The Career Management

Over the past couple of decades, I have started several businesses; some have worked, and some have not. Even those ventures falling short of expectations provided an excellent learning experience. In other words, I didn’t see much revenue, but I learned what not to do in the future.

Business ownership is not for everyone, to be sure. Starting a business means that you are fully accountable for all work, including marketing, IT, operations, finance, accounting, and janitorial services. You are first, second, and third on the depth chart.

For some of us, owning a business is in our blood. My grandmother had a talent to find new work opportunities, and my mother has owned several successful businesses. For others, launching a business is spurred by a strong area of expertise, such as development of apps for mobile technologies. Finally, some are considering entrepreneurship because of the difficulty in finding full-time work during the recent downturn in the economy.

Here are three signs indicating that business ownership might be right for you:

#1: You want to control the level of income.

There are many who believe that self-employment is too risky. However, the counterargument is that working for others carries even more risk. Employers must only give someone two-weeks notice regarding termination, and losing one’s job is not always related to poor performance. Thus, even if you are doing well, you can be shown the door.

When you operate a business, whether as a global project management consultant or seller of luxury watches, you are largely in control of your income. By finding the right niche, and providing unparalleled customer service, you can create excellent wealth.

#2: You are not allowed to use your creative mind.

Bureaucracy is part of corporate America, and it’s getting worse. New regulations, such as SOX and HIPAA, are requiring even more controls, which leads to more layers of management, creating bottlenecks throughout the system. The more controls that are place, the more red tape we encounter, which invariably stifles creativity.

Entrepreneurs are creative people. We have a unique way of visualizing how our product or service can improve the lives of our customers. When we cannot use our creative minds in the workplace, we start looking for business opportunities where we are the decision-makers.

#3: You understand the magic word known by all business owners: Freedom!

Any true entrepreneur knows the importance of creating one’s schedule, and doing the work that is driven by passion and desire. This is freedom! When we are doing what we love, it’s no longer work. We enjoy getting to work early in the morning, staying late into the night, and even spending weekend time to complete our activities.

Rest assured that business owners spend the hours necessary to get the work done. The difference, though, is that they do the planning. They determine what work will get done, and when it’s scheduled. Having this control is important to entrepreneurs.

The timing to start a business is different for every person. You can begin the process part-time. Get to know the business and industry. Build the skills you need, and put away the necessary capital to support the start-up process. Even if you are not ready to make the decision today, it’s critical that you begin researching the possibilities.

Finally, and perhaps most important, avoid heeding advice from those with little knowledge about business ownership. If you have the passion, and the timing is right, go for it. If the product or service is right, and you provide excellent customer service, the chances of success skyrocket.

Dr. Jimmie Flores,PhD,PMP,ITIL,SSBB,SPHR,GPHR is a seasoned organizational development and continuous improvement professional with 20 years of experience. In 2006, he founded the Flores Consulting Group, a company based in San Antonio, TX. Dr. Flores is also an expert in project management, ITIL, Six Sigma, Entrepreneurship, and Sports Officiating.

You know what you came here to do. It’s the big dream that you haven’t shared with anyone yet – but you’ve dreamt it over and over again for many years.

You know you’re here to help people and to make money. You have all the skills and experience you need to manifest this work successfully. First you have to get past the bogeyman (or what I call the “pitiful self”).

There is a self-doubt deep inside of you that makes you pull back just before you take the brave step into the light of your new direction, the work you came here to do.

It’s time to override that voice of the pitiful self and take your leap of faith into unknown territory. This is your moment, and it’s what you came here to do.

You’re here to be an explorer, a settler of unknown territory, a prospector into the divine. It’s why you came to planet earth, not to hide out in your self-doubt confinement.

There’s new territory waiting to be discovered by only you with the unique gifts you brought with you. This is sacred ground waiting to be blessed by your unsteady feet, and your children are watching to see how far you will go down the unknown path. They will, of course, go farther than you in their time. But you can make important progress for them, progress that gives them a better chance at success.

Who will your children be after they watch you cringe at the mention of change? Where will your children go after they listen to your misery about a world where no one gets to be successful doing what they love? Who will they be after watching you suffer every day because of a career that doesn’t fit your true gifts?

That voice of self doubt, the pitiful self, is an essential part of being human. It’s inside all of us. It pulls us back to the limited mind, to the limited consciousness that lives within the body. This heavy burden of limited flesh and a scattered mind is what we signed up for when we came here to evolve.

Yet the pain and self-doubt is designed to become our fuel for doing our great work – for offering to the world what we wish had been offered to us. Will you let your pain and doubt stop you now from living up to the mission you came here to accomplish? Or will you use it as your fuel for moving forward? It’s your choice. Everything depends on your decision.

You intended to use your energy (fueled by pain and doubt) to manifest greatness through your work, to push consciousness to a new level, to help make life on planet earth magnificent for everyone. Your children still carry that dream in their DNA. Will you diminish their dreams with your own fear?

Wake up! Take a deep breath. Fill your body with the light of new ideas! Open your eyes and ask gratefully, “Who did I come here to be?” You are not here to be afraid! Take a bold step in your true direction, the one you’ve always been afraid to take, the one that’s bigger than the rest – the unspeakably great one. That’s your true mission and your next step. Everyone is waiting.

Here are six steps to get you going:

1. Meditate, pray, or at least unplug for 20 minutes every morning to get your own powerful intuitive guidance – which is very different from your fear voice.

2. Understand your path and mission by studying the numbers in your date of birth to learn what they mean about your career.

3. Make a list of three baby steps you could take this week to investigate your next career step – the one that’s in alignment with both your path and dreams.

4. Use humor, gratitude, dreaming, and meditation or prayer to raise your energy and override the pitiful self.

5. Dream a little dream every night and write it down in the morning. Before you lay down to sleep, ask for intuitive guidance through your dreams. When you awake, write down everything you can remember.

6. This week take three baby steps into unknown territory and don’t look back.

Probably one of the most important skills to learn is how to ask for what you need from your employer. Money doesn’t grow on trees and as CPI increases, it seems our salaries do not. Asking for a raise is difficult in tough economic times, but not impossible.

Here are 3 tips to guide you on your way;

1. Prove your worth

First things first, to get a raise you have to prove to your boss that you are worthy of it. Make a list of the reasons why you deserve a raise. Did you reach sales targets? Did you save the company money? Were you involved in the hire of new staff? Did you implement a new system/policy/procedure? Or did you simply save your boss time? Whatever the reasons, you need to be crystal clear on them all. Getting a raise is intrinsically tied to your attitude, your abilities and your results. Whatever may be going on in your personal world and finances play no role, when speaking to a manager about a pay raise. This is the moment to toot your own horn and sell your benefits to the company!

2. Rehearse your request

Practice what you are going to present to your boss and make sure you sound convincing. It is very expensive for companies to replace good staff and your knowledge and skills are worth a lot, so it is important that you showcase your achievements.

3. Going for Gold!

The next step is to make a time with your boss when you know he or she is likely to be in a good mood. When do they function best, morning or afternoon? Choose the time of day when you notice your boss to be in best spirits. Request a meeting and deliver your request by first explaining what you have achieved. Tell a story by reminding your boss when you began in the role, what you have learned and more importantly what you have achieved. When you have satisfactorily proven your worth, then it is time to ask for a raise by asking an open-ended question.

Eg: Since I have been able to achieve XXXXXX in the past 12 months, I would like to request a 5-10% raise.

This scenario has explained why you are valuable and providing a range for the increase, gives you more leverage, as opposed to asking for an actual dollar amount. Ensure your request is realistic. Asking for more than 10% is usually a stretch unless you have accomplished amazing things.

Understand that more money usually goes hand-in-hand with more expectations. So be prepared, as you may be required to add more value to the company and this can present itself in many different ways. The opportunities are there for you to take.

Try it and good luck!

Probably one of the most important skills to learn is how you can request what you need out of your employer. Money doesn’t grow on trees and as CPI increases, it appears our salaries do not. Requesting a raise is tough in tough economic times, but not impossible.

Here are 3 ideas to show you on your way;

1. Prove your worth

Firstly, to get a raise you need to prove to your manager that you’re worth it. Make a list from the explanations why you deserve a raise. Have you reach sales targets? Have you save the organization money? Were you involved in the hire of new staff? Did you implement a new system/policy/procedure? Or have you simply save your boss time? Whatever the reasons, you have to be superior in it all. Obtaining a raise is intrinsically associated with your attitude, your abilities and your results. Well-liked themes happening in your personal world and finances play no role, when speaking to some manager in regards to a pay raise. This is the moment to toot your personal horn then sell your benefits to the company!

2. Rehearse your request

Practice what you’re likely to present to your boss and ensure you sound convincing. It is very expensive for companies to replace good staff and your knowledge and skills count a lot, so it is essential that you showcase your achievements.

3. Opting for Gold!

The next step is to make a time together with your boss when you are aware he or she is apt to be in a good mood. When will they function best, morning or afternoon? Choose the time when you notice your boss to stay in best spirits. Request a conference and deliver your request by first explaining what you have achieved. Tell a tale by reminding your manager whenever you began within the role, your learning and most importantly what you have achieved. When you have satisfactorily proven your worth, then its time to ask for a raise by asking an open-ended question.

Eg: Since I happen to be in a position to achieve XXXXXX in the past Twelve months, I must request a 5-10% raise.

This has explained your reason for valuable and providing a range for that increase, provides you with more leverage, instead of requesting an actual amount of money. Be sure that your request is realistic. Requesting more than 10% is usually a stretch if you don’t have accomplished amazing things.

Understand that more money usually goes hand-in-hand with increased expectations. So be prepared, since you may be required to increase the value towards the company and this can present itself in many different ways. The opportunities exist for you to take.