Post: #1

For the past few years I've been taking a shot at running my own business but I'm starting to come to the conclusion it's probably never going to produce enough to afford a decent lifestyle. It allows me some nice freedom in terms of time, but only in an ultra-minimalist way. I could however, see myself continuing it as a side project.

I wonder how I will be able to "sell" myself to potential employers since my resume is now fairly lackluster.

Post: #2

In my opinion having ever started a business is no different to tattooing your face…

Post: #3

(10-10-2014 11:51 AM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  In my opinion having ever started a business is no different to tattooing your face…

Ouch. That bad?

Post: #4

(10-10-2014 12:05 PM)RexImperator Wrote:  

(10-10-2014 11:51 AM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  In my opinion having ever started a business is no different to tattooing your face…

Ouch. That bad?

I think so.

From your perspective it's very hard to reintegrate into a workforce and respect chains of command having been your own boss.

Future employers will think the same and that you will be off again in no time starting another business.

Post: #5

It's not that bad.

The burden to explain what you have done in your company is on you.

If you continue with your business, potential employers might wonder if your current business will interfere with the job they want you to do. They might think that you won't perform at your best if you have spent time with your business all weekend instead of gaming girls or doing something else that is fun.

Is it a competing business? If yes, potential employers might not like that. If you come up with a bright idea, will you give that idea to your own business or to your boss?

Post: #6

Job Seekers face plenty of hurdles.
This is just another one.
A lot of my colleagues have moved from working for themselves to corporate/govt gigs. The key was that they had marketable skill set.

But to be honest, I'd redouble your efforts on your own business before selling your soul. It sounds like you need to scale up.

WIA

Post: #7

I've been a home based online marketing consultant for the last two years and I just accepted a job this week to go back to work for Corporate America after I swore two years ago that I wouldn't. However, the position I took is in digital advertising, where I already have a few years worth of experience. Try to get a job in something related to what your business was doing, if possible.

They can tell that your business probably wasn't doing well since you're going back to the working world but don't tell them flat out that you couldn't make enough money. If they really dig into you about it, give them some BS about looking for more stability so you can marry some chick or some other family financial obligation that has you giving up your business. Sometimes when the rain is coming in sideways, you have to seek shelter of a j-o-b. Keep at your projects and hopefully you can make a stronger run at them in 2 to 3 more years when you're more stable if you decide to go back to doing that full time.

Post: #8

(10-10-2014 12:22 PM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  

(10-10-2014 12:05 PM)RexImperator Wrote:  

(10-10-2014 11:51 AM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  In my opinion having ever started a business is no different to tattooing your face…

Ouch. That bad?

I think so.

From your perspective it's very hard to reintegrate into a workforce and respect chains of command having been your own boss.

Future employers will think the same and that you will be off again in no time starting another business.

What are you talking about?

I run a SEO business for almost three years. I finally decided that with all the Google bullshit I can't sell it anymore with integrity and I killed it. One month later I re-entered the same career I left three years before.

Spin your business experience in you resume appropriately and you'll be fine.

However, I've been bitten by the bug so I am stashing cash to go on a roundtrip to SE Asia (low cost of living and easy Asian poosy that I like) and work on another business while I am there.

Keep this in mind that it is possible you won't be entirely happy at the job anymore.

Post: #9

How about actual in your face business? Like a buy here pay here car lot?

Hard to come back from that.

Post: #10

(10-10-2014 05:57 PM)CaptainCrazy Wrote:  

(10-10-2014 12:22 PM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  

(10-10-2014 12:05 PM)RexImperator Wrote:  

(10-10-2014 11:51 AM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  In my opinion having ever started a business is no different to tattooing your face…

Ouch. That bad?

I think so.

From your perspective it's very hard to reintegrate into a workforce and respect chains of command having been your own boss.

Future employers will think the same and that you will be off again in no time starting another business.

What are you talking about?

I run a SEO business for almost three years. I finally decided that with all the Google bullshit I can't sell it anymore with integrity and I killed it. One month later I re-entered the same career I left three years before.

Spin your business experience in you resume appropriately and you'll be fine.

However, I've been bitten by the bug so I am stashing cash to go on a roundtrip to SE Asia (low cost of living and easy Asian poosy that I like) and work on another business while I am there.

Keep this in mind that it is possible you won't be entirely happy at the job anymore.

Hang on.

You just asked me what I am talking about and then proceeded to tell us that you are planning to do exactly that…

Post: #11

It sucks having to do that. I'm using the sales skills I learned running my business to make money for someone else in the daytime. I'm doing decently now, but I keep wondering why I couldn't do it for my own company. I still have the company and might be launching another product soon. My advice to anyone trying to sell anything: keep that prospect hopper loaded.

