Contemplating quitting your corporate job to become your own boss? [Thread]

Money

Making money is much easier when you have money. More importantly, having dry powder buys you time.

Starting with anything less than 6 months salary can be suicide. Bonus if you can get to a year saved up.

Flicking the switch on monetizing a new business isn't instant.
The fine print

Scrape through your employment contract to check for non-compete clauses, lock-in periods for approaching competitors, policy on recruiting existing employees.

Check what the notice period is, number of leave days you have to cash & how to transfer your pension.
IP

NEVER work on your personal business using a company device. Also resist the urge to send that sexy excel model to your personal email. Imagine chilling in Pollsmoor for a workbook.

Many companies run a check when you resign to check what you recently emailed & printed.
Skills

Level up as much as you can. Make a detailed checklist of everything you want to master before you bounce. Ideal skills are versatile, resilient and future-proof.

The more advanced your skills, the better your chances of someone paying you for those abilities.
Relationships

Who you know often outweighs what you know.

Convincing strangers to roll the dice on your new venture is tough. Having people in your corner who already believe in you makes it considerably easier to launch.

It's very cliché but networks do determine net-worths
Security

Plan B isn't just a decent contraceptive (ask me how I know), it reduces risk of living under a bridge. ALWAYS have a fall back plan.

If the business goes bust, what's the worst than can happen? How quickly can I find another job? De-risk as far as possible.
Leverage insiders

Fuck the expensive MBA modules, thick business books & terrible business motivation posts - speak to actual entrepreneurs.

Expect raw, honest and unfiltered feedback of the highs and lows. You can save yourself a lot of pain by having these convos early on.
Put in the time

Having the fall back of a corporate salary with the future of a new business is a luxury - leverage it

Set aside a few hours every week to work on your business plan, financial models and sharpen your relationships

Pay your school fees while you have security
Run a small hustle

A side hustle is a great way to rack up business experience without too much risk. It's also scalable. Most entrepreneurs spend far too much building and not enough time executing

Marketing, selling & negotiation aren't overnight skills
Valuation (1)

There's nothing more heartbreaking watching great businesses fail because founders have zero clue how to value their companies. Don't rely exclusively on other people to tell you how much you're worth.

Own the numbers, own the valuation.
Valuation (2)

Spend time looking at comparable companies, precedent transactions within similar sectors, know how a very simple discounted cash flow model (DCF) works.

List the key performance metrics you're benchmarking against.
Be realistic

IG entrepreneur pages will have you believe it's a life filled with yachts, penthouse suites, supercars & private jets.

In reality there's unpaid invoices, longer hours, repeated rejections and the emotional strain of not having regular, stable income.
Just start!

The more financial commitments you have, the harder it is to take the bold leap. It's tough to be creative when you're focused on survival.

Being an entrepreneur in Africa is especially tough but it's also one of the most rewarding & fulfilling personal journeys.
Shout-out for making it to the end!
Additional thread: Guide on raising capital
https://t.co/v81clU04xX

More from Don Petty Cash

Here are 20 of my best threads from 2020 covering personal finance, entrepreneurship, economics & finance, investment banking ++ useful resources.

Massively grateful to everyone who took time out to read, comment & share these across the year. I really appreciate you.

[Thread]

1. Breaking-in – study notes, free textbooks & past


2. Breaking-in – the job connector


3. Breaking-in – book smart vs. street


4. Personal Finance – MEGA Property

More from All

#தினம்_ஒரு_திருவாசகம்
தொல்லை இரும்பிறவிச் சூழும் தளை நீக்கி
அல்லல் அறுத்து ஆனந்தம் ஆக்கியதே – எல்லை
மருவா நெறியளிக்கும் வாதவூர் எங்கோன்
திருவாசகம் என்னும் தேன்

பொருள்:
1.எப்போது ஆரம்பித்தது என அறியப்படமுடியாத தொலை காலமாக (தொல்லை)

2. இருந்து வரும் (இரும்)


3.பிறவிப் பயணத்திலே ஆழ்த்துகின்ற (பிறவி சூழும்)

4.அறியாமையாகிய இடரை (தளை)

5.அகற்றி (நீக்கி),

6.அதன் விளைவால் சுகதுக்கமெனும் துயரங்கள் விலக (அல்லல் அறுத்து),

7.முழுநிறைவாய்த் தன்னுளே இறைவனை உணர்த்துவதே (ஆனந்த மாக்கியதே),

8.பிறந்து இறக்கும் காலவெளிகளில் (எல்லை)

9.பிணைக்காமல் (மருவா)

10.காக்கும் மெய்யறிவினைத் தருகின்ற (நெறியளிக்கும்),

11.என் தலைவனான மாணிக்க வாசகரின் (வாதவூரெங்கோன்)

12.திருவாசகம் எனும் தேன் (திருவா சகமென்னுந் தேன்)

முதல்வரி: பிறவி என்பது முன்வினை விதையால் முளைப்பதோர் பெருமரம். அந்த ‘முன்வினை’ எங்கு ஆரம்பித்தது எனச் சொல்ல இயலாது. ஆனால் ‘அறியாமை’ ஒன்றே ஆசைக்கும்,, அச்சத்துக்கும் காரணம் என்பதால், அவையே வினைகளை விளைவிப்பன என்பதால், தொடர்ந்து வரும் பிறவிகளுக்கு, ‘அறியாமையே’ காரணம்

அறியாமைக்கு ஆரம்பம் கிடையாது. நமக்கு ஒரு பொருளைப் பற்றிய அறிவு எப்போதிருந்து இல்லை? அதைச் சொல்ல முடியாது. அதனாலேதான் முதலடியில், ஆரம்பமில்லாத அஞ்ஞானத்தை பிறவிகளுக்குக் காரணமாகச் சொல்லியது. ஆனால் அறியாமை, அறிவின் எழுச்சியால், அப்போதே முடிந்து விடும்.

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