A career coach gets on the job

I’ve been a business owner for the past ten years, and it’s become repetitive and lonely. I hate the seasonal cycles, where my income wildly fluctuates throughout the year. I love working with people and have managed teams before, but it doesn’t make business sense to maintain a large team. Plus, going into the office doesn’t work well for me now that I have a baby. I think I’m at a point where I just want a job — a steady paycheck, colleagues to work with, and the ability to be creative without the responsibility of constantly having to think about every aspect of the business.

OH, the coffee does smell so much better on the other side of the desk, doesn’t it?

Dealing with the headaches of business ownership can make even the lowliest of roles look like sipping a latte instead of planting and grinding your own beans. It’s easy to forget what all that hard work is for when all you feel is stress, lack, and loneliness. But is it really the solution? Or will potential, ownership, and flexibility seem even more enticing from the other side? Let’s consider what’s really brewing before you pour the entire pot down the proverbial drain.

One challenge you mentioned is irregular income. Many entrepreneurs make decisions based on the balance in the bank account that day — and so when that number is low, you feel like you have to tighten your belt, and when it’s high, you may book a vacation. Here’s a suggestion: Treat yourself like an employee! If someone else would hire you and you’d expect a consistent paycheck, why are you treating yourself any differently? Act like a boss, and treat your favorite person at the very least like an employee.

“It’s lonely at the top,” is a common refrain heard from entrepreneurs. But it doesn’t have to be. Hiring a team just to have a social life is a very expensive and unnecessary proposition. You’re not the only one with this problem — most small business owners and solopreneurs struggle with this. Find your people, and create your own network of business owners who support each other. There are many associations, mastermind groups, and coworking collaborative environments that can solve this problem and help grow your business at the same time.

When you started your business, you were a different person at a different life stage, and you created a business around what you needed at that time. Nothing is stopping you from doing that again and again, at each new life stage. The business is there to serve you, not the other way around. If you could change one thing about it to better accommodate your current life, what would it be? Start there.

“Okay, Shaina, but I don’t think you get it. I really just want a job!”

Okay — here are three questions that I want you to answer honestly to yourself:

How would you like to be somewhere from 9 to 5 every day, rain or shine?

How would you like to know that your paycheck is static and that no matter how hard you work it won’t change at least until next year, and even then, most likely only by five percent?

How will you feel if you know best about how something should be done, only to be told that your opinion isn’t relevant, and your job is to fulfill the requests of your boss?

Uh-huh. I thought so.

But okay, maybe you’re right.

Before throwing in the towel completely, consider a few other options:

Consulting for companies similar to yours where you can choose your schedule, earn more than an employee for less time, and still benefit from the team environment

Partnerships or collaborations where you can hand off the areas that are harder at this stage of life

Part-time employment to provide structure, socialization, and a base paycheck while running a scaled down version of your business

Can any of those provide what you want and give you what you need?

If, after all these considerations, you still want a job, remember that the entrepreneurial skills you’ve developed — adaptability, problem-solving, initiative — make you an exceptionally valuable employee. Just be sure you’re moving toward something positive rather than simply running away from business challenges. Wishing you lots of luck, income, and time to enjoy your new baby!

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1054)