Quit my job

[LazyDaisy]

Hi ENA, its been a few years since I posted on here. I don't know who to turn to.

I have been an Accountant for 27 years. I never really liked it, but the job I have had for the past year has become unbearable. I have a constant headache and feel exhausted and anxious all the time.

So last week I quit and I enrolled in Dog Grooming School. My intent is to either open a mobile pet grooming business or an actual Pet Spa after I gain some experience.

 

I made a lot of money as an Accountant and I have a mortgage and bills that I was able to cover with my salary.

I'm terrified I won't make any money with my own business and I will lose everything I have.

 

How do people start their own business? How do you get over the fear of not having a steady paycheck? How do you learn to live on less?

 

I'm afraid I made a bad decision but I can't turn back now.

[Starlight925]

You know what? I think this is awesome news!!!

 

Quitting something you hate, with enough money to open a business, is an amazing leap of faith.

 

There are tons of resources for opening small businesses, and making them successful. I love the Dog Grooming mobile van idea!

 

Do you have SCORE in your area? It's retired small business owners who teach, for free, classes on running a business.

 

Reminds me of one of my favorite Thoreau quotes:

"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and die with their song still inside them."

 

You are choosing to sing your song out loud. I love it.

[LazyDaisy]

You know what? I think this is awesome news!!!

 

Quitting something you hate, with enough money to open a business, is an amazing leap of faith.

 

There are tons of resources for opening small businesses, and making them successful. I love the Dog Grooming mobile van idea!

 

Do you have SCORE in your area? It's retired small business owners who teach, for free, classes on running a business.

 

Reminds me of one of my favorite Thoreau quotes:

"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and die with their song still inside them."

 

You are choosing to sing your song out loud. I love it.

 

Thank you for your reply. I keep doubting myself!

 

I checked and there are some SCORE mentors in my area. I am going to get in touch with one!

[Starlight925]

Thank you for your reply. I keep doubting myself!

 

I checked and there are some SCORE mentors in my area. I am going to get in touch with one!

 

Yay! Years ago, I wanted to open a business but I didn't have a great idea like.....a mobile dog grooming van! So I went to a couple of the free SCORE seminars, and I really liked them.

 

Also, be sure to check out theirs, and other, resources on all the permitting, licensing, etc. that you'll need. And as an accountant, I'm sure you know how, legally, to define yourself as a business for maximum benefit tax purposes, etc.

 

While I didn't ever open my business, I did make a 180 degree career change, about 20 years in, when I was in my early 40's (I'm 55). Best thing I ever did. It was like jumping off a high dive, blindfolded. So scary to leave something I had done for 20+ years, with decent money, perks, etc., for something completely different. Much less "glamorous" than the first career, which is funny, because when I go to parties and people ask what you do for a living, their eyes now glaze over, but I don't care!

 

Success is where passion meets opportunity. Sounds like you've got both.

[catfeeder]

Consider taking temporary jobs as a groomer for other businesses so you can learn from those as case studies in what they do right--and wrong. Getting paid to learn always worked for me. Nothing is ever wasted.

 

I'd also consider part time work in a related field, such as a veterinary assistant, or voluntary work in a shelter to develop ties with your community and a customer base.

 

Another avenue for immediate and related earnings could be dog walking and pet sitting--both can help you develop customers for grooming after you complete the training.

 

Congrats on your career change.

[LazyDaisy]

Consider taking temporary jobs as a groomer for other businesses so you can learn from those as case studies in what they do right--and wrong. Getting paid to learn always worked for me. Nothing is ever wasted.

 

I'd also consider part time work in a related field, such as a veterinary assistant, or voluntary work in a shelter to develop ties with your community and a customer base.

 

Another avenue for immediate and related earnings could be dog walking and pet sitting--both can help you develop customers for grooming after you complete the training.

 

Congrats on your career change.

 

 

Hi CatFeeder,

 

Yes, I gave it some thought this morning and I am going to work for someone else for at least 6 months. I will also do some volunteering with shelters. I'm just a little worried about making my bills until my own business is up and running. I have plenty of savings but I will need that for start up costs and getting financing.

[Batya33]

Hi CatFeeder,

 

Yes, I gave it some thought this morning and I am going to work for someone else for at least 6 months. I will also do some volunteering with shelters. I'm just a little worried about making my bills until my own business is up and running. I have plenty of savings but I will need that for start up costs and getting financing.

 

So just sort of for fun, but also might be a pleasant distraction - check out the book In Her Shoes (and the movie) by Jennifer Weiner - a lawyer who quits and starts a dog walking business.

[catfeeder]

Hi CatFeeder,

 

Yes, I gave it some thought this morning and I am going to work for someone else for at least 6 months. I will also do some volunteering with shelters. I'm just a little worried about making my bills until my own business is up and running. I have plenty of savings but I will need that for start up costs and getting financing.

 

If you start the part time related work, dog walking and pet sitting now, while you're still in training, you'll build an income while also building a future customer base. This base will also help you attain financing later.

 

I wouldn't jump into the financing and expense side of this until you've built the customer base of pet owners through the dog walking and pet sitting, along with whatever grooming gigs you can get by investing in the most basic set of equipment that enables you to groom on-site in your own place or in the homes of customers.

 

In other words, I'd build UP before investing in the most expensive equipment, which would be the mobile unit. I'd establish a base of customers first, and only then would I expand into the kind of mobilization that is costly and unnecessary until I've saturated the non-mobile market.

[Hell_On_Heels]

Maybe reach out to local doggie day cares, and see if they have need of a groomer. It'd be great if you could do business with them, since the clientele is already there, and you could have multiple appointments with one stop. Congratulations!!

[toby17]

I have been an Accountant for 27 years. I never really liked it, but the job I have had for the past year has become unbearable

 

Do accounting part time. You may not be inspired by accounting but it sounds like it's only this past year's job that broke the camel's back.

 

People always advise diversifying your income and having more than one work stream - in fact, some suggest 7 streams.

 

Accountancy is a job that can easily be self-employed. I would not give up on a profession that could easily be one of those 7 streams. Tax time is coming up soon. Why not help people prepare their tax returns on the side.

 

There's a company called Happy Tax that lets you become an independent contractor for $200. (I heard about it thru the crowdfunding site Wefunder. So I can't vouch for it personally.)

[Starlight925]

Do accounting part time. You may not be inspired by accounting but it sounds like it's only this past year's job that broke the camel's back.

 

This is great advice, as you'll be able to maintain some income while getting your business up & running.

[catfeeder]

Do accounting part time. You may not be inspired by accounting but it sounds like it's only this past year's job that broke the camel's back.

 

People always advise diversifying your income and having more than one work stream - in fact, some suggest 7 streams.

 

Accountancy is a job that can easily be self-employed. I would not give up on a profession that could easily be one of those 7 streams. Tax time is coming up soon. Why not help people prepare their tax returns on the side.

 

There's a company called Happy Tax that lets you become an independent contractor for $200. (I heard about it thru the crowdfunding site Wefunder. So I can't vouch for it personally.)

 

Great advice. You could also look into any potential advantages in contracting through firms such as Accounttemps and similar.

 

You could 'merge into' your new career rather than make it a one-shot all-or-nothing deal.