Harvard Business Publishing

Sounds familiar...41 years old, mother of a 5-month old, have resigned my job of 11 years in corporate America (tomorrow is my last day) to pursue my dream to start my own company.

I am happy I will now have more time for my start-up. I was able to do the endless nights and the day job for a couple of months, but I am glad I can now focus my efforts in my future. Do not regret having resigned in spite of not having the big paycheck any more..it's now or never!.

BUT friends business is to reduce risks and not to invite risks y would u leave ur job wen u are not yet ready to take off with the company i odnt mean we shuld not take risks u shuld always be in a position to take risk but with a backup its my thinking and we all know that no one in the world has a common way to do business its all on how u see the oppurtunity and deal with it. the best way to get it going is even if u fail dont let ur mind know that u have failed let ur heart deal with it and let ur mind think of sucess

After 10 years in my corporate job working in the west coast office if a a major ny brand, i took a buy out (8 months salary)when offered. Although I was unhappy and feeling like I would never reach my potential as a human being, I also left because I saw how the landscape had changed and how 28 year olds willing to work 60 hours a week and make half as much salary, were knocking on the door.
I am 52 and have started a niche vertical internet company. I put savings, credit lines, credit cards totaling $128,000. I have had the company for a few months now. I need funding and am working feverishly on finding angel investors and trying to make some adveritsing sales. our uniques are growing..and it is slow. it takes time iam told. do i have the 12 months start up capital. No.

So here's the deal..I wake up 3:00pm in fear, find my mind drifting towards checking out other possible company jobs, BUT at the end of the day its feels that what I have done is authentic and takes balls. AUTHENTIC to my core belief that if I do not do this, I will be comfortably miserable for the rest of my life AND always be jealous of people that say things like "I can't believe I get paid to do this!". They LOVE what they do. How annoying. Well, if I fail, let me say that I experienced the DIGNITY OF FAILURE.
Hopefully, I will be quite successful.....Steven

Good question- Quit or not to Quit.

It is always a big question for one, to make that call.

It is good to concentrate 100% on one's new venture, but at what cost. Does one have the luxury to sit tight, to see the benefits not really in short near future.

Does it help one to bootstrap and do what one loves at the comfort of day job. Its difficult, head and soul work opp directions, unless you are doing directly competing venture where one works.

I think it is balance of the 2. But, whether we bootstrap or dedicate fully for the venture, one needs 100% commitment and dedication- certain amount of hrs everyday religiously, even heavens fall down. You need comfort, that you can eat at the end of the day, so have a dayjob - unless ofcourse you have fat bank balance or venture capitalist backing.

2cents from me.

The beauty of the article is that it is "package" as a Gordian knot. Only a very keen mind does that and it's not usually done. Because within a specific context very familiar to a keen mind, decisiveness and simplicity of delivery is deemed best. So when a Gordian knot is presented by such a keen mind, it was conceived from a position of kindness and true compassion.

Only one who has slashed through a Gordian knot before can recreate a Gordian knot now. True kindness and compassion has many faces - playfulness of a brother, the strict reprimand or candor of a kind coach/father, the protectiveness of a mother, the encouragement of brothers, the respectful neutrality of caring family friends - whatever its face is, such compassion and kindness will, as a matter of course, shine through. "One may call a jewel, a rock - but it will still be a jewel - Nichiren."

And it is felt deeply. Heartwarmingly. You have a great community here. Its true strength lies not on the requisite variety of its creative talents (because that can duplicated or surpassed), but on the inherent neutrality of academic institutions vis-à-vis commercial interest's vis-à-vis concerns for humanity. Don't worry David, I will find a way to come home to my hometown in Davao and join my family there living a simpler private life. All the steaks I've wanted to eat, I have partaken. I'm the only "steak" that my family hasn't eaten much.

One thing I know for sure, this academic community of yours in tandem with the others, can not only neutralize the Klingons, it has the compassionate collective wisdom to convert even those hardened Remullans into allies and rescue that ship we call humanity. I have faith in that, especially when I saw the emergence of the Gordian Knot and other great articles. Wherever I will be, I will not stop blogging. It is my humble share of the responsibility and stewardship of serving humanity.

Take care and warmest regards to the entire community and family. Just holler. I'll be there.