Your 9-to-5 is your Investor...Here's How

If you’ve been fighting the corporate blues, then this blog is just for you.   So let me ask you a question…

Have you ever considered embracing this thought, “My current employer is my first investor?”?

Believe it or not, they are investing in your long-term goals and preparing you for what is to come in the entrepreneurship world.

Think about this for a moment…

Where else could you get someone to consistently do the following things while you are building your business:

• Invest in your expertise by providing on-the-job training
• Invest in your savings account with bonuses and 401ks
• Invest in your soft skills
• Invest in your lifestyle and allow you the freedom to get paid to go on vacation
• Invest in your side hustle by providing you with the extra funding needed to build your brand, back-end operations, products, and/or services
• Invest in your professional network by exposing you to professionals in various disciplines - from Human Resources to Sales Gurus - and provide a forum to “pick their brains”

Sounds like a win-win situation to me...but of course, that depends upon how you choose to manage the relationship with your employer.

All too often, I hear from frustrated women about how negative and toxic the work environment can be.  And I get it Biz Friends.  Nobody wants to work in an environment that they no longer enjoy, especially when they have other dreams in mind.  

However, here are a few things I had to learn to embrace when I was taking the steps to transition from the 9-to-5 life.  For years, I silently murmured under my breath about how frustrating or irritating my employer was.  Whether it was the lack of support or corporate politics, there was always something to be said.  Though I was good at what I did, something was always missing for me so I’d jump from company to company hoping to find “that thing”.  But the truth was no matter what I did or where I went, I was going to be unhappy because of the mindset I had during that time.  I was an entitled employee seeking support and validation from an employer that was not responsible for stroking my ego.  

Perhaps this might be how you’re feeling right now.  You may say things to yourself like:

“All this time and energy I put into this and they still won’t give me a raise?!”

“How did he/she get that promotion?!  They’re not even qualified.”

“Same ish, different day.  Another day another dollar 🙄.”

“The leadership here is terrible...let me check indeed right quick.”

If you’re anything like I was during that season of life, you are seeking a position that serves not just your responsibilities (a.k.a bills) but is fulfilling and gives you joy.  The reality is we are responsible for mastering the joy from within...not our jobs!  It’s a false reality society has painted for us that our jobs should bring us optimum joy.  When the truth is, jobs were simply designed to bring us coins Biz Friend.  It’s a hard truth but the sooner you embrace that, the happier you will be.  *pinky promise*

Here are a few lessons I learned during that season of life that I hope will help you during yours:

Lesson One: Having consistent income flowing into your life is a GIFT and not a requirement. 

Stop taking your job for granted!  Maybe it’s not your favorite place to be but it’s an opportunity to get yourself a step closer to where you truly want to be.  Whether it’s by obtaining new skills, connections, or money to knock out debt, it’s a blessing.

Lesson Two: Building an empire takes time and endless coins honey.  Do not underestimate that!

Starting a thriving business takes time and money.  Learning to consistently invest your 9-to-5 income in the right places for your business to grow can truly change the game for you.  Instead of relying on investors or business loans to cover your start-up expenses, maximize your salary to make solid business moves!

Lesson Three: All of your work experience is transferable and will be used in the next phase of life.  Therefore, allow yourself to master those skills.

No skill will be left behind when you finally leap into entrepreneurship so take the time to cultivate new skills.  You may think creating that financial report for your boss is annoying but wait until you are the CEO of your business.  

Lesson Four: You can’t be a great CEO until you master being a great employee.  Trust the process.  

Enjoy having the ability to spend another person’s budget to “try out ideas”.  While working at a company, I had the opportunity to work on a special project to create an end-to-end coaching program, while working alongside the CEO.  I created the pitch deck to “sell” the idea to our CEO, the marketing material to support it, the coaching templates for coaches, and the framework...You name it I created it.  And it was the best on-the-job training I could have ever had.

Lesson Five: Invest in learning the inner workings of your current employer.  It’s only going to make you a better Leader.

Understanding how a true corporation or small business runs, with multiple departments and revenue streams will teach you how to run your own business.  Pay attention to how the business markets, where budget cuts occur and why the hiring process, and so on.  When it is your time to live the CEO life, those small details will come in handy.