Yeah, it has been four and a half months since I last posted to let you know that I lost my job.  When it happened, I decided to stop!  Stop everything and evaluate where I am in life and what I wanted to do next.   I needed to get away for a while and that is what I did.  I spent time in the Sierra Nevada mountain range and kicked around Asia for a while.    Now, I am back and I want to share where I was and what I am doing now.

I decided to focus on getting another 6 figure job and not skip a beat.  Things where going well.  I was interviewing and had landed a few job offers with global organizations.  I had what some may consider dream jobs offers, VP of this or Director of that.  I turned them all down.  By mid September, I knew I did not want to do go back into a multi-billion dollar organization.  I did not want the politics and I certainly did not want the hours.  OK, strike that off the list.

In mid September, I traveled to the Sierras to reflect on what I really wanted.  I decided that I wanted to join an early stage or start up company.  I wanted to be part of top management in a cool company with a great culture and do some good in the world.  I went to find that company and actually found a lot of them.  I talked with many of them about how I could grow their companies.  I focused on four of them and they all wanted me to come work with them.  I felt really invigorated, but something was not right.  I took off for Asia and thought about my future some more.  Sure, I have found the companies and culture that I wanted, but I wanted to work with all of them.

I got back in the States in late October and talked with the four companies about joining each of them through a retainer arrangement.  They all agreed and I started my own business to work with them all. I wanted to outline my rules for working with them, so I created rules for myself.

  1. I would not devote more than 25% of my time to any one of them.
  2. I would not work more than 35 hours per week.
  3. I would have flexibility to spend time with my family even during the day
  4. I would have flexibility and spend time pursing starting other ventures, angel investing or volunteering.

I am about 6 weeks into my new business and achieving all the goals I have set out for myself.  I have four customers, working about 30 to 35 hours per week.  I am spending more time with my family and I am working on a few business ideas, joined an angel investing group and volunteer as a coach in various sports.  I have accomplished all this and have replicated my six figure income.

Life is good heading into this holiday season.  I am all set for 2012. I don’t know where life will take me, but at least I know I will enjoy the ride.

 

 

 

Joe Edward

Joe Edward