Fire Your Boss

By Tommi Wolfe

Job satisfaction and workforce engagement in corporate America have never been lower. A recent Harris Interactive survey found 45 percent of workers say they’re either satisfied or extremely satisfied with their jobs. Plus, a recent Little PINK Book event survey found nearly 20 percent of career women say entrepreneurship is their ultimate career aspiration.

Here’s how:

1. Get real with yourself. Are you happy at work? Do you think you’re doing what you were meant to do on this planet? If you’ve been stressed and miserable with your corporate job for years and are simply trying to avoid the next round of layoffs, it’s time to look in the mirror and ask – is this really what I want to be doing with my life? Is there something else I have always wanted to do on my own?

2. Determine if you can afford to quit. There are a lot of myths about how long it takes to build a profitable company. Some hope to do it in three months – this is usually unrealistic. Others feel they need two to three years worth of capital. Also not true. Building a six-figure business can be done in well under a year if you work smart. You need to do the math and have a plan to somehow support yourself for six months to a year.

3. Hand in the pink slip. This will probably be one of the best days of your life. You’re firing the boss and losing a job that isn’t right for you. Very little feels quite as awesome as telling the boss you choose to resign. You’re claiming your freedom and self-esteem and stepping into your power.

4. Get the right tools from the start. Most have no problem imagining their dream career, but they overlook getting the necessary entrepreneurial tools and skills to do the job (like learning how to attract clients). This can cost entrepreneurs in a big way. The most important thing you will ever do to get your business off the ground is to invest in the right entrepreneurial tools. You can learn them from a book, or get a mentor or coach who has built a successful business in this economy and learn the fast way.

5. Get the support you need. Ask yourself what you need to keep motivated, positive and take sensible and sustained action over the next year. Being an entrepreneur can be isolating after working in a corporate environment. Too many entrepreneurs work alone, dealing with the highs and lows all by themselves, which can be tough. Entrepreneurs need a skilled safety net to guide and support them as they move through the tough early years. This keeps them from making major business mistakes.

Tommi Wolfe is an entrepreneurial consultant, coach and founder of The Startup Expert.