I was visiting a relative at the hospital a few years back, this was before the pandemic of course, and we had our usual exchange of “How are you doing” and stuff. And then, I was asked this harmless question, “Do you ever miss employment?”
I wanted to give a straight answer, but my body decided to react differently. Probably my subconscious mind was triggered, and I actually choked up. I didn’t quite understand what happened, but after giving it some thought later, I realised there is no straightforward answer to this without getting a little bit emotional about it.
To give some context to my situation, I was never an outlier perse – in fact, I’m the squarest of squares when it comes to choosing my course in life. Be it in my studies, be it in my choice of past time, even my personal goals were always safe and predictable. I’m a nerd, to be honest – and nerds would never take that leap to quit a stable and secure full-time job to pursue a dream if there even was any, to begin with.
But my uncle uttered the following words, and I was touched. He said, “Your courage is inspiring – I would never have had the guts to do what you did. And after all these years, you’re still at it. I envy you for being that persistent.”
I quit my job as an engineer for a Japanese R&D company where I had worked for 6 years upon graduating from Japan. The job had all the checks in all the boxes when it comes to “a stable and secure job”. I was earning a good starting salary and my career growth was laid out nicely in front of me because I was the only Japanese-speaking engineer beside my boss and there were at least 2 higher positions vacant between me and him. We had a good relationship on and off work, so it would seem like I had no reason to leave. In fact, my boss was really caught off guard when I decided to tender my resignation.
So, what made me leave and eventually became an entrepreneur? – even if I can call myself that. Well, I guess it was the fear of not wanting to end up wondering “What would have been” or “What could have been” if I never tried.
We all have this thing called potential. In physics, the potential is often referred to as dormant energy that a mass contains. But potential will always remain a potential if there is no action taken on it. I didn’t want to waste that and decided to try and took a leap of faith.
I do miss the company
After 10 years of leaving employment, what I can say that I miss most about being an employee is the perks. No, I’m not only referring to the fixed monthly income that I get at the end of each month regardless of how much work I do, nor am I talking about the bonus and increment I would get every year (terms and conditions apply of course), and definitely not even considering the medical claims and other benefits.
What I miss most is having colleagues and friends at work. You know, the people you share that “we are in this same boat together” feeling. I miss the ability to have that backup team when times call for an all-nighter. As much as I don’t want to admit it, I do miss the boss that you seek refuge in when you are stuck or face a higher pay-grade challenge. In fact, I even those fellas from the other department that you don’t know the name but exchange greetings when you bump into each other on the way to the toilet or pantry. These are what I truly miss the most from when I started my own business until now. No annual dinners, no company trips, no family day, no recreational outings. Not even a pat on the back for your efforts because you are on your own. Sure, I have my own employees now, but it’s not the same when you walk around with the title of “owner” stamped on your forehead.
You may think, “But isn’t that why you went into business? To be The Boss?”
Again, that is a common perception people have when they hear that you own your own business set up – to be the boss. However, that is not necessarily the motivation behind every scenario of an “employee turn business” owner.
I don’t miss the restrictions
Starting my own business to me was a necessity. I had to do it to have a better grip and control over my own progress in the industry – I’m a trainer and my industry is the training industry, by the way.
But having said that, when you work for yourself and have all the “time flexibility” in the world, you actually have to trade it off with the strength to be persistent and willpower to withstand the “Shiny Object Syndrome”. You can’t just go and chase the latest fad or let the latest trend derail you from your path to achieve a long-term goal. So, self-discipline and self-management become crucial.
“But the money is worth it, right?” you may ask.
Although as cliché as it may sound, it was never about the money for me. I did it because I made a choice to free myself from needing the approval to execute every little idea that I had. Constraints of authority level, allocations, the scope of responsibilities and all that boundaries were truly frustrating.
I do miss the safety net
Sure, when you are your own master, you get to “do as you wish” in terms of setting the vision and direction of your company. You may choose to start or put more effort into a spin-off the project at will, but not all of those endeavours will be fruitful. Talking from my own experience, more often than not, those ventures did prove to be more pain than gain. Because of this, there were days when you felt that having a boss – a person of higher authority that you can seek refuge in every once in a while, especially when the customer complaints get a little too much, may not be a bad thing after all.
