In the Women’s Agenda survey of what women want from their employers, 23% of women say they’ve left an employer to start or further build up their own business.
More and more we’re seeing women unhappy being a small part in someone else’s big plan. They are seeing the potential to have flexibility, self-satisfaction, creative control and many other benefits when they work for themselves. Of course, there are downsides too, but it’s a sacrifice many are willing to make. If they’re unhappy in their job they won’t just stick around, instead, they’re taking matters into their own hands.
Employers should listen up because there’s a generation of women who are becoming your competitors.
These are just some of the stories of why women aren’t just leaving their employers to make the next step in their career but are creating their own empires.
- Taking control of life. Sophie Bone, owner of Big4 Bellarine holiday park, took a $7 million gamble on her dream. She says the appeal of working for herself was having “great empowerment and alleviating the angst surrounding working towards somebody else’s vision.” Sophie says while being employed and relying on a regular pay packet was great at one time, “I began to feel the restraints of tradition, the tedium of ‘this is how it has always been done’.” Having four children has certainly played a role, too. “(I have) greater fluidity between business, family, relationships both personal and professional. My time can be allocated according to the various pressures in each of those areas.”
- A better lifestyle. Jessie Reid started Apple Isle Car Hire in order to facilitate a move to Launceston. “We realised (Tasmania) had more to offer in terms of lifestyle for a young family,” says the former Gold Coast resident. Jessie had previously worked for a government agency in what she calls “clerical drudgery”, but said she couldn’t picture herself returning after the birth of her second child. “I didn’t want our family growing up seeing their mum hating the workplace she went to most waking hours of the day,” Jessie explains. She describes her current lifestyle as one she lives “with passion and enthusiasm” – and to her, that’s worth more than anything.
- Self-satisfaction Melanie Carter once worked for big-name travel agencies, but now runs her own travel consultancy business from home. “I was constantly being told I was ‘over-servicing’ my clients, giving them too much information and helping them too much,” she says. Melanie finds that being her own boss means she can work to her own high standards, and it’s paid off. “It means I have a high level of repeat and referral business and around triple the conversion rate in sales that I did previously.” On top of that, she says her income has increased for the hours she does and she and her clients are far happier.
- Bad experiences with an employer. On Laney Galligan’s final day working as a corporate employee, her waters broke. As soon as her colleagues left the office at 5pm, leaving her alone waiting for help to arrive, she knew she’d never work for someone else again – and she’s stuck to her word. Now a marketing expert, Laney says she loves being her own boss: “If I was going to work hard again, it was going to be entirely for (my family’s) benefit, not a boss who didn’t care when it counted.” This experience, however, has ended up a positive, giving her the chance to follow her dreams. “I realised I’m more of the entrepreneurial rather then employable type. I figured the best way to get my ideas realised was to do it myself!” she says.
- Creative and strategic input. In the social and new media industry, companies are often hesitant to lead the way and try new things. That’s where Anna Spargo-Ryan saw a need for her business, One Woman Digital. “As an internal resource, I wasn’t able to make large enough waves to really grow new media in an innovative way,” she says of her time as an employee. “As a consultant I can be radical and offer diverse solutions.” This means Anna can take creative charge of the services she provides, rather than just updating Facebook statuses or sticking with the status quo. She summarises: “That is incredibly rewarding.”