~ by Candice R
As creative minds get misplaced in the traditional world of nine-to-five, that inner voice pressing for the jump to creative freedom never quite settles. The desire to be more less governed and shoeboxed to function within the corporate mold weighs heavy. You know deep down this way of work isn’t the most constructive way to share and amplify the impact your talent and ideas can have on the world, and your personal life experience while doing so.
You can make it on your own you know, many have. Creative entrepreneurs are now fast becoming professionals shaking up the business world. They are professionals who have mastered what it means to build their own ecosystem that fosters the creative spirit in ways that are impacting businesses and their clients the world over. It’s amazing what creative liberation can achieve when YOU are holding the reins. It’s most definitely not the easier route, that is the security corporations give employees. Becoming your own boss means your security is wholeheartedly determined by you. You know what else is solely determined by you? Your independence, your freedom, your creative expression, and your ability to dream up. It’s your dream now, not someone else’s. This is exciting!
If this IS your dream, acknowledge it, and do something about it. For it to manifest, you need to plan your jump to entrepreneurship, TODAY. It is a journey, and there are different routes to take.
Moonlighting the transition
For some, moonlighting was their guide to test the waters and to build on the dream. There is an influx of moonlighting opportunities, it’s yours for the taking, even if you have to create the opportunity yourself. Moonlighting allows us to flex our entrepreneurial muscles on a smaller scale until we build up the contacts, experience and brand to take the jump. The jump from moonlighting to the full time creative entrepreneur that’s in your blood.
Independent contracting
Another way to ease the transition is through contracting with a client. They either cannot get you as a full time employee (often this is your current employer who doesn’t want to see you go and is willing to continue with you in this way) or the constraints of the business or a project may only give a green light for contracting over employment.
Some businesses are becoming more open to the fact that some of the best talent for their business do not want to be bound under full time employment. And so, the independent contractor engagement is becoming more acceptable - frankly because supply is not reaching demand so if independent contracting is the only way for a business to bring in your talent, it is what many will do. This means you will have your first client. Be sure to accept independent contract agreements as a business not individual and to carve out your engagement as a business collaboration not an employee who is contracted. A business is treated differently, it has its own rules and ways of work, of course you will have to accommodate client needs too, but the point is that they are your client now, not your employer.
The leap
This involves the declaration (to yourself, then to others) that you are taking the bold step to transition straight into your business. Do not be foolish to think this is a cold turkey move, this is about planning, keeping the move professional, and building your business strategy, and then when the timing is set, the leap is made. Be long not short sighted here, building a business takes time and inevitably has bumps in the road and a lot you cannot foresee, and this is why it requires strategic planning with milestones to get you where you envisage.
However you make the jump, do not forget WHY you decided to jump - because you knew you had purpose and value and you wanted the freedom to express it every day, your way. So you created a business that gave you this freedom and empowerment doing what you love.
Work with Candice R
"Solving niche challenges founders face”.
Illustrator: Lisa Williams (Instagram: @artist_llw)