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Started By
Message
For those of you who went off on your own, what was your experience?
Posted on 6/30/26 at 1:36 pm
Posted on 6/30/26 at 1:36 pm
I feel like I'm in that stage of life where for me to get where I would like to go financially, I need to go off on my own. Mid 30's. 10 years very specific/niche industry experience. Worked at a Fortune 50 and left to join an organization as a founding sales person that grew from $0 - $25m revenue in 4 years. I'd argue there's no more than 5% of people globally who are as much of a subject matter expert in this than I am with lots of low hanging fruit in the SMB market.
Curious for those of you who left roles, specially sales or sales leadership roles, to go solo, what your experience was like. Good or bad.
What made you jump?
How long to pass where you were as an employee?
Advice / Regrets / Stories.
Not trying to build anything scalabe here. No interest to scale beyond myself and possibly 1 admin/support person.
Hit me.
Curious for those of you who left roles, specially sales or sales leadership roles, to go solo, what your experience was like. Good or bad.
What made you jump?
How long to pass where you were as an employee?
Advice / Regrets / Stories.
Not trying to build anything scalabe here. No interest to scale beyond myself and possibly 1 admin/support person.
Hit me.
10
Posted on 6/30/26 at 1:40 pm to LSUShock
quote:
1 admin/support person.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 1:56 pm to LSUShock
Interested in the replies here.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 2:11 pm to LSUShock
do not leave without taking a book with you. As long as you are able to do that, and you are as good as you say you are, there is very little risk from the sales side.
decide which customers you can take with you, get their commitment, have contracts ready to sign, make no misrepresentations about what you can and cannot deliver, then pull the pin.
decide which customers you can take with you, get their commitment, have contracts ready to sign, make no misrepresentations about what you can and cannot deliver, then pull the pin.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 2:16 pm to cgrand
All of this
Posted on 6/30/26 at 2:16 pm to LSUShock
quote:
Hit me.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 2:29 pm to LSUShock
quote:
founding sales person that grew from $0 - $25m revenue in 4 years
quote:
. No interest to scale beyond myself and possibly 1 admin/support person.
Uhhhh may i ask what are you selling?
I'm guessing insurance.
My only advice for people going on there own is that it is WAY more difficult than you think. If you are basically just going to be a one man shop then its going to be much, much easier.
This post was edited on 6/30/26 at 2:31 pm
Posted on 6/30/26 at 2:30 pm to LSUShock
I'm doing it now.
Pretty great. I make a lot more and work a lot less.
Idk maybe I work about the same, but my stress level is not even comparable to what it was when I was an employee.
shite hits way different when you get to "keep" 100% of the revenue you bring in for yourself instead of just like 25%.
Pretty great. I make a lot more and work a lot less.
Idk maybe I work about the same, but my stress level is not even comparable to what it was when I was an employee.
shite hits way different when you get to "keep" 100% of the revenue you bring in for yourself instead of just like 25%.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 4:06 pm to barry
International Trade Sourcing, Logistics, and Compliance.
I'm drastically underpaid vs the value I provide. And I'm paid relatively well.
We've hired 7 reps to try and duplicate my production. They don't exist. That has me thinking.
I'm drastically underpaid vs the value I provide. And I'm paid relatively well.
We've hired 7 reps to try and duplicate my production. They don't exist. That has me thinking.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 4:08 pm to LSUShock
Do it while you’re young and don’t have a huge income to replace and a bunch of dependents. As you get older and that happens you lose flexibility or at least have to be much more cautious.
Also, are your skills portable or do you need a big back office, contracts, legal, etc?
Also, are your skills portable or do you need a big back office, contracts, legal, etc?
This post was edited on 6/30/26 at 4:10 pm
Posted on 6/30/26 at 4:12 pm to LSUShock
I'm curious what were you doing as sales in the startup? Did yall sell these services? Would you be selling these services or executing on the services for sourcing, logistics, and compliance?
People that have a very niche skill set are good candidates to go out on their own and be 1099s/consultants.
People that have a very niche skill set are good candidates to go out on their own and be 1099s/consultants.
This post was edited on 6/30/26 at 4:18 pm
Posted on 6/30/26 at 4:33 pm to barry
quote:Portable. All institutional knowledge. I was the customer before I was on the vendor side. Then really succeeded as a vendor and sales person. My book has followed me once. Many customers said then, "we don't care who's name is on the invoice, we care who answers the phone when we have a problem".
Also, are your skills portable or do you need a big back office, contracts, legal, etc?
I wouldn't start the same business, but rather consult. Either take hourly or retainer based clients. Only need 6-8 steady clients to be where I'm at now. Could layer some add ons to probably double that in 18-24 months depending on how much I wanted to work. There's some avenues to parter with Buying Groups, PE offices, etc. where you can add opportunities pretty quickly.
There's a lot of people who know how to navigate domestic transport. There's very few with the breadth I have to navigate the global landscape.