Post: #12

(10-10-2014 06:26 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  How about actual in your face business? Like a buy here pay here car lot?

Hard to come back from that.

My buddy and I have run our own (seperate) businesses since age 18, he's 24 and I'm 26 now. We both joke that we are technically unemployable.

From my experience in the trades (ie. not online/corporate), anyone who has wanted to get a job after being self employed has been a looser who couldn't figure out the basic principles of business, and/or was unwilling to put the effort into the critical first three years. I completely respect that online stuff is different, but it's really not my cup of tea.

Post: #13

I've been running my own (successful) business for a number of years now. I empathize with you. In the beginning I was tempted to go back to sucking on the corporate phallus. Luckily, things worked out. However, I firmly believe that running your own show can do your career prospects no harm whatsoever should you decide to go back to paid employment. I've had no shortage of job offers from competitors and other players in my industry. Without exception they have all been attracted to the fact that I ran my own business. Think of the skill sets that experience has given you- marketing, sales, admin, people management. You're an entrepreneur- sell yourself.

Post: #14

(10-10-2014 06:53 PM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  You just asked me what I am talking about and then proceeded to tell us that you are planning to do exactly that…

LOL!!!!

Post: #15

I always believe that there are ways to re-orient your business to make it generate the income you want. I've been freelancing and investing for a few years now, and I don't see myself answering "so we have a lot of resumes, why should I hire you more than someone else?" question. Of course if life forces me to, I'll have to, but I will do everything possible to avoid that.

This being said, if you really must do it, you'd better find a good reason, more than "it wasn't working anymore". CaptainCrazy got a point and a valid excuse for leaving it. Think about a good reason but don't insist too much on your business if you get an interview for someone.

Just my $0.02

Post: #16

(10-10-2014 06:26 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  How about actual in your face business? Like a buy here pay here car lot?

Hard to come back from that.

I'm with El Mech here, alot of my clients are 'tech' guys...app developers, SEO etc and there is a very blurry line between contractors, employees and outside agencies so I can see sliding between any of those roles being pretty seamless.

I think that is different than being the person hearing "oh, you owned Joe's car lot? isn't that the place with the foreclosed sign on it on hwy 10?"

Further on @atticus' vein as well. Why does an employer have to know you were self employed? You were your own boss so just make up a job title at your own old company and use that as your resume. If you need a reference to go with it go the Vandelay industries route.

Post: #17

(10-11-2014 04:55 AM)Atticus Wrote:  I've been running my own (successful) business for a number of years now. I empathize with you. In the beginning I was tempted to go back to sucking on the corporate phallus. Luckily, things worked out. However, I firmly believe that running your own show can do your career prospects no harm whatsoever should you decide to go back to paid employment. I've had no shortage of job offers from competitors and other players in my industry. Without exception they have all been attracted to the fact that I ran my own business. Think of the skill sets that experience has given you- marketing, sales, admin, people management. You're an entrepreneur- sell yourself.

You effectively become unemployable from some jobs, but you don't want them anyway. Assuming that you're any good at running your own business, you look a lot better in fields you wouldn't even think about if you didn't run your own business.

Employers who don't hide inside a big corporation appreciate the fact that you've actually spent time "covering all the bases" yourself and you've taken the hits and kept on going. In fact, I've heard of cases where candidates were rejected because they had spent so much time in an industry, but never did anything on their own.

Post: #18

I've been running my own business since 2002. like OP, I've made good money, but nothing like job quitting money. So I keep it as a sideline.

Good things are that anything I earn on top of my day job is 100% pure profit - the day job has already paid my rent etc. so sideline hustle money gets to work hard making me even more money. And I get more experience running my own business than I do working for somebody else.

Also a side hustle is good for a dire emergency - if you need cash fast you sell the side hustle.

But yeah, side businesses are too red pill for 90% of the population to swallow and my career has suffered.

I've earnt so much now that I have "fuck off" money so basically when the going gets tough in work I can just tell people to fuck off rather than work 10/12/20 hour days which is the road to total heath ruin.

One thing I would mention in future interviews about my side hustles in IT... if my sideline websites go down it costs me money, so basically I build sites that NEVER fail. As opposed to building unstable crap like my non-sidelining colleagues do. This is a good angle to play.

I'm not kidding myself when I do the math - I might have been better off putting all my effort into my day job, going the extra mile at work. But money you've made for yourself is much more satisfying.