From Finance to Social Enterprise

From Finance to Social Enterprise Success Story > From: Job To: Solopreneur From Finance to Social Enterprise “For most of my career, I'd been working towards what I thought was my 'dream role'. When I finally got to it, I was miserable.” * From Finance to Social Enterprise Danielle Anderson had spent her whole career climbing towards her dream role. But when she finally got there, she was miserable. Quitting without a plan, she took a few months off to find a new direction. Now, she's built a career that uses her experience to make a positive difference in the world. Here's her story. What work were you doing previously? For nearly ten years, I worked within financial services. I had many different types of roles, mostly related to strategy, product development, and project management. What that meant in practice was that I worked really long hours to help the business gain new customers, move into new markets, and maximise existing relationships. What are you doing now? I now run my own business, providing coaching to early-stage social, environmental and creative entrepreneurs. I help them develop their business models, make decisions, and stay focused. Why did you change? I didn't leave financial services with a plan to become a business coach. I left because I was no longer satisfied by the work that I was doing and knew that I needed to find something more fulfilling to do with the experience that I had built up. When was the moment you decided to make the change? For most of my career, I had been working towards what I thought was my 'dream role'. When I finally got to it, I was miserable and I couldn't see what might be next on that career path. I didn't want a corner office. I didn't want to manage a huge team of people. I didn't want to take part in the politics. I thought I'd just tired of the company. After all, I'd been there for eight years. So, I moved to a new company as a consultant, thinking that would not only give me a new experience but also protect me from some of the politics that I so wanted to avoid. Quite quickly, I became unhappy again. But I stuck it out (because I didn't know what I wanted to do instead) and renewed my contract. When I signed the second renewal letter, I vowed that would be the last. I had three months to figure something else out, but things didn't quite work out to plan. Instead, about six weeks into that final contract, I was in the office on a Monday morning sitting in a meeting. I became really annoyed by something that someone said. It was 8.30 a.m.! On a Monday! Later that afternoon, I resigned and was out the door five days later. With no plan. I told myself I would take a few months out and not even think about it. And that's exactly what I did: I travelled, I volunteered in Zimbabwe, I experimented with ideas, I remained open-minded. About four months later, I stumbled upon coaching. Two months after that, the idea for my own business came about. That was over two and a half years ago and I'm still going! Are you happy with the change? Absolutely. What do you miss and what don't you miss? There are some things about the industry that I did really find intellectually stimulating, and sometimes I miss those conversations. Sometimes I also miss having financial security, but I've spent this year building up reserves to weather any slower periods. There's so much I don't miss: the politics, the bureaucracy, the commute, working with people I don't respect, feeling annoyed on a Monday morning... I could go on! How did you go about making the shift? After taking a few months out to recharge, I realised that I wanted to do something which allowed me to help people, somehow. I started to look into psychology, but learned that to retrain would take about seven years; that timeline scared me. What if seven years later I figured out that I didn't really like it? What would I do in the meantime while I was retraining? It just didn't seem to fit. Then my husband asked if I had considered coaching. I hadn't. My two perceptions of coaching were people like Tony Robbins in the US, who I am nothing like, and women who had left their careers after having children and now felt they had the right to tell others how to live their lives better. But in the spirit of being open-minded, I decided to try it out and went along to a weekend taster course to learn more. Firstly, my perceptions were so wrong. Sure, there are people in both of those camps, but there is so much more to coaching. Secondly, I learned that it could be used in a business context, and that way of interacting in business really appealed to me. I left that weekend feeling inspired but still unsure. It wasn't until a few weeks later that I decided I would commit to a coaching qualification and a couple weeks after that I got going. I still had to figure out exactly what I wanted to do with that qualification, but that evolved over the coming months. I had become more and more interested in social enterprise and other 'good' business. I saw that there were so many passionate people trying to start these types of businesses who just had no idea about business. I felt that I could really help these entrepreneurs to figure out their business model and strategy, so that they could go on to have a positive impact on the world around them. And so I decided to focus my coaching business on them! What didn't go well? What 'wrong turns' did you take? I don't think that I took any 'wrong turns', but 'making it work' did take a lot longer than I thought it would. Despite hearing that starting a business would take longer than I planned and cost more than I anticipated, I really believed that because I was going to work really hard and put lots of time and effort into it, it would be different for me. It wasn't! It wasn't until this year (my second full year in business) that I feel a lot more confident about my future. I had to give myself time to learn. I had to give myself time to build up my network. I had to give myself time to test out the market and create products and services that people actually wanted to buy. I've had to adapt my business model from how I originally thought it was going to work. And I've had to be flexible. How did you handle your finances to make your change possible? This is where my previous career was really beneficial! I wouldn't have been able to focus 100% of my time and effort on my business without having savings to live off. I would have had to get at least a part-time job to keep me going. I'm really fortunate that I didn't have to to do so. It wouldn't have been impossible, but it would have taken even longer than it has. And I can see how people can lose motivation and give up on the switch. What was the most difficult thing about changing? Starting a business is hard work. There are millions of things to do and limited time to do it all. It can be a bit isolating at times. It can be really frustrating sometimes. And some days can be really, really hard. On those days, you kind of have to just give yourself permission to have a bad day and pick yourself up the next day to try again. What help did you get? I worked with my own business coach pretty early on, within the first six weeks or so of officially starting my business. Although I really couldn't afford it, I still credit that programme as being one of the keys to my success. She helped me to focus, figure out how to get myself out there, and make some key decisions. Shortly after that, I joined a co-working space to get out of the house at least one day per week. I was a member there for about a year, which was great because I met other entrepreneurs whom I could share experience with and I stopped feeling so isolated. I continued to expand my network so I could bounce ideas around and sometimes just have a massive rant to other business owners who 'got it'. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? If you don't know what you want to do, just start experimenting. Give yourself a different perspective. Figure out what you enjoy doing and what your innate skills are. Life's too short to be unhappy. Be brave and make the change! To find out more about Danielle's services, visit www.stepandstone.co.uk What lessons could you take from Danielle's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.

