Corporate redundancy: A survivor's story

Are you facing corporate redundancy and wondering whether now is the time to start your own business? This story could be just the motivation you need for flying solo.

On January 10^th 1998 at 2.30pm, my phone rang and I was summoned to the HR director’s office by her PA, an unusual event. I was ushered into her office to find her and my sales director awaiting me and I knew, absolutely knew, that my very long career in Duty Free retail was about to come to an abrupt end.

I was right, they showered me with platitudes and inane comments and told me that effective immediately, my role as GM was redundant and as such, I was superfluous to requirement!

I would receive three months of outplacement counselling and had the use of the company vehicle for that time, but otherwise; “Nick off furry feet, we don’t want you anymore!” My counsellor was waiting for me in my office when I got back there.

If you are facing corporate rendundancy, outplacement was and is helpful, but it wasn’t going to help me replace my high flying, high paying job. You see, I left school at 15 and worked my way up through a long career to earn my post nominal; QBE...Qualified By Experience!

At 47, I couldn’t compete with the 25 to 30 year old MBAs and other graduates who were applying for the same roles and being interviewed by other young ‘propeller heads’ to whom 40 was ancient and 45 was in the grave!

After numerous non-productive applications and interviews and with money running out and my ego bent out of shape, I needed to take drastic action just to survive. Clearly I was going to have to look after myself and my family by generating my own income/job, so that is what I set out to do.

It’s easy to start a business, you register a structure, decide what you want to do and go out and find some people to do it for and then get paid for doing. How hard can that be? Well, there’s five steps outlined above but as you all know (and I do, too, now) there’s a million little details between the steps that determine success.

Some of my biggest mistakes were in client acquisition and then getting paid for services delivered. I rarely had difficulty with service delivery and I’m passionate about customer service so the ‘operational/production’ side of my business worked really well. I just struggled to sell myself and then ask for payment for the work done so well and as for asking for referrals, well, that would be just way too forward.

Well, here we are 10 years later and despite all the above, I’m still in business, and actually doing quite well in spite of all the false starts. In 1998 there weren’t quite as many sources of help and support as are available now and even if there had been, I’m not sure my ego would have sought them out.

My biggest mistake was not asking for help, so please accept this coaching – it’s okay to ask for advice, it’s okay to admit you don’t know it all and there are mentors out there, ready, willing and able to support you.

Even now I still get down at times and need a little bit of support and indulgence and am really grateful for the network of like-minded individuals I’ve built over the last few years and they’re reciprocal relationships that work.

I’d encourage you to keep motivated by following Flying Solo plus joining organistions like Business Masterminds and your local Business Enterprise Centre can be helpful.

You don’t have to do it solo!

Were you forced into flying solo? Or perhaps you’re facing corporate redundancy and wondering whether now is the time to go it alone. Tell us about your situation via a comment.

Jack Fraenkel is a business improver and people developer with a flair for customer service who passionately believes that service intensive companies tend to invest in employee success first.

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Great post, and excellent lessons, thank you. I just started flying solo less than two months ago. While I left the corporate world on my own terms, the economy wasn't going to be kind on the travel website that I worked for, so I decided to take all the skills I had acquired translating and running the Spanish-language site and finally join my twin sister in our Spanish (and German, French) translation business. I have never been happier -- I feel like a different person. I can't put a value on how much better my quality of life is. My boss and I get along famously. :)
As you said, there's a ton to learn, and I am grateful every day for the lessons more experienced people are willing to share (virtually and off-line). I quickly determined that some of my weaknesses include asking for payment and selling myself (I am constantly afraid of being too forward; after 13 years of living in the United States, I still need to learn how to sell myself effectively!). I had a situation last week where I had to ask for a overdue payment from a client who happens to be a close friend here in Las Vegas. I had been avoiding the conversation, but I forced myself to overcome my weakness, made the phone call, and voila: the check is in the mail. Judy Jenner from Las Vegas, NV, USA
I was forced into flying solo by necessity. I never belonged to a 'corporate world', but left working for a small company when I was about to have my baby. At the time they didn't employ women who had children, even part-time. That was more than 25 years ago. In those days, even more so in my area, there was little or no help for women for caring for baby or for setting up a business. I lived a long way from relatives so everything was left to me. My late father was my accountant (working solo) and he inspired me to work for myself. It was a brave new world. I was one of the very few women working for themselves back in the early eighties and faced much discrimination both from men and from women who said I shouldn't be working. It was a matter of survival and adapting to all the changes thrown at me. I remember a young person at a function telling me only a few years ago - 'aren't you a bit old to be working in design?' Well, no - and I love my work and I am one of those who will be still doing it in my nineties as long as I am here and able! :) Karen Curran from NSW
Hi Jack - I realised that I was 'unemployable' and threw myself out - I now work WITH, rather than FOR, corporates and love it! Grant Hyman from Sydney | Read my articles
Hi Jack - It took me a couple of years to ask for help. I should've done it before.Now, I'm mentoring other women, working with an organisation for women. Judit Nagy from Sydney
Hello Jack,
This brought back memories of my own 'inglorious' departure from a 25 year career in accounting.
After many false starts and one on-life-support business, I've finally taken the courage to go with my strengths instead of my training. Not a millionaire yet, but then I'm not living under a bridge either:)
There is one thing however that many seeking outside advice might want to be aware, especially when you don't know what you don't know - double check any advice you're given.
There are more 'theorists' out there offering advice than there are those who have really been in the trenches. Georjina from Anchorage, US
Aaargh! You just reminded me of my own situation. I was unceremoniously 'shown the door' due to supposed 'outsourcing', from a large corporate almost 3 years ago. Like yourself, I had worked my way up the corporate ladder over my 19+ years there. After leaving I did a few short term contracts but for the past year or so, I've been 'Flying Solo'. It can be tricky starting off and I'll be the first to admit, I'm still 'finding my feet' a bit, but it's a great feeling being your own boss. Anthony Hortin from Melbourne

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