Last week at Lucky Fabb, rampant on the twitter feed, was Brandon Holly quote “I want to help you quit your day job.” and “Quit your day job.” Quitting my day job was probably one of the best things I ever did for my career, but it wasn’t an easy ride. In fact of all the successful entrepreneurs I’ve ever met, going out on their own was never easy.
For me, going on my own was actually was part opportunity part, wake-up call. The company I was working for was about to lay off half the team and my heart wasn’t in keeping my day job, my then-boyfriend (now husband) had to move back to Germany to finish his degree and he had a free place for me to live while I worked on my blog. I don’t come from a rich family, nor was my blog raking in the big bucks at the time (more like $100 a month). So it was part luck and part stupidity that I even went on my own in the first place.
What happened? For the first year, I was really working on building the blogs, I was really poor, like agonizing over whether I should buy hairpins for one Euro poor. Going out for a cup of coffee was a luxury poor. Defaulting on a few loans poor. But it enabled me to make a lot of trips, spend a lot of time blogging which opened opportunities. Brands had flown me to Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam and New York and I was able to make connections which in the end helped to build what I have today.
So was it worth it? Yes absolutely. Was it hard? You betcha. Would I recommend everyone to do what I did. Not so much. There are a few things I would like to recommend first before quitting your day job.
Faith
God or no god, having faith in yourself that things are going to work out no matter what, it the most crucial thing to becoming a successful blogger, or successful in anything for that matter. Having faith in yourself, in the world working out will keep you calm when the shit hits the fan, and the shit always hits the fan at some point for entrepreneurs. When people doubt you, and they will when you’re doing something new, having faith in yourself will keep you strong.
Support
No man or woman is an island. No one succeeds alone. I had my husband and my family to support me while I went through this time. I also had a great group of friends and had a lot of support from other bloggers who kept me strong through the beginning. Having a good support system will help you have faith in yourself, and it will help you hang in there.
Vision
What is your business plan? What is the future of your blog? How do you want to change your industry? Where do you see yourself in five years? These are all questions you should have clear in your mind. Making money is important, these days it’s not always clear how that’s going to happen. But if you have your eye on the prize, eh, eye eye on your vision you’ll think of ways you can monetize in interesting ways.
Drive
This is the most important thing you have to have, above all else. If you have enough drive, we can just drop you off in the middle of nowhere with just a toothbrush and you’ll succeed. Having drive will keeping you working, trying new things, staying fresh and motivated to work through anything. If you find yourself working twelve hours a day, or spending every spare moment you can on making your vision a reality, then you probably have enough drive to make it happen. Don’t underestimate drive, it’s key.
So, now you have the scoop… Is quitting your day job something you aspire to? Are you ready for it?
I like that this article presents a realistic picture of how it’s not always glamourous to be a full-time blogger! It seems like it’s really trendy right now, and everyone is trying to quit their day job. I guess I can see the appeal, but I also often joke that I wouldn’t wish blogging full-time on my biggest enemy. There are some serious pros and cons to consider, and I know Jon Acuff (author of “Quitter”) recommends not quitting your day job until your own company/blog has fully taken flight!