How Much Does It Cost For Resume Writing? Find Out the Secret For a Free Service

How Much Does It Cost For Resume Writing? Find Out the Secret For a Free ServiceFor those who don't know, how much does it cost for resume writing can be a real confusing question. A lot of people ask this question and they wonder what it really costs. Of course the answer to that question is, it really doesn't cost that much. You see, since you don't know how to write resumes, so many times you end up with bad resumes which cost thousands of dollars just to fix.So how much does it cost for resume writing? The answer is nothing, not even if you hire someone to do it for you.If you are going to write a resume yourself, you need to put in the time and put in the effort, because without getting the right words in the right place, your resume will be worthless. The only time when a person should spend money for resume writing is when they have a lot of experience in the field or they are a higher-paid employee.If you are a new hire, you can get online and find out how much does it cost f or resume writing for a free service. Many companies that offer free services will charge a small fee in order to have the resume written by a professional resume writer.Sometimes these people will charge by the hour, other times they may want a small fee per hour. It really depends on what you want. I suggest you research all the top resume writing companies before you choose one that will charge you by the hour.You can also find out which companies offer a free service for resume writing and check them out online. Most will give you the freedom to decide what they charge you, whether you want to hire them or you want to set up a free trial and use them for as long as you like.Most resume writing companies that charge a fee by the hour will give you access to their free services at no charge. They will also tell you how long the free trial is available for.Finding out how much does it cost for resume writing is not hard to do if you know what you are looking for. Try to choose a co mpany that offers a free service for resume writing.

How Workplace Happiness Affects Your Paycheck - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How Workplace Happiness Affects Your Paycheck - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Studies have shown that when we are happy at work, we are smarter, more motivated, more competitive and, thus more successful.  While it’s widely known that overall fulfillment allows us to enjoy more meaningful relationships and better health, few understand that it impacts a paycheck… significantly. Nose to the Grindstone: The Correlation Between Success and Happiness There is a big misconception among many  corporations and educational institutions that success leads to happiness.    Often, we tell ourselves that once we get the promotion we want, the pay raise we feel we deserve or the recognition we desire, happiness will follow. Until recently, it was widely thought that focusing on productivity and performance, even to the detriment of our well-being, would lead us to become more successful and, therefore happier. Everyone has heard the phrase, Keep your nose to the grindstone.” However, recent research in psychology and neuroscience has proven that fulfillment and happiness are a key ingredient to a successful career.  Optimism fuels performance and achievement which, in turn allows us to advance monetarily. In simper terms, happiness is not a random event in the distant future.  Treat it as such and not only will it hinder your ability to succeed, but it will also prevent you from living life to the fullest. Dopamine, Serotonin and the Brain’s Reaction Countless studies have shown that our brains are literally hardwired to perform at their best when they are in a positive mindset.  When we feel optimistic about our future, dopamine and serotonin are released in our brains. In conjunction with providing a heightened sense of well-being, dopamine and serotonin allow us to more rapidly organize new information and become more skilled at complex analysis and problem solving. Specifically, a clear head allows for 100% engagement.  Conversely, perseverating on your problems exhausts most of your capacity for attention which drains energy as well as performance levels.  It’s no secret that, as a group low performing employees take home sparse paychecks. Consider the following:  A recent study at the University of Toronto found that our mood can change what we see.  When shown pictures with multiple images, those in negative moods could not process as much as their positive counterparts. Positive emotions expand our peripheral line of vision. People who were asked to think about the happiest day of their life prior to a formal exam scored higher than those simply given the test. Exercises An individual who can learn to control their thoughts will maintain control of their happiness and, thus career potential.  While doing so is easier said than done (it takes significant practice and discipline), below are three easier exercises that could begin making a difference today. Think of your brain as a computer disk with a finite amount of space.  Consider your surroundings, inner monologue, other people in the room and your desired task as small files that quickly fill that disk to capacity. The more stored on that disk, the less available room there is for intelligently evaluating information and making rational decisions.  Thus, it comes useless to allow that disk to be filled with thoughts of self-doubt as you are throwing away valuable space. Know what you stand for. Define what your core beliefs are always remember to live in the present, resolve with the past and create your ideal future. Keep healthy.  Success requires not only our minds, but our body, energy and spirit as well.  Eat well, exercise and when necessary, practice some form of mediation.  Neuroscientists have found that monks who spend years meditating actually grow their left prefrontal cortex. In the End   Happiness is more than a good feeling-it is also a crucial ingredient of our success.  Allow your brain the capacity to feel positive and heightened creativity, resilience and intellectual capacity will quickly follow. If you wish to increase the number on your paycheck, choose happiness as one of your definitive goals. Then, place all your energy, will power and effort towards chasing that goal.

