You are the only one who can really answer this question for yourself, but I can tell you that I’ve been there. I’ve sat in my office with the gorgeous view of the east side of Manhattan, NYC with a decent salary asking myself the same question.
A few years ago I was in your shoes. I was working my butt off for a great company, learning and growing while living the same day to day schedule in an industry I wasn’t quite fit to be in. Finance! What was I doing working in Finance you say? Well, at one point, my 24 year old self came across a great opportunity to learn about business while working for a financial start-up with industry leaders who had incredible entrepreneurial success in their prior life. This was the best decision I could have made at the time. I was in between jobs, living on a friend’s couch in Queens and this job was my ticket to a New York City apartment, a new network, and experience to grow as a professional.
A year later, my life changed. I met a Chef who would soon become my first NB Talent Services client.
He had just gotten back from filming a show in LA, I was stuck in the same routine- going out, working, going out, and working. I asked him about the show, and if he had begun to market himself and how. Something about this meet and greet intrigued me- there was an opportunity here to grow, and something I could be a part of. He wanted me to be his “Manager” and everything that that entails in the entertainment industry. So I did what any good Manager would do- I “Googled.”
“Entertainment Manager” was the outlet I was looking for. I began setting up social media- Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Fan Pages, and beyond! I researched and met with friends for advice and suggestions on how to bring my client, a Celebrity Chef, to the next level. Red Carpets were the next game. Where are they? How would I not only get invited, but how would I get him on them? I can’t give away all of my secrets, but I can tell you this- to date, through our combined efforts, he’s been on several TV shows, over 100 red carpets in and around Manhattan, donated to charity events, we’ve organized and executed several cooking classes, and events, and we’ve even started a catering company.
A typical day for me consisted of waking up at 7am, and going to work- as Executive Assistant in my office in Rockefeller Center. I was there from 9-5 or 6 Monday-Friday, while taking conference calls, and checking emails, managing bank accounts and social media, and planning the schedule of events for the week for my Celebrity Chef client. I change in the restroom- into my red carpet “blacks” as I go from day to night, ready for the action that the entertainment world brings!
After a year or so of living a double life, and of course at this point I had an incredible Rolodex, and a few other clients I was working with, I had a decision to make. I just didn’t see a way that I could continue working two jobs without sacrificing the quality of my work. I made a plan to leave my steady, safe job- and of course the rest is history. If this is happening to you, or if you want to make a life change and perhaps reinvent yourself, you absolutely CAN! Phew! That’s a relief right?
Just make sure you have a plan, like mine:
1. Save for a rainy day! I can’t emphasize this enough. I saved for a good 4-6 months before actually leaving my job to start my own business and I needed it!
2. Have a business plan. How will you sustain and grow your new business? Do you have a network of potential new clients?
3. Build a great website. Don’t be one of those people that seriously thinks you don’t need a website. Even IF you aren’t selling a product, or you think you have enough people who know you that you won’t need one- you will! Build it and make it look incredible! It’ll validate you in ways you never thought it would.
4. Network like crazy. Get out there and attend networking events and industry shows. You need to network and spread the word about your business. No one is going to do it for you, so go!
5. Don’t give up! The reality is building a business will take time. This business is new and it needs to grow to flourish! 6 months is not enough, neither is a year. Put in the time for the great results you deserve!
