As I was trudging along the sidewalks and walking to my office in the snow this morning, I noticed two things: My FB stream was "blowing up" about people not going to work today and how they weren't even thinking about trying to get to their place of employment no matter what type it was. Yet, when I entered Downtown Allentown, PA on Hamilton Street, people were hustling / bustling. Individuals were heading into places of business, establishments were open, and monetary transactions were occurring without skipping a beat. This got me thinking... There is a definitely a difference between a JOB, a CAREER, and ENTREPRENEURSHIP / OWNING A BUSINESS.
A JOB may pay you a sub par or decent wage, offers possible insurance or healthcare that you may or may not be able to afford. You more than likely have a high school education, GED, or even Associates, and are working on obtaining a higher degree / certification. They may offer you overtime (during the most inconvenient hours) so that you can add more money to your weekly / bi-weekly paycheck. You can work, attempt to get noticed, and apply for better positions which has better pay and may or may not attain it for months or even years. Some do just enough at a JOB to not get reprimanded or fired. They don't really think about the future until thy hear about a massive round of people getting laid off at their place of employment due to slow production or low profits. It sometimes feels like a hamster wheel. So, when there is ANY opportunity to not go to work you don't and feel no regret, no matter what type of quota or deadlines may be needed.
A CAREER may or may not pay you a decent salary, (depending on WHERE and HOW you live), offers possible insurance, healthcare, 401k investment plans, paid vacations / time off, and credit union usage that you may or may not take advantage of. More than likely you have some sort of degree, certification, or at least the type of business acumen to obtain the qualifications for the position. You may dwell in the Corporate world. There are perks to this world: better pay, higher self esteem, a sense of corporate company pride when people ask where you work. There are possible bonuses BUT there is NO overtime. You make what you make whether you are there or not. Many believe you have an easy time because you are in an air conditioned office all day and wear suits, ties, skirts, blouses, and high heels, but they have no clue that when projects are due for clients NO ONE leaves until they get DONE. Over nighters can be common. Having no life can be even more common. But we often LOVE our careers until we don't. The cost of being a manager, supervisor, executive, and other titles is that while you can NOW afford to do MORE, you have less time. And MORE will need to be sacrificed (family time, friends, etc) in order to have the means to enjoy life MORE. And, yes, you can take time off whenever you want to but there is ALWAYS the one person who is willing to be there no matter rain, sleet, snow, or hail and do the work you weren't willing or able to do. No excuses are ever accepted at all; even though Corporate says they understand, they don't.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP pays nothing unless you earn it. Your work ethic dictates your salary and even then, there are NO guarantees. Your education can range from having non formal to having degrees / doctorates. You may dwell in the service industry or corporate or actually float between both depending on your clientele. The perks of this world: You can say you own a business and work according to your personal schedule. No bonuses unless you close an extraordinarily great deal and more than likely even that money is going back into the business or paying an unpaid bill from the times you DIDN'T close any great deals. Also, the ONLY thing that matters is you CLOSING actual money-making deals. (By the way, I am not talking about MLM's or multi-level marketing and other types of home businesses. I am talking about people who create "something out of nothing" and move forward with all of the risk, work, and expense.) You will produce where ever is the most affordable and in tune with your needs.
You can be whatever title you choose to be: CEO, Manager, Founder, Executive, etc but if your pockets don't match "the hype", then it really doesn't matter. You will be the boss, accountant, creative director, salesman, promoter, etc for months or YEARS or until your idea takes off or until you find like-minded people who believe in your product / service and commit to joining you on this journey. There is no downtime. Entrepreneurship is a lifestyle that keeps you thinking about every feasible opportunity that may push you toward your legacy. You will adapt, tear down, start over, re-do, and get rid of until you get the right combination and only THEN will the universe come together and you start making traction. And even with this, there are NO guarantees of longevity.
I have been all of these entities. Which one are YOU? Which one would you rather be? None are easy but some are more satisfying than others. In truth, the only thing that matters is your happiness and comfort zone. Some don't mind leaving it while it is everything to many. Choose wisely and carefully because, in the end, the only thing that matters is your happiness... CARPE DIEM!
Alfonso Todd III / The Epicenter Consulting LLC
