Is It Time to Start Your Own Business?
I work with clients who are starting their own businesses. Some are leaving the workplace to become consultants, ready to capitalize on years of experience and great connections to generate more income. Many are fulfilling a longtime desire to be small business owners.
Most, however, have been laid off and have aged out of the job market. They’ve become unemployable. They’re 40 or older and employers don’t want to pay for those years of great experience and industry savvy. There’s a perception that they haven’t kept up with technology and trends, which is likely untrue. This is blatant discrimination and ageism, but it’s the reality.
I understand the needs of the unemployable because I was one of them
I was laid off from my corporate marketing job in 2008. I spent a few months responding to job postings, with virtually no response in that terrible economy. It finally became clear that I was not going to get another job. I was just too old, so I started my business in 2009, in the heart of the recession. There is nothing you can tell me about doing more with less. It was so damn hard. Thinking back, even with an extensive background, I was unprepared to market myself as a marketing consultant! Like every small business owner, I made a lot of mistakes and learned from some of them.
Now I’m helping my clients identify the tools they need to help them be competitive and productive. There are so many applications and so much noise; there’s so much to learn and so many distractions.
Those launching a business don’t need enterprise apps like HubSpot or SalesForce
They do need an identity, messaging, a simple website, an SEO strategy and a newsletter. Good content is nonnegotiable. They need to start networking so they have a list to send that newsletter to. Social media is important, but they can’t be a slave to it. Decide what is manageable and stick to that.