From Agency to Own Business

From Agency to Own Business Success Story > From: Job To: Startup From Agency to Own Business “I hated the politics, bureaucracy and red tape.” * From Agency to Own Business What do you do when you can no longer stand the environment you work in? Lucy Gillions enjoyed her role, but felt stifled by everything that came withcorporate life. So, she decided to branch out on her own. Here, she shares why not burning your bridges is a good idea (and why saying yes to everything probably isn't). What work were you doing previously? I've always worked in big marketing agencies. I used to focus mainly on what's known as 'Below the Line' marketing. I worked on campaigns mainly in the food and drinks sector for most of my career. I worked across in-store activations, promotional advertising, experiential, digital and social work. What are you doing now? I've founded, and now run, my own experiential marketing and events agency, Jackanory. How did you feel about your work before you decided to make a change? I hated the politics, bureaucracy and red tape that went with a bigger corporate environment. However, I loved the core of what I actually did andI hated that it had lost its way because of the above. I felt the true creativity of what I did had beenlost. Why did you change? I wanted to feel passionate again about what I did. I also wanted to have a bit more freedom in my career, to take what I believed was the best way forward for my discipline. When was the moment you decided to make the change? Our company was going through a big merger. The company we were merging with had a completely different ethos, culture and future direction. Then, an opportunity presented itself with my Account Director. She and I chatted about starting our own company and making our own ethos, culture and future! Are you happy with the change? I couldn't be happier. I love everything about my new job! What do you miss and what don't you miss? I really don't miss anything. I guess I could say that I miss the financial certainty at the end of each month, but we've been incredibly lucky in that the company has been successful and therefore we've kept our salaries. I do miss the camaraderie of a bigger agency â€" there's always someone to have a drink with, go and make tea with, etc. â€" but that really is it! How did you go about making the shift? And how specifically did you choose your new career? We took our business plan to our CEO and told her our initial plans. We didn't want to burn bridges (and were very conscious that we had restrictive covenants in place as well) â€" it was as much in our favour to end the relationship well as in theirs. We came up with a plan that was profitable for both them and us. It allowed us to paddle out a bit on our own but still hold onto the side of the swimming pool for security. Gradually, as we grew in confidence, we would slowly leave our old agency behind. Choosing our new career was easy:we loved what we did, we just wanted to go back to the original roots of what we did and rediscover our passion for our industry. In turn, we hoped this would open up new opportunities and lead us to take the business in the direction we wanted. What didn't go well? What 'wrong turns' did you take? In our first year, we accepted every job that came our way. We were so scared of not making any money we thought we needed to say yes to everything. This was, unfortunately, a steep learning curve â€" not only was it bad for our health, the wine we consumed, and our relationships, it was detrimental to some of the work we did as we didn't have the time or energy to deliver well. That's not ideal when starting a new company. How did you handle your finances to make your change possible? We were very lucky â€" we both had very supportive and financially stable partners which meant we knew our houses were safe. We also decided not to take a salary (bar basic expenses) for six to eight months, which was difficult as we were both senior in our agency and used to a monthly salary. However, we were good at focusing on the long-term gain. We knew the first year was going to be tough; we knew we were going to have to sacrifice some of the luxuries we loved (although the long term gain has been worth it!) What was the most difficult thing about changing? Living with the unknown: the uncertainty of finances and knowing whether jobs would come in. It used to cause me sleepless nights. While not wishing to sound arrogant, I hadn't failed much in my younger years, so the fear of failure was huge for me. What would people say? Would they mock me? It took a good year to really learn to live with these feelings and be proud of what I'd achieved no matter what we did. Not many people can say they had the courage (and took the risk) to start something from scratch. And I figured that if it really came to it, I could go back to a job and possibly offer even more to a company than I had previously. What do you wish you'd done differently? I wish I'd had more confidence in the first year and trusted our instincts about how things were going to be. I have to say I really wouldn't do much differently as I've learnt a huge amount on this journey! What help did you get? My dad was a financial advisor for when we first set up and then all our old agency contacts were incredibly supportive (we had IT, legal, creative etc.). We were able to pull on our old resources â€" it's amazing how people want to help you when you start out. Friends came out of the woodwork with referrals and jobs they could help with, and our partners were very supportive. In terms of online support, the government websites on tax, VAT and business setup were really helpful. I also sat with my financial director and learnt a fair bit about the basics of starting a company and the fundamentals of running a profitable company (PL, VAT etc.) What resources would you recommend to others? As above, look online for the government resources as they are really helpful. Then I would say just talk, talk, talk, to anyone. It's amazing how many people can be useful to you. People you didn't even know could do the things they could, or knew the things they did! Never be afraid to ask for help either. What have you learnt in the process? To be humble, to ask for help and to never take for granted how lucky I am. I've also learnt how important it is to be kind to people and treat them how I'd like to be treated. I truly believe this in owning your own business â€" it's not about being ruthless or rude. I believe you get far further in being a bit vulnerable, taking a few risks (on people / situations) and in being collaborative. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? Have the courage of your convictions. You're definitely better than you think you are. There are hundreds of other people who will tell you not to do something but it's far better to be someone who has done something. Calculate your risks personally (both financially and in terms of relationships, etc.) and then go for it! What's the worst that can happen? Life will go on and you will have learnt a huge amount in your journey, however it ends. To find out more about Lucy's business, visit www.wearejackanory.com. What lessons could you take from Lucy's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.

