Kiss your boss goodbye — it's time to become an entrepreneur

I recently read a reliable report on the attitude of the American work force. To my surprise I learned more than half of all employees are not engaged at work. In other words, most workers are not happy, not satisfied, not productive, not loyal, not inspired and will jump ship if another opportunity arises. 4

In fact, most are looking to leave now and have polished their resumes. If this is the case, I would also assume that the managers who supervise these disillusioned employees are probably jerks, or are carrying out the mandates of thoughtless upper management.

If you’re a company leader who doesn’t focus on keeping employees engaged, make note; your days are numbered. I suggest you change now, with sincere intent to take care of your people, or suffer the disastrous consequences of your own unemployment.

I have more to say on this topic to company management. Who do you think does all the work in your business? Who do you think makes your products, sells them, provides support, collects receipts and pays workers? It’s not you, my friend. Have you forgotten that you hired these people as a resource to help you build a highly profitable business? Have you forgotten they are a precious asset to be valued and protected?

How long do you think you can mistreat quality workers until they bolt? In a word, it’s not very long. Do you get the picture? Am I making sense? In sum, your financial success, your promotions, your glory all depend on how well you treat those subordinates who have placed their trust and confidence in you.

Now a word to Les Miserables. If you are going to quit, for heaven’s sake, don’t go to work for another pathetic firm. Do something wild: Kiss your boss goodbye and launch your own business. If you have had enough, become your own king. The money you have made for others now shifts to yourself. Take that idea that’s been in your mind for months and turn it into a profitable company. If you are an engineer, a programmer, a salesman, a teacher, an accountant, a whatever, start today planning your escape from corporate prison.

I am sure you are similar to the entrepreneurs I spend time with every day. As a principal investor, I put money into emerging companies that have all been founded by someone who, for the most part, previously worked for a clueless company. They left seeking their own destiny and fulfillment, hoping life would be much better on their own. I know their employment history, their state of mind and the decision process they followed as they took a leap of faith to follow their dreams.

Over the past few months, I have spent several evenings giving advice to a gentleman who is a full-time employee of a large company. He possesses a great business idea. He is anxious to understand the steps he needs to follow to properly organize his own company.

Today, I am pleased to share with you the same information he is learning. So, if you are ready to soar, please make note of the following initial guidelines:

1. Keep your day job until the time is right to leave. Keep in mind that you really have two options to consider:

A) You can leave tomorrow if you have the resources in hand to sustain your efforts long enough to reach profitability. Give yourself at least one year to succeed. If you can’t reach your goal in that time frame, look for other ways to survive and prosper, or B) You can ponder, prepare, organize and execute your plan overtime, at night and on weekends until everything is ready to go.

2. If you have signed a non-compete with your current employer, honor it. Wait until you can legally pursue your opportunity. Find some form of income to sustain your personal life in the interim.

3. Determine your purpose, your vision, your strategy. Why are you in business? What do you hope to accomplish? What must you do to be successful? Are your answers sound and realistic?