Be grateful, help as many people as possible, and keep learning and growing!
Natalie Ihde made the decision to escape the 9-5 in August 2017 and she left the company a few months later. She had worked for the company for just short of 11 years. Natalie had several promotions in that time and was told she was on the right track to move up. “I was the perfect worker-bee…until I wasn’t. I loved working for this place and, honestly, I never thought I’d leave. I thought I would be one of those people who were there for 40+ years before retiring. But, the dynamic changed…or maybe I changed. Whatever it was, my values no longer aligned with the company’s.”
Things started moving from a “care about the employee” atmosphere to a “care about the money atmosphere”. Natalie initially gave herself a year to figure it out. “I still gave my all at my job, and in doing so, I continued to call people out on unethical transactions and correct people when they were providing inaccurate information (ie. throwing other people under the bus). One such correction got me talked to three times. I was told that if I want my next promotion, I need to stay quiet and do my job. (I replied that I wasn’t quiet for my 10 years there, let alone my entire life, and I wasn’t about to start), and I was told that it didn’t matter that I did things the right way, that I couldn’t correct people when they were wrong.”
Starting a Blog
Natalie didn’t want to work for a company anymore. She started learning about internet marketing and brainstorming about what she could do. “I started a blog talking about working mom life, being oh-so-generic and politically
correct. I mean, we’ve all seen internet vents go sideways and all of a sudden people are fired – I didn’t want that to happen. I wanted to leave on my own terms. ”
That day eventually came with her final employee bonus. Once the check was in the bank, she turned in her resignation and her entrepreneurial adventure began in full. Natalie was ready to start helping working moms ditch the should and create a life they’re happy and excited about. “I’ve been asked if I ever regretted leaving…I don’t. The life I’m living and the people I’m helping are worth my struggles, my failures, my success and my happiness. I always thought I would be a “worker bee” and I’m so glad that I had enough and decided to create something of my own…something my kids can see me grow and remember me for.”
Getting Inspired
Most of us might have one or two people in our lives that support our entrepreneurial journey, but chances are they haven’t made the escape from the 9 to 5. While there are plenty of books on the subject, hearing the words and making connections with others who have done it is often the key for most entrepreneurs. Welcome to the miracle of podcasts!! Natalie got most of her support from Lewis Howes School of Greatness, Chalene Johnson’s Build Your Tribe, Pat Flynn’s Smart Passive Income. Ask Pat (Pat Flynn’s other podcase), The Mind Your Business Podcast (James Wedmore), and Leveling Up (Natalie Jill).
Entrepreneurial Life
Natalie Ihde is currently offering a 6-week course for working moms to help them ditch the “should” that society puts on them – that they put on themselves – and create a life they love and are excited about! She is also the host of the Working Mom Mindset podcast. Natalie is still unlearning so much of the “in the box” and “perfection is key” mentality from the corporate environment.
She is now creating her own rules and her own hours. This freedom of time allows her to live her life on her own terms. “I love being able to take my kids to school and pick them up and work my schedule around their needs. If I can get 4-5 hours of work done while they’re at school, and actually be present for them after school, and work for an hour or so after they go to bed (if I feel it can’t wait) then so be it! I can make appointments during the week and not worry about it interfering with any weekend plans for the family.”
Escapee Advice
Natalie thinks you need to be strategic in your plan to leave your 9 to 5 job. You need to start slow, and explore the options of what you can do first. You don’t need to work 18 hours per day to get it all done. And you don’t need to beat yourself up for not working 18 hours per day. “I gave myself a year and left in half the time. Would I change it? No, that’s how it was supposed to happen for me. But if I would have known certain things sooner, I would have been far more successful right out of the gate, probably before I even left my job. Also…the change, especially if you have kids, from working outside the home to working from home is a huge transition. Give yourself time…and forgiveness. And stop being a workaholic!!
Keep up with Natalie Ihde
website (blog) www.natalieihde.net
FB @thepowerswillbe
IG & Pinterest @natalieihde
Natalie Ihde – Amazon Author link amazon.com/author/natalieihde