Most Wonderful Time of the Year... - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Most Wonderful Time of the Year... - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Its the most wonderful time of the year   or Andy Williams would like you to believe.  For many, the upcoming holiday season is a wonderful time of the year for those who are in a job hunt, it can be the most stress-inducing, dreaded, would-rather-skip-it time of the year.  With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings when friends come to call those in the job search may prefer to skip them all. Being asked, Hows it going?, What have you been up to? or Hows the job? are innocent questions but become stressful when you dont have a solid response and are being asked the questions for the 20th time at a party. Unless you plan to hibernate for November and December, what can one do before the holiday season kicks into high gear? Volunteer  : Begin spending 5-10 hours a week at your favorite nonprofit. There are many benefits of volunteering including, 1) providing structure to your day/week, 2) forcing you to leave the house/turn off the computer and meet people, 3) providing you an answer to the What have you been up to? question. Let people know that you are taking the opportunity to give back while you are in the job hunt. This is a solid answer and will help get you through those holiday parties. Contract Work:   The signs are on the doors, retailers are hiring for the upcoming holiday crush. Reports are out that places like Kohls, Target, and Amazon will be looking to add tens of thousands of seasonal employees. FedEx, UPS, and others will add to the payrolls beginning very soon.  This tactic has many benefits as well. First, it puts money in your pocket; second, it gives you a response to the holiday party questions; third, you will be working so much you wont be able to go to the holiday gathering and thus avoid the questions altogether. Classes:  Sign up and take classes at a local college to learn new/advance existing skills. This will provide a great response to the status update question and provide possible conversation topics.  This tactic will help build your brand as one who always looks to improve. Holiday season can be a great time to do some solid networking at these parties one only needs to be ready for the event. Plan now in order to be ready for the most wonderful time.of the year! Author: Kevin Monahan  is the Associate Director of the Notre Dame Career Center.  In this role, he leads the center’s  employer relations efforts in addition to coaching  young professionals in career management and career change capacities. He combines career consulting services with employer outreach to help find opportunities for both constituencies.  He is the author of the  Career Seeker’s Guide  blog.

10 Ways You Can Cut The Cost Of Your Smartphone Bill

10 Ways You Can Cut The Cost Of Your Smartphone Bill Your smartphone bill has arrived, and it’s a lot more than you expected. Or perhaps you’ve been paying over the odds for some time. Whatever the case, it doesn’t have to continue. What if we told you that there are as many as ten ways in which you can cut the cost of your mobile phone bill? If that sounds like something you might be interested in, read on! Balance your data One of the main causes of a hefty phone bill is down to data. Chances are, you’re either using too much, or you simply have too much. If you’re exceeding your data limit, then you may want to consider a package with a bigger allowance. Alternatively, you could monitor your data use and better control it â€" there are plenty of apps available for this. In contrast, having too much data may not sound much of a problem. But if you’re not using it and you’re paying for it then there’s room to save by switching to a smaller plan. Shop around If you’re coming to the end of your contract, then the ball is very much in your court. If your network thinks that you’re going elsewhere, then they’ll surely offer you a better deal. Regardless of their offer, make sure you take it to their competitors and see if they can beat it. You can compare offers with a little research, but this can be time-consuming. Using a comparison site like WhistleOut or TigerMobiles.com can save time and effort. If you’re already overpaying then, you’ll likely find some better deals. Control in-app purchases There are undoubtedly some fantastic apps and games to be found. And while many of these may be “free”, a lot of them will contain in-app purchases. What can seem a small amount of money at a time can quickly add up over the course of a month. Numerous horror stories have surfaced of children unintentionally running up bills into the thousands of £s on parents’ phones. If any children have access to your mobile, you might want to consider disabling in-app purchases or have a secure PIN. This can help you better regulate what is being bought and how much you’re spending. Call your network If your mobile phone bill is getting to be too much to manage then give your network a call. Not all networks will be accommodating if there’s an iron-clad contract involved. However, there’s always a chance you can be moved to a cheaper tariff. Suppliers know that consumers aren’t afraid to look at their competitors â€" so they may look to help you reach a solution rather than be a hindrance. If anything, it’s worth a try! Find the right plan With so much competition, there’s no need to be locked into a contract for as long as two years. One option you have is Pay As You Go. This comes down to how much you use your phone. If you largely use Wi-Fi and rarely use your 4G or make calls, Pay As You Go can be an excellent option. If Pay As You Go isn’t right for you and you’re not keen on a lengthy contract, try to investigate cheap sim-only contracts, some of which can be cancelled with as little as 30 days’ notice. A Sim-only deal is especially useful if you already have a handset or can afford to buy it outright and are a great way of getting a better deal. Beware insurance Mobile phone insurance certainly seems a sensible idea when you’ve just bought your expensive new handset. In fact, your supplier may well encourage you to purchase insurance. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that this is just another cost to consider â€" it does add up over the course of a lengthy contract. Many people don’t realise that you don’t have to take out insurance with your network. Many third party insurers can offer you a better deal so shop around as you would for a phone contract. Use Wi-Fi! It may sound obvious, but it’s so easy to forget how ubiquitous Wi-Fi really is. Whether you’re at home, the office or at a local café, use Wi-Fi. Doing so can save you data and leave it for when you need it. How often you’re using Wi-Fi can make a big difference but it’s what you use it for that can save some pennies. Try to avoid hefty downloads and excessive video streaming on your 3G or 4G. Save it for the Wi-Fi, and you’ll see how much data you can save. Recycle your old handset Although this option won’t cut the cost of your mobile phone bill, it will create some additional cash to fund it! It’s possible to receive hundreds of £â€™s for your handset if it’s still a particularly in-demand model. Take a look online, and you’ll find plenty of companies offering recycling services. However, you may be able to get more money for your old handset if you take the time to sell it on an online marketplace such as eBay. Join family and friends If you call certain people more than most then why not find out what network they’re on? Many mobile phone companies offer reduced rates and even free calls if they’re in-network. You may even earn yourself and your friend or family member some money if there is a referral bonus in place for attracting new customers. It’s a win-win! “Free” is rarely free Deals offering “free” handsets and gifts may well be tempting at first. But when you’re paying over the odds for them over an extended period, they’re rarely worth it. If you are interested in such a deal, try to calculate and find out if it’s good value. It will most likely be cheaper to buy your handset outright in the first place. Image Credit   Pixabay.  Old phones

