how did we arrive here?

[uksbc]

i have been pondering this question on an off for years (before you all make a mass exodus from the post this is not a religion topic) :D

how did you decide on the business you are in?

for example i would assume that claire always had an interest in painting and turned that idea into a business

or did you work for someone else in the same industry and then think "i could do this for more money on my own"

the reason for the question is i recently saw a client who makes coat hangers and it got me thinking. did he work for an insurance company and wake up in the night with a eureka moment thinking "i know i will make coathangers" or did he have a childhood dream to make coathangers!?

how did you get into your business??

:D

[fastfences]

Hi there.
I think you may find some 'overlap' with working in the same industry and eureka. I suspect many, like myself, worked in an industry where we had a sudden inspiration of knowing there's a better way.
cheers, Nigel

[Cornish Steve]

None of the above!

After almost 20 years, I went back to school. Because of how much I travel internationally, I could not attend classes on site; instead, I signed up for a pilot scheme offered by a collaboration of local universities. My 2-year MBA program was completed 100 percent online.

For me, it was great. I submitted assignments from hotel business centres in Uganda, in Brazil, in Russia, in India, in South Africa, and more. I chatted online with my team from many different countries. Suddenly, I realised the power of online learning.

Some professors used the technology well; others were awful. The key was the extent of interaction in the classroom. Together with a fellow graduate (a lady who was on my team), I started my company in this field. Over a period of 18 months, we have perfected our course template, have run an international beta trial, and have led an extended business prototype.

With our latest concept (soon to be announced), we will overcome the two major problems faced by companies, universities, schools, etc. that wish to make their on-site courses available online. Early feedback has been amazingly positive, and I can't wait for the spring when we really roll things out.

So, I'm in this field because I experienced something new, realised how it could be done better, and decided to blaze a new trail. The struggle is defining our business model; to be frank, we're pursuing an approach that no one has ever considered before, which means we must be doubly careful with pricing and with legal contracts.

One other thing: I am fortunate to have a wonderful business partner. We were on the same MBA team for almost two years, often working together under intense pressure. We got to know each other very well, communicated daily, and learned each other's strengths and weaknesses. Looking back, the choice of business partner was as important as the choice of industry.

[coxadmin]

For me it was a combination of things.

Throughout my working life I have always been happiest working in administration - a long spell (more than six years) in a call centre in the 1990s really cemented that feeling.

I also felt that I was forever being overlooked for promotion despite my strong computer skills. My sister set up her German to English translation company and I was always envious of the fact that she chose her hours and was doing well.

In 2003 our son was born and I decided not to return to the job I hated so much - when I found out I was pregnant I actually had to cancel a job interview. My family suggested I think about using my skills as a self-employed administrator. In the autumn of 2003 I received an email from my dad asking me to quote for a job - I won the job and my company was born. It wasn't until later that I discovered that there was a title for the role I was doing - Virtual Assistant.

[Jayne]

Hi,

With the bakery, I was talked into it by my husband who is a qualified baker. I had started my own art business and had to give it up, because the bakery shop was like a 24 hr business. I was only going to do the books to start with, but ended up learning the whole lot and working full time and then some. Food never interested me at all, but seemed like a good way of making money. It doesn't rock my boat though.

My next biz I started because of the bakery too in a way. The estate agents were taking too long selling it and sending us loads of time wasters, so I bought a computer, learned how to use the internet and started selling it myself. Which I really enjoyed, so I had my own site built to help others.

My new biz, well that's just for the pure love of painting. I'd rather do that, than anything else. :D

Jayne

[gapgb]

For me I was forced to make a choice. My division which I had built up over 5 years was re-located to the USA. I didn't fancy Southern New Jersey so took a redundancy package and decided to go it alone.

I had alwasy struggled to find good marketing support with an engineering bias, when I was in industry, so I thought that's my niche and this is probably the best chance I have to make it work, so I did it.

[10 Yetis]

Sorry to jump in on uksbc's excellent post, but it is very similar to one that is going on in the general business forum that we are hoping to use for some PR for the forum...

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=2546

Once you have posted on this thread, why not jump over and post on that one too.

Thanks very muchly.

[Rachael]

I worked for an events organiser and booking agent before starting my business. I found him totally unreliable, unorganised and irritating his customers sooo...what a perfect time to set up on my own :D

[Admiral Collections]

After collecting debt and 'sorting' various companies problems, within 2 years of workin for any one company I was bored, all my debtors were complying, half of the time I sat there twiddling my thumbs. I started my business because I wanted the constant challenge.

I don't regret for a moment my decision to go it alone. Best move I ever made.

Nic :wink: