Interview with Pam Slim - Part 1

C&J: You left Corporate America in 1996 to start following your own path. Tell us a little bit about your experiences and about the moment you made the decision to leave your job.

Pam: Many people assume by the title of my blog that I was a frustrated and disgruntled employee. Actually, I adored my last corporate job for most of the time that I was there. What changed, and what precipitated the move to entrepreneurship, is that my company went through a merger. My immediate management team all left and it felt like the incoming team was intent on dismantling every last part of the “old regime”, even though things were working well. The former leaders in my department were truly gifted mentors, so their absence left a gaping hole for me. I realized that part of what gave me great joy in my job was approaching every project from a learning perspective, and when that was gone, the job became just a way to earn a paycheck.

Another contributing factor to my departure was turning 30. As I looked ahead, I realized that I wanted to do something significant and interesting in my work life. So, against better judgment, I quit my job without any plan. In the ensuing months, I checked out a number of job openings and went on a few interviews, but nothing got me really excited. To bring in a little cash, I contacted my former manager, who had since gone to Hewlett-Packard, and asked her if she could use some contract help. Thankfully, the answer was yes!

As soon as I started working for myself, I felt like I got hit by a super-charged energy bolt. I was excited, motivated and on fire. I realized that I was actually wired to be an entrepreneur, and thrived with challenge, variety and lack of formal structure. I haven’t looked back since!

C&J: Who is your favorite example of someone who tried to find what they were looking for in the traditional world of work, but finally realized they needed to strike out on their own?

Pam: My dear friend, Jonathan Fields, fits this profile perfectly. He was a high-powered Wall Street lawyer who apparently “had it all.” Until, of course, he almost died of an ulcer after working on a particularly grueling 72-hour business deal. This major wake-up call caused him to examine everything, and eventually led to his abandoning corporate life to start a successful yoga studio, then yoga training program, then series of other entrepreneurial endeavors. He now guards his health and family time very closely, and offers great advice at his blog.

I know hundreds of other examples of everyday people who left their job to start a business. It is amazing to see what happens to people when they leave the cube environment. I think I can actually feel the spring in their step through email.

C&J: Our readers know that our message is not “If you’re unhappy in your job, quit”, but rather “If you’re unhappy in your job, the reason most likely lies in the culture of work. Don’t settle for it; you have the ability to make change.” We also want very much for our readers to find happiness and if they have an entrepreneurial spirit and drive to start something new, there could be an opportunity to create the environment they’ve always wanted - on their own. [Some of them have even hinted at banding together to do this!] What advice would you give them if they need a little “push”?

Pam: I totally agree with your philosophy. In my book, I say “hating your job intensely is not a business plan.” This shocks many people who think deciding to quit their job is the biggest decision to make!

For those who feel they have true entrepreneurial urges, I recommend lots of testing and trying. It takes quite a bit of playing around to figure out what you are really passionate about. Then you have to define a specific group of people you would like to work with, and really understand their struggles and challenges and pain points. Next comes defining an actual business idea, to be supported by a business model. To get the word out. you need a specific point of view, brand and marketing strategy. All of this takes testing and failing and trying again and experimenting some more. Somewhere in all that messy process, juicy business ideas, and actual businesses emerge.

I have found great support for my own endeavors in social media circles like blogs and Twitter and Facebook. If you grow your community outside of your corporate job, you can see that there are a lot of people who are indeed thriving in their own endeavors. A lot are suffering, too. You can learn from everyone, and let their lessons be your guide.

The worst thing you can do is spend months or years in a planning phase, build a business, and launch it with great fanfare to a market who has no idea who you are. If you do that, you will experience a whole lot of silence.

Pam’s thoughts on ROWE in the next installment…

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