4 Tips For Not Overworking Yourself

4 Tips For Not Overworking Yourself When it comes to being a business woman it can be easy to get so caught up in what you do that it can become a common occurrence to overwork yourself.   It can be easy to be so passionate about your career that you may find yourself imbalanced and pushing yourself too hard. This zest and passion for your job is something that you should be proud of.   However, it is important to balance that passion otherwise you run the risk of burning yourself out and being much less productive than you would have, had you simply made an effort to slow down a bit.   Here are some of the most important things to do in order to maintain a balance.  Take Care Of Yourself First Make sure to take care of yourself first and foremost.   This doesn’t just mean doing things for yourself like treating yourself to a manicure or massage here and there.   This means not neglecting to go to your dentist appointments or your doctor check ups. You need to make sure that your body is in working order so that you don’t burn out and end up getting ill or running into a variety of possible health problems. Make Time For Friends And Family It is crucial to take time to spend with friends and family so that you don’t feel isolated by work.   Sometimes you can get so used to being at work and in a productive mindset that you can forget what it is like to simply relax and enjoy the people that you love. Most people agree that when all is said and done, the things that mattered most to them were the people that they loved in their life more than what they accomplished in their career or how much money they had.   Instead of making work your priority, remember that sometimes family has to take top priority too or your will regret it later on. Be Forgiving Of Yourself Remember to forgive yourself and cut yourself some slack once in awhile.   If you are constantly wearing yourself thin and pressuring yourself to do everything at once it can start to take its toll on your mind and body. Once in awhile take a minute to give yourself praise and let it go if you weren’t able to get everything done in one day. Make Lists One of the best ways to keep yourself balanced is to create a list of your to-do’s.   This way you can make sure that you can clearly see all of your tasks and check them off as you go. Otherwise, you will be running around stressed out in ten directions at once.

How Yelp Resume Writing Services Can Help You Land That Job

How Yelp Resume Writing Services Can Help You Land That JobWhat is the biggest factor in determining if a job applicant will succeed or fail? One of the best questions to ask yourself when you are considering whether or not to hire someone is 'Would I hire them again?' This is important because it is going to be at the top of every hiring manager's list when it comes time to interviewing your applicants.Do you have a resume that fits into the requirements of the job? If you do, do you know how to properly format your resume? Most importantly, do you have a good grasp on the English language? For one thing, you want to make sure that you can actually convey the information to the hiring manager and the people reviewing your resume.Yelp resumes writing services is an excellent place to start. Many of these services offer customized packages that can help you learn how to properly word your resume. Furthermore, these services can help you learn how to deal with any interview questions t hat might arise.Many of the different companies offering this service are competing for your business. When you decide to seek out a service for your resume, be sure that you look over all of the available services and choose the one that is the most affordable. You want to be able to keep the service within your budget as well.Once you get a chance to review the services that are available, you will be able to see exactly what services are offered. Do not be afraid to use more than one of these services. The better your resume, the better your chances of getting a job. With these services, you can learn to write the resume and have it reviewed by your potential employer.There are many features that a company can offer. The most important thing is the ability to customize your resume. This is critical because it allows you to create a professional resume that is specific to the position that you are applying for. This can help you stand out from the crowd and get noticed before othe r applicants have even had the chance to see their completed resumes.Yelp resume writing services can help you save a significant amount of time. The biggest benefit is that you can get a professional resume that you can hand over to potential employers. If you want to know how to write a resume that will help you land the job, you can take advantage of these services.Why pay for these services when you can simply rely on Yelp resume writing services? Many of these services offer personalized customer service so that you can have a professional resume to hand to potential employers. You can also take advantage of these services if you need them for other reasons. Why pay for something when you can get it for free?

