If my math is correct, your company - which you run when you aren't at your job - makes you as much money as your job does? QUIT!
Has anyone ended up regretting quitting a good job for their own business?
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Re: Has anyone ended up regretting quitting a good job for their own business?
#12I quited so-so, but still my own, business and started work full time (first time in my life) due visa related stuff and i regret i went this way (although, do not have much choose). And I would say working full time kill any creativeness and it stops keeping you "fit" business-wise. So I'd say - go ahead if there is no other "dependencies".
Re: Has anyone ended up regretting quitting a good job for their own business?
#13If my math is correct, your company - which you run when you aren't at your job - makes you as much money as your job does? QUIT!
It's possible that he's not taking that money out of the company right now, so he's not thinking of the money the company is making as current income, which would mean that the company makes him half as much as his job does.
Which is still pretty good. I'm not saying that that amount of profits doesn't mean he should quit, just that it seems more likely that he's making half what his job is.
Re: Has anyone ended up regretting quitting a good job for their own business?
#14For myself, absolutely not. I've never regretted quitting a job, or making almost any life change. Not that things have always gone well, but looking back and second-guessing yourself is just totally a recipe for misery and the worst kind of depressive introspection.
I suspect that if you need to ask this question on HN, then you are not ready to quit.
However, you have a valuable side-business, have you thought about trying to staff trusted people in or have your partner run it, with you as part-time consultant?
If your relationship with people at your day job is as solid as you imply, you might want to take an unpaid leave of absence, and spend 6 months trying to drive your side-business to the point where you don't have any further doubts.
Don't underestimate the importance of a near-passive income that you control. For most of us, starting your own business is the only viable way to attain this, and ensure continued income when you decide to retire.
Re: Has anyone ended up regretting quitting a good job for their own business?
#15I took the leap a couple years ago, started a startup, ran out of cash, and got a day job again.
Incinerating your savings at a startup only to end up back as a cube warrior is pretty sobering. Even so, I never looked back on the (great) job I had with regret. Aside from not seeing some good friends every day, I didn't miss it at all, and now I'm at a far better gig than I was at the last time I was a happy wage slave. And I'm lucky to have gained some amazing experiences and a big network for the next time around.
I'm sticking to the HN party line on this one and saying that good things will come from taking a risk on what you really want to do.
Re: Has anyone ended up regretting quitting a good job for their own business?
#16If my math is correct, your company - which you run when you aren't at your job - makes you as much money as your job does? QUIT!
Hi Kadavy-- yes-- I make about 80% of the amount from my company as I do from my job.
Re: Has anyone ended up regretting quitting a good job for their own business?
#17Thanks for the amazing feedback, everybody.
I think the point that a lot of you have said-- essentially, "so what if you fail? You can find another job" -- really resonates with me.
I'm leaning towards doing this now because I have no kids or mortgage at this point. I really appreciate all the good responses in this thread. It's definitely a scary, but exciting, time as we consider it.
The one other factor is the drop in total income. The hope is that's temporary though-- our goal is that more time spent building the business will pay off in spades.
There's something about getting the support of people who have been in similar situations that helps with this kind of thing. Even online here, it's reassuring. So thank you all again for that.
Re: Has anyone ended up regretting quitting a good job for their own business?
#18Well no and no. After working for the man for 11 years, I started my own business. Some very good years and some lean years (15 years) later I was enticed to go working for someone whom I knew and respected. That was great. But then the business was sold and I didn't get on with the new owners so I took another job and lasted just 5 weeks. Quit and started up another business, now up and running for 6 years. Looking back, I am much happier being my own boss. If I see an opportunity I can go for it. Money is not the most important factor. Freedom is!
Re: Has anyone ended up regretting quitting a good job for their own business?
#19I took the leap a couple years ago, started a startup, ran out of cash, and got a day job again. Incinerating your savings at a startup only to end up back as a cube warrior is pretty sobering. Even so, I never looked back on the (great) job I had with regret. Aside from not seeing some good friends every day, I didn't miss it at all, and now I'm at a far better gig than I was at the last time I was a happy wage slav…
how tough was it to get a regular job? Was the company apprehensive about hiring somebody who left a good gig earlier to take the startup route?
Re: Has anyone ended up regretting quitting a good job for their own business?
#20I have a coworker that quit his job, got broke trying their own business (he argues he chose his cofounder poorly), but he got his old post back, so in a way he regrets it, but he had his chance and didn't miss on opportunities that much.
I should ask him, but my take is that it shows that you don't risk as much as you believe if you take risks and are good enough.