You, Inc.

A colleague brought me an article by Joe Kita from the July/August 2009 edition of Men’s Health Magazine that I thought was interesting.  Kita talks about his experience of quitting his job working for “The Man” after 23 years to work for himself as an independent contractor.

Previous to the current economic cycle, these types of decisions were made by people who sought the independence and freedom that comes from going into business for themselves.  Now, these decisions are frequently being forced upon people – skilled, experienced, and committed people – who have been downsized by employers or had their hours cut back drastically.

Kita  writes:

The American Dream has been roughed up lately.  There is doubt where there was once direction.  There is retrenching instead of renaissance.  But there is one place where you can still dirty your hands with hope, display your ingenuity, taste a measure of independence, and feel a bit like your granddad must have felt – fresh off the boat, testing your potential.

I’m talking about starting a business.

Kita quotes Chad Moutray, Ph.D., and director of economic research for the Small Business Administration (SBA), saying, “In an economic downturn entrepreneurship is usually the savior.”

Amen to that!  During times like these, when it can be difficult to believe in the government, in the projections of economists, in the talking heads on cable news, or even in the future, you can always believe in yourself.

About the author  Derek is the man behind Pinnacle Business Academy and Pinnacle Business Coaching. Married for 22 years, with four sons, aged 20, 17, 17, and 13. Loves business, but loves family even more.