money I make and the amount of free time I have.

A thought exercise I do weekly is have conversations with my 15 year old self and 80 year old self.

I know this sounds silly but it’s been life changing for me.

I am attempting to get my first client as we speak. It is a B2B commercial service business so I am having a hard time getting my first client.

I am on the phone hours a day, trying to hustle and get past all the gatekeepers at various businesses.

All I need is one contract and it will replace my currently salary. Just looking for financial freedom and more time with my family!

It was what I always wanted to do. I did work for other people until I was 31.

IMHO the bigger risk is working for the other guy---big or small. I have seen countless 50 year olds out of work because of corporate reorganizations or closures. They find work but rarely at the wages of the job they had.

You will make mistakes in your own business but you can do things to make up for it.