Why I left corporate America to start my own business and the challenges I faced along the way
Sometimes our calling is more than what a job has to offer us. Most of the time when people hear about someone quitting their job, it's usually because the person hated it or wasn't good at it. But that's not the case for me, I actually liked my job and was great at it. I was a top advisor for a fortune 500 company in California. I was making more money than I could spend! Between my salary, quarterly bonuses and monthly commission checks, I was able to live comfortably without having to worry about money. Life was good.
My coworkers were a lot of fun, my managers were okay (to an extent) and the company offered great incentives. I had full health benefits, life insurance, stock in the company, 401K, PTO and lots of other perks. It was a great company to work for, I just didn't feel like that was my true purpose in life. I wanted more and when I say more, I'm not talking about more money or more materialistic things- I'm talking about more out of life. More freedom, more choices, more opportunities for growth. Even though I'd earned 2 promotions and 2 raises within the 19 months I worked for the company, I still found myself unfulfilled.
"I decided to take a leap of faith by quitting my job and fulfilling my passion instead."
I've always been an entrepreneur at heart. I enjoy seizing opportunities to work for myself and generating income based on doing things I love. In fact, I started my first business at the age of 25 and became very successful in doing so. That allowed me to live my life the way I saw fit. I didn't work a "conventional" job for over 10 years. By the time I was 30 I started my second business and continued to work for myself. I was able to travel the world and create a lifestyle that I enjoyed living.
Having a job was never really my thing. I knew that I could get jobs easily because I had the skills and personality that most employers look for when hiring candidates. But I've always instinctively known that a job was just not for me. No offense to those with jobs and to clarify- having a job is not a bad thing! It's a great thing if that's the lifestyle you want to live. But different strokes for different folks- I've never liked the idea of being told what to wear, what time to come in, what time to leave, when I could take a lunch and when I could take a break. Not only that, but to then be told how much they'd pay me for giving up my time just didn't do it for me.
While working in corporate America I learned that it's a dog eat dog world. There is no such thing as loyalty when dealing with companies who view you as expendable and worthless. No matter how hard you work, the company only cares about 1 thing- their profits. I grew tired of "feeding the machine" so to speak. Working hard and dedicating your time to making sure a company succeeds while they use you and let you go at their discretion just unsettled me. It never felt quite right.
I decided to take a leap of faith by quitting my job and fulfilling my passions instead. I won't lie- I was hesitant for the longest because I didn't know how I would be able to afford my lifestyle without that income. Although I lived well below my means, I knew that quitting meant that I would be giving up my health insurance, my 401K, any further stock the company was giving out and most importantly, my salary.
This wasn't a decision I randomly made overnight. It was long and thought out. I knew I'd need to have enough money saved up to get me by until I figured out a way to generate some more income. Luckily I've always been resourceful and motivated to go out and make things happen for myself. I knew that a job wasn't the end all, be all. I told myself that if I could land the job I had, I could land another one that was even better. With that, my decision was made. Months before physically quitting I began saving money and working on my exit strategy.
"In order to grow, I needed to remove myself from the soil that wasn't watering me"
Quitting my job and leaving corporate America was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make in my life. Even harder than sacrificing my comfort and relocating to a different state. But I knew that in order to grow, I needed to remove myself from the soil that wasn't watering me. I struggled with the idea of letting go of that safety net. Which when you really think about it, that's all a job really is- a safety net that makes us feel secure knowing we have income. But that safety net can also turn into a spider web that keeps you trapped and stops you from chasing the lifestyle you really want.
It's scary giving up what we know for something uncertain. When I quit my job I didn't know if my business would be a success or a flop. But what I did know was that God doesn't give us passion to let it die inside of us. I had something in me that needed to come out, but it couldn't because I didn't have the time I needed to nurture it. I was too busy working my job while my passions sat tucked away. One thing I've learned in life is that if we don't listen to what the Universe is trying to tell us and take heed to the warning signs- life becomes unnecessarily hard. When we go against the grain of what God truly wants us to do, he'll make life uncomfortable for us; and if you aren't paying attention, you'll hit rock bottom before you even realize you missed your turn on the path of life.
Sacrifice is the name of the game when it comes to having what you want in life. Giving up the things that weigh you down in exchange for the things that uplift you. We're often times so stuck on this idea of how WE think life should be, that we fail to realize that God has a life planned for us that's even better! We just have to trust him and believe in his word. It's a scary thing not knowing where your next dollar is coming from, especially if you have a family to take care of along with other responsibilities. But God doesn't want to see us struggling or going without. He'll always provide a way if only we submit to his lead and obey his commands.
God told me to quit my job because he had more waiting for me on the other side of my fears!
When we worry about things, that lets God know that we don't trust him. Because if you have faith that things will work out and God will take care of you, what are you worrying for? I decided to put my faith in God and not in my job. Since quitting, I learned the only real thing I lost was a title! I followed my passion and started my content creation business on faith, hope and a will to succeed. I know that for as long as I do my part in making an effort, God will continue to guide my steps and meet me halfway if I come up short.
"Your faith just has to be stronger than your fears!"
All we truly have to depend on is God-- not a job because at any moment and without notice a job can be taken away from you. Before quitting I used some of the money in my savings to invest in my business. Even though I was in a new city and state, I knew I needed to find a way to promote myself. So I bought a billboard advertising my services.
It was a stretch because dishing out that type of money knowing that I was quitting my job made me feel even more uncertain. But God said to do it and he'd take care of the rest.
I trusted his word and let go of my fears. Since then I've managed to be interviewed by news publications such as Fox, CBS and NBC. I've also been featured on local radio stations, podcasts and even in popular magazines. All of which helped to grow my business and generate more income than I ever knew possible.
By listening to God and relocating, quitting my job, starting my business and being obedient to his will, I've been blessed with more than I can imagine. I now work from home or wherever else I feel like it. I live a comfortable lifestyle and I'm still able to travel (with the only limitations being Cov19.) I'm making enough money to sustain my monthly expenses without sacrificing my comfort.
The point of this blog isn't to bash people with jobs or make them feel bad. That is not what this is about. This blog is for the people out there who are thinking about taking that leap but are afraid because they don't know what the outcome will be. Consider this- we never know what the outcome will be regarding anything in life, but we still do things anyway. God will not let you fail because that means he fails too.
I know it's scary and the unknown terrifies most people. But imagine the life you truly desire waiting for you to cross into it. The only way to cross into it, is by giving up that safety net. The only thing you truly lose by quitting a job, is a job. Jobs are everywhere, they might be hard to get, but they're out there if that's the path you choose to take.
In closing- never lose your faith or doubt the power of God. Through him all things are possible. Your faith just has to be stronger than your fears! The life you want and the things you desire are all waiting for you to cross into them. We all have the power to become who we truly want to be in life- we just have to believe that we're worth the greatness of God and he'll give us the kingdom!
If you've made it this far down, I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog. I only share my personal experiences in order to show others that I'm the proof it can be done. If you have questions or just need some motivation on where to start your journey- feel free to send me an email to appts@ashawnalane.com and subscribe to my blog to stay updated with my journey.
I do my best to help inspire others into becoming who they were meant to be. I wish you all the best on your journey and much success in whatever decision you choose to go with.
As always,
Yours truly,
Ashawna Lane