Career Pathways in Entrepreneurship

Maybe a portfolio career is calling. Maybe an entrepreneurial itch needs scratching. Maybe job circumstances suddenly have you launching. The journey of a solopreneur, #fractionalexecutive, or entrepreneur requires many steps. Here is my advice whether you already started the journey or a W2 employee right now: 1. Untether your personal identity and brand from your current job, title, or company/employer. - Who you are is not necessarily what you do M-F, 9am-5pm. 2. Adopt a mini-entrepreneur/consultant/fractional mindset. - While in your current job, ask yourself: "In what I do right now, could I be hired to do this by other people, companies, or clients?" Have those conversations with people in your network. 3. Learn to properly setup and structure your potential business. - Should it be a LLC, S-corp, or something else? Every state and local municipality have different regs, filing requirements, and tax implications. There are many low-cost resources to establish your business through Incfileser or LegalZoom. 4. Focus on building the business not the shiny objects. - You can easily get bogged down (and spend ton of money) on designing a company logo, a fancy website, or picking brand colors. You do not need these in place before you "launch." Start slowly with word-of-mouth as you formalize your business. 5. Join a community or network of entrepreneurs. - There are many virtual communities where you can connect, learn, and share resources. ___________ What other advice do you have? #healthcare #publicaffairs #ShastaAdvisory

Is the life you’re living, getting you closer to the life you aspire to have? If the answer is no, it's time to rethink your strategy and start working on your future now. Reflect on your goals. Evaluate your current actions. Make necessary adjustments to align your path with your aspirations. Start building and creating what you want now while you’re employed. If you’re looking to venture from your 9-5, here’s 5 things I recommend. 1. Research and Plan: Start researching and planning your business idea while still employed. Identify your target market, assess the competition, and create a list of potential connections that might be interested in working with you or a great referral partner. 2. Save Money: Begin saving money to fund your business venture. Cut down on unnecessary expenses and start building a financial cushion to support your transition to entrepreneurship. 3. Build a Network: Start networking with industry professionals, potential clients, and mentors who can provide guidance and support as you start your own business. 4. Develop Skills: Use your current job as an opportunity to develop skills that are relevant to your future business. Take on projects that will enhance your entrepreneurial abilities and knowledge. 5. Test the Waters: Start testing your business idea on a small scale while still employed. Launch a pilot program, offer services on a part-time basis, or conduct market research to validate your business concept before taking the leap to full-time entrepreneurship. Remember, it's never too late to course-correct and pursue a life (and career) that brings you fulfillment and happiness. Life is short. You deserve to treat yourself to a life you’ve been wanting. Start taking action towards it. #solopreneur #careeradvice #lifechoices #entrepreneurship

Episode 339 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Andy Palmer, serial entrepreneur, seed investor, and now author. Andy is one of my OG’s, that being original guests. If you go way back into the archives of The VentureFizz Podcast, you’ll find my first interview with him for Episode 22 back in 2018. In that interview, we talk about his full background story, his career building companies like Tamr & Vertica, plus investing in companies. For this interview, Andy and I connected for a different reason. He has written a book with his co-author, Paula Caligiuri, PhD titled - Live for a Living: How to Create Your Career Journey to Work Happier Not Harder. It’s ultimately a guide to designing a life that leverages your personal values, motivators, and goals in your career. I ’m a fan of audiobooks, so it was fun listening to Andy and Paula narrate the book and I have to admit, they both have great voices for it. Plus, it was cool to know some of the people that they highlight in the book like Elizabeth Lawler, CEO & Co-Founder of AppMap, who we recently on my podcast. In this episode, we chat about: * How Andy got involved in AI back in the 80’s and how this is his third AI hype cycle, plus the details about his latest company called DBOS, Inc. * The inspiration behind the book. * The 5 phases of ideal careers that being: Starter Phase, Foundational Phase, High-Growth Phase, High-Focus Phase, and Give-Back Phase. We go through each phase in detail. * Why a simultaneous career path can be a benefit. * The advantages of working at startups and how it can push your career forward.  * And more! There is obviously a lot more to this book than what we had the opportunity to chat about, so make sure you check it out! The title is Live for a Living and you can find it on Amazon or the audio version Spotify or any other major outlet. #careeradvice #careertips #book #startups #seedinvesting