As someone who is always learning about life as an entrepreneur, I am constantly reaching out to successful people to get as many tips as possible. Erkan Kemiksizgil is one person I have leaned on in the past, and he always has some great advice for me as I continue to grow.
One of the toughest things for me early on in my career was figuring out when to quit my regular job to become an entrepreneur full-time. Everyone is different, but this is what Kemiksizgil believes in during the process. It’s always a time of uncertainty, but proper planning can make it a positive.
Examine your idea from all angles
It’s one thing to have a great idea, but it’s another thing to have it become a reality. The idea doesn’t need to be a reality before quitting a job, but it helps to have some solid groundwork laid beforehand.
Before quitting, make sure that the business idea is set up and ready to go as soon as more time is dedicated to everything. If the idea still needs months or even years of work, it might be too early to give up on a consistent paycheck. Try to look for other solutions beforehand so that quitting doesn’t happen too early.
Have a great understanding of what entrepreneurship really means
Everyone dreams of having a ton of success as an entrepreneur, but the reality is, those early days are a struggle. Expect long hours, minimal take-home pay and a lifestyle change in general.
Before quitting a job, make sure it is a pretty seamless transition. The smoother the move, the more likely a person is to have success as an entrepreneur in the long term. For Erkan, this is how he thrived; living and succeeding in the Big Apple as an entrepreneur.
Get tips from those who are entrepreneurs already
No one knows what the reality is like more than someone who has gone through the same process in the past. Reach out to entrepreneurs who have made the leap and figure out what they wish they would have done during their process. You can follow successful entrepreneurs like Erkan on Facebook and Twitter and be in front of valuable entrepreneurial insights every day.
Obviously, every single situation is going to be different. However, it’s important to have an understanding of how things have worked out for others. They can help keep things real so that it is harder to be caught off guard if everything does not go exactly as planned.
Don’t burn bridges
There’s nothing wrong with putting a job and becoming an entrepreneur. People should always be free to chase their dreams and see what else is out there. Most in the professional world understand this, and they won’t give an employee a hard time if they want to step away.
Don’t burn bridges by making the quitting process difficult. The worst thing a person can do is not given proper notice and say bad things about the company to others. If for whatever reason a person needs to return to the industry, burning a bridge will kill off any hopes of getting a letter of recommendation.