This post was edited on 6/30/26 at 4:35 pm
Posted on 6/30/26 at 4:36 pm to SquatchDawg
Bruh, I started young. 3 kids. A wife that stays home. Mortgage. 
Hence why this feels like a pivotal moment.
If I stay comfortable, I'm stuck on the wheel.
If I bite the bullet now, I'm likely in for a 6-12 month gut check, but confident I can get it there by month 12-24 and certainly 24+.
Hence why this feels like a pivotal moment.
If I stay comfortable, I'm stuck on the wheel.
If I bite the bullet now, I'm likely in for a 6-12 month gut check, but confident I can get it there by month 12-24 and certainly 24+.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 4:44 pm to LSUShock
I went from being broke and being in debt with student loans to making seven figures a year and being able to retire in my 30s. Not all roses, though. Many days where I want to say frick everything and move to a small, remote island. Also, the business will own you. It's just the nature of the beast.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 4:48 pm to LSUShock
all BS aside if this "business' will require big loans and has a big overhead you had best do it before you turn 45. i would never risk all my money on something big after 45.
do it now. if you fail you can still make a "business" with zero to low overhead without tons of money upfront and without big debt service doing other stuff. plenty other things can be treated as a "business" so if it fails you walk away and do not lose your arse or file bankruptcy.
do it now. if you fail you can still make a "business" with zero to low overhead without tons of money upfront and without big debt service doing other stuff. plenty other things can be treated as a "business" so if it fails you walk away and do not lose your arse or file bankruptcy.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 5:10 pm to LSUShock
If you consult, are you replacing a cost or adding an additional cost for your clients? Meaning are they basically just getting consulting now from your company or other back room work?
Posted on 6/30/26 at 5:40 pm to TheOcean
quote:The business already owns me as a founding employee. I just do it for someone else. You don't take a business from $0 - $25M revenue as the lead hunter (lead as in 70% responsible for every dollar in) without being all consumed. Hence the underpaid comment.
I went from being broke and being in debt with student loans to making seven figures a year and being able to retire in my 30s. Not all roses, though. Many days where I want to say frick everything and move to a small, remote island. Also, the business will own you. It's just the nature of the beast.
FatBastard and Squatch, very little overhead on the consulting side. I'm an expense item to the clients for a short amount of time. Very quickly they'll discover savings and expertise they don't currently have. I know this because I do this already as their vendor. I'm just offering the service now. Won't be doing it on the purely consulting side.
This post was edited on 6/30/26 at 5:42 pm
Posted on 6/30/26 at 6:13 pm to LSUShock
Left a VP of Sales role 5 ish years ago.
Best move I ever made
Few key notes:
1. I had 2 years worth of bills liquid. Huge help! I would t do it without 1 year liquid. 2 years was lagniappe but 1 was necessary. Takes that long to build up clientele
2. From the moment you start your business until you’re dead, every moment of your life is sales/ biz dev. Meet everyone who cares about you and is willing to meet. Regardless of whether or not they can buy your services or not
3. Don’t obsess over being perfect early. Focus on getting clients and don’t be afraid to make a mess of it while you figure out the perfect business model on the back end (assuming you’re still providing the right customer experience)
4. If you feel it’s right—— DO IT!!
Best move I ever made
Few key notes:
1. I had 2 years worth of bills liquid. Huge help! I would t do it without 1 year liquid. 2 years was lagniappe but 1 was necessary. Takes that long to build up clientele
2. From the moment you start your business until you’re dead, every moment of your life is sales/ biz dev. Meet everyone who cares about you and is willing to meet. Regardless of whether or not they can buy your services or not
3. Don’t obsess over being perfect early. Focus on getting clients and don’t be afraid to make a mess of it while you figure out the perfect business model on the back end (assuming you’re still providing the right customer experience)
4. If you feel it’s right—— DO IT!!
Posted on 6/30/26 at 6:16 pm to LSUShock
As a founding employee and responsible for 70% of the revenue, I assume you would have serious leverage in negotiating pay.
That ultra niche industry knowledge you have is irreplaceable.
Seems like reinventing the wheel in your 30s with kids & wife at home + mortgage will be challenging and certainly take valuable time away. Will it be worth it when it’s all set and done? If so, maybe it is worth the jump…
I have to think if compensation is the only issue and it’s a small company (relatively speaking) and given the very niche industry, it seems like everything would be negotiable
That ultra niche industry knowledge you have is irreplaceable.
Seems like reinventing the wheel in your 30s with kids & wife at home + mortgage will be challenging and certainly take valuable time away. Will it be worth it when it’s all set and done? If so, maybe it is worth the jump…
I have to think if compensation is the only issue and it’s a small company (relatively speaking) and given the very niche industry, it seems like everything would be negotiable
Posted on 6/30/26 at 7:29 pm to Quatre Pot
Points 2 and 3 have been my life for the last 5 years. Would you be open to me reaching out. Lsutigerz2001@gmail.com
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