The One Where I Announce I'm Now Self Employed

Thursday, August 30, 2012

There are some posts you dream about writing, posts you'd love to write but never think you actually will. This is one of those posts.

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about change. Changing the way I approached something has lead to exciting guidance and a big change in my career.

It started with a conversation with two very good friends of mine. One asked how work was, then followed it up with a query about what I really wanted to do. The other laughed, asked me a question, set me a challenge and then held me to it. That question lead me to writing the last post about a change of approach, a change which, thanks to Gods guidance is leading to a leap of faith.

What's the leap?

On Friday 3rd August I worked my last day in full time employment and spent my last day living in sunny (!?) Slough. The following day I moved to Cheltenham, again. A place I attended university and a place that I love being in.

With that move came a change of employment. I am no longer a rat running a race, but instead a man working as a business owner. I've finally taken the leap into self employment. Relying on the Lord to supply me with enough work to put food in my stomach and to pay the bills.

For a long time it's been my ambition to work for myself, even while I was studying at Uni I knew ultimately I wanted to have my own design studio. It nearly happened straight after Uni after a little encouragement from my tutor, but I knew it wasn't really the right time. There was a lot I still had to learn, well let's face it there still is. I've now been in full time employment for 5 years. I've grown a lot, I've changed a lot and I've learnt a lot. I've experienced working for a small company and I've experienced working for a larger company. Both were good experiences that taught me many different things, but underneath there was always this desire to have my own company bubbling away.

I'm delighted to say that has now happened. I've had a little holiday, moved to a new (old) place and am at the end of my first week of self employment. It's exciting, a little daunting but feels like the best decision I've made. Except that I didn't make it, God showed me the door and I pushed it. Now I've got to continue pushing doors, keep faithful to Him, and work as hard as I can.

In the next couple of weeks I'll be able to introduce you to a new name and a new website. Of course this place will still exist and I hope to increase the level of writing, and hopefully build on some friendships that I've established through my blog over the years. It's an exciting adventure, I hope you'll join me on it!