The term “boss” often gets a bad reputation in today’s generation Y and millennial-filled workforce, but sometimes you do need that character while being on the same side of the fence, to push you beyond your comfort zone even though you may not “get it” of “see it” yet, but still will end up being the one ultimately responsible for the results of your actions. I have had the “pleasure” of having bosses in an array of forms – some mentor you to be like them, while others indirectly give you the lesson to not be like them. All in all, it can be a relief to not carry the weight of the world only on your shoulders.
I don’t miss the politicians
One thing I am happy to live without is the “shadow organisation”. You know, the “unofficial” organisation chart with the invisible lines of who is influencing who even though their pay grade is lower. These people who like to play politics and purposely put up glass ceilings and walls for others unnecessarily are something I never understood its relevance in a 9 to 5 job. I mean, at the end of the day we are all in the same boat heading in the same direction. Just pick up the paddle and row together, why the need to waste energy on sabotaging others when at the end of the day, the boat was never yours, to begin with?
Memories are often sweeter than when it was created
In retrospect, the cost of opportunity was well worth the investment for me. I channelled the lessons learned – the good, the bad, the ugly of being employed, into how I wanted the employment experience to be for my team.
Being “no longer employed” in every sense of the word accelerated my own learning process and growth as a person. The impact is exponential with every mistake made. And the best part is, you have to take full responsibility for your own choices and actions.
“But how about now? Especially during and post-pandemic? Would you still do it all over again?”
In the earlier years of self-employment, I would say perhaps the first 5 years of setting up a business, most of the challenges faced were internal factors. Probably those earlier obstacles were there merely to be a training ground to build perseverance and tenacity in order to take on the winds and tides of the “open sea” that lies ahead. It was necessary because, as a result of that, I became a bit more sceptical of being too optimistic, a bit more careful in being too hopeful, and a little more conscious of being overly excited.
The pandemic did leave a big scar. Not only for me, but for many of the people I know – regardless of those who are employed, or those on their own, I think no one anticipated it to happen and for it to have such a huge after effect. Going through it was definitely not easy. Recovering after it, and trying to bounce forward is also not as simple as it sounds. However, surviving is a life skill we all instinctively have deep down inside. I was lucky to have had the opportunity to practise it more than once when I choose to be on this path. I have come to terms with external forces that are beyond my circle of control.
The whole point of me sharing this article is, that no matter where you are at – off or on the path of your career of choice, or en route or derailed from your journey to achieve greatness in life, be grateful for what you have in the present moment. Always be kind, be considerate, and learn to empathise. The grass is greener where you water it – be it as an employee or as the owner of the field.
Memories are often sweeter than when it was created. In retrospect, the cost of opportunity was well worth the investment for me. I channelled the lessons learned – the good, the bad, the ugly of being employed, into how I wanted the employment experience to be for my team. Being “no longer employed” in every sense of the word accelerated my own learning process and growth as a person. The impact is exponential with every mistake made. And the best part is, you have to take full responsibility for your own choices and actions. “But how about now? Especially during and post-pandemic? Would you still do it all over again?”
In the earlier years of self-employment, I would say perhaps the first 5 years of setting up a business, most of the challenges faced were internal factors. Probably those earlier obstacles were there merely to be a training ground to build perseverance and tenacity in order to take on the winds and tides of the “open sea” that lies ahead. It was necessary because, as a result of that, I became a bit more sceptical of being too optimistic, a bit more careful in being too hopeful, and a little more conscious of being overly excited.
The pandemic did leave a big scar. Not only for me but for many of the people I know – regardless of those who are employed, or those on their own, I think no one anticipated it to happen and for it to have such a huge after effect. Going through it was definitely not easy. Recovering after it, and trying to bounce forward is also not as simple as it sounds. However, surviving is a life skill we all instinctively have deep down inside. I was lucky to have had the opportunity to practise it more than once when I choose to be on this path. I have come to terms with external forces that are beyond my circle of control.
The whole point of me sharing this article is, that no matter where you are at – off or on the path of your career of choice, or en route or derailed from your journey to achieve greatness in life, be grateful for what you have in the present moment. Always be kind, be considerate, and learn to empathise. The grass is greener where you water it – be it as an employee or as the owner of the field.