Book review The one minute apology - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Book review The one minute apology - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Saying sorry when you are is one of the most fundamental and important personal skills there is. A well-timed, well-phrased apology can get you out of a lot of trouble and conversely, withholding and apology when one is due can poison almost any relationship. In The One Minute Apology: A Powerful Way to Make Things Better Ken Blanchard and Margaret McBride tell a story of positive change promoted by just such an appropriate apology. And of course along the way they outline the principles of good vs. bad apologies. And its powerful advice. Apologizing means you take responsibility for your actions. It displays confidence, responsibility and maturity. It also lets you move on from a sticky situation that might otherwise trap you and others for a long time. So heres my challenge to you: What apology have you been postponing? Think of one, and go apologize now :o) Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Why You Should be More Picky in Your Job Decision - CareerAlley

Why You Should be More Picky in Your Job Decision - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. If you can dream it, you can do it. Walt Disney Youre a recent college graduate. You have bills to pay, loans and other debt piling up, food to put on the table, and a life outside of school that you would like to start leading. With all of these considerations, it can be tempting to jump on the first job that comes your way after graduation. There are good reasons to go this way; if nothing else, you need to eat! But there are also some good reasons to stop and think about it first. Source: http://fridayprofgroup.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/graduate.jpg The job market is tough for recent graduates, theres no doubt about that. There are fewer positions available than there have been in recent years, even for those people who are highly educated. In light of such uncertain economic times, it may seem like a good idea to take a placeholder job to hold you over until something better comes along. But this mindset may not be the best one to have. For one thing, you spend a large amount of your day at your place of employment. One third of the hours in a day is not a meager time commitment, and it can be difficult to give that time over to a job that you dont like or dont really want. When you can see that what you are currently doing is far away from what you want to be doing, it is easy to end up feeling frustrated, helpless, and overly stressed. All of these factors increase your vulnerability to depression. The detrimental effects of having a less than fulfilling job can leak into other unrelated areas of your life as well. An unfulfilling job is draining; by the time you leave work, you no longer have the energy to participate in activities you like that may have served to keep you positive and motivated. Furthermore, many professional positions require field-relevant experience. Even many Masters Programs have this requirement. It is easy to believe that you will simply find a better job later, but how are you going to get the experience you need if you settle for whatever job comes along? You will suddenly find yourself with no helpful job experience, unable to compete with those who have similar education but did not settle for whatever came along first. And if you picked up any relevant skills in school (such as with particular programs), it is difficult to maintain your knowledge and proficiency if you are not using them on a regular basis. Employers may even take your application less seriously if you do not have relevant experience. You do not look dedicated to working within the field if all of your work history is unrelated. Many sites dedicated to helping with the job search even recommend that you not include unrelated job experience. If that description fits all of the jobs you have had, what are you supposed to include? While it is true that volunteer experience can also be helpful, there are some companies that only consider working as a professional experience. (Though you shouldnt discount volunteering out of hand; include it if you have little other job experience). You may be thinking, Its all right, Im only going to do this for a little while; only until I find something else. It is easier than you might think to get sucked into a job though, even if its not your ideal situation. Depression and rejection drain motivation. It becomes easier to stay than to put in the effort to find something better. Another aspect to consider is if the pay is good and the benefits are good, you simply settle, too scared to rock the boat and make the change. Then, one day, you give up entirely and twenty years later you are asking yourself how you have been a claims processor all your life when you really wanted to be a graphic designer. I am not saying that it is a good idea to turn your nose up at a job because it isnt the perfect position. I am not saying that you should remain unemployed and buried in debt forever because you cant find the right job. While not everyone believes that this is the best route, there are a few points that you should consider when you begin your job search because careful thought and an awareness of the risks can minimize your chances of remaining stuck in a dead end position, while increasing the likelihood that you will achieve your career dreams. Author Byline: Shaswata Ghosh has done his graduation in Science and now works for PrepGenie, a firm that provides GAMSAT sample questions and GAMSAT preparation to the students. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Visit me on Facebook