In this episode, I recount my experience in taking the plunge and jumping from a stable, large bank job to swim in some different waters. "Funding the Pivot" was written a few years ago as I was doing the post-mortem on my post-book experience. I think the lessons I learned can help a lot of people. This format a bit of an experiment for me in non-interview podcasting- let me know what you think of it. The transcript of the essay is below- thanks for listening!

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https://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Actually-Intelligent-Decision-Making-1-ebook/dp/B07FPQJJQT/

Funding The Pivot

We live in a world where we are bombarded with advice to “follow your passion” and stories of people who wonder about the road not taken.  In fact, more people in their prime earning years are taking steps to fulfill their “dreams” before they reach the brass ring of retirement- a time normally associated with doing all of the things you didn’t have time to do.

What happens when you aren’t close to retirement and want to make a career switch or start up a new business? What is realistic? How should you think about the risks so that you avoid a crippling financial decision?

As clients and friends have come to me with this issue, I have taken my personal experience and some financial planning concepts to put structure around what can be a high risk, but high reward decision.

The Assessment and the Plan

Many of us daydream about a better tomorrow . . . better finances, more control of time, health and family happiness, a clearer path to professional or extracurricular achievement and establishing a legacy. These things don’t come without costs and the risk of failure. Therefore, you need a plan.

The first step is to assess the situation at hand.

Are you running from something or running to something?

Do you have an idea that will change an industry (or the world)? Do you want to start a business (and the hell that being an entrepreneur can bring) or do you just want to enjoy the trappings of a well-oiled business machine (already put in place)?  For those making career decisions because of an unpleasant work environment, I would think twice about running headlong into entrepreneurism.  It is a long and lonely road.  You have to “really want it” and be prepared for sacrifice both personal and financial.  Can the same itches be scratched while being traditionally employed? If your current situation is dissatisfying, could the correct change be a move to a firm that is more in keeping with your goals and principles?

I had a little of both in my life and used parts of the creative process, the entrepreneurial experience and a corporate situation to move my situation ahead.

My situation at my previous employer was suffocating.  I enjoyed working with clients, solving problems, identifying opportunities and being relevant to successful people. However, while enjoying success, I was not participating in the equity or direction of the business and I was not developing.  My career trajectory was flattening and the principles by which I worked were shifted by new management priorities. It was time to go no matter what.

I also had a nagging feeling that I had more to bring to my clients, my firm, the industry . . . and myself.  I became involved in podcasting and speaking- two things that I enjoyed.  On the strength of that and my extracurricular interest in writing screenplays and essays, I felt like I had a book in me.

Change is good, right? Change brings growth. Generally speaking, that’s true, but change also occurs when you are laid off or when a company closes down. To that end, change is effective when you are the architect of the change. When you are driving new circumstances, you have more control over its effects. In my case, I spent a year writing the book,