Are You Ready To Have The Best 90 Days Ever Lets Make a Plan. - Classy Career Girl

Are You Ready To Have The Best 90 Days Ever Lets Make a Plan. There are just under 90 days left in 2019. What could you do in that time? Last year, in less than 90 days, I created my first physical planner. In 90 days I rebranded and re-launched my membership site. In 90 days, I launched and completed a brand new PLAN course. In 90 days, I created an event and filled a room. In just 90 days, you could be in a career you love or work on building the business youve dreamed of. Grab our brand new FREE 90-day planner or our physical planner. There is so much you can do in 90 days. You have a blank slate; you can do whatever you want in 90 days. Subscribe  on  your favorite platform below: iTunes Google Play Music Stitcher Radio TuneIn iHeartRadio Sound Cloud Lisa: Previously I felt like I pretended to be a business owner but now with a plan I   really feel like I AM a business owner. That’s the power of a   plan! 3 Questions to Ask Yourself to Have the Best 90 Days Ever   What do I want to create in the future? What 3 things do I want to make happen this year? What do I need to do in the next 90 days to make my annual goals happen? Plan Your Vision You have to know where you are going. What you want to create in the future.   Where you want to be in 5-10 years. Write this down or create a vision board to help you get super clear on where you want to be. Related Podcast: How to Create a Vision Board for 2019   Create an Annual Plan List out three goals you want to complete in the next year and when you are going to focus on those goals. Keep these short and sweet; focus on the big picture. Don’t worry about the how, we will get to that part later. Create Your 90-Day Plan You know your vision and where you want to go, and what you want to get done over this next year. Now, we can break these big-picture plans down and focus on the next 90 days. What’s the focus for 30 days, what’s the focus for 60 days, what’s the focus for 90 days? This will give you the actual steps you need to take to reach your big goals!

Things To Do While Writing A Resume In Gwinnett

Things To Do While Writing A Resume In GwinnettGwinnett County is the home of a metropolitan area of Atlanta and it is a very well populated place. This gives you a great opportunity to place your resume in Gwinnett. There are several companies that are hiring now and there are job opportunities here for those who want to go back to school.These days, with so many job options available, it is quite natural for job seekers to move to Gwinnett. There are opportunities for a number of professions in Gwinnett and this is why people choose to relocate to this place. If you do want to get your resume to the job market in Gwinnett, you should do some research on your resume writing Gwinnett.The most important thing that you should keep in mind while doing your resume writing is that you should have a clearly written paper. You will be asked to have a resume, a cover letter and a brief personal statement as part of the job application process. You should be able to get all these three things prepared within a very short period of time. If you are a first time applicant, you will have to spend a lot of time preparing your resume.It is also a good idea for you to have a copy of your resume ready at hand before you head out to your interview. This will make you feel more confident when it comes to your interview. This will also help you if you want to present your resume in Gwinnett.You should also make sure that you have a full grasp of the requirements for applying for the position. There are a lot of companies in Gwinnett that can help you if you have any trouble with the requirements. You should also make sure that you have a clear idea of what a typical day looks like when it comes to working for a Gwinnett company.A typical day of work in a Gwinnett company starts with an applicant meeting the hiring manager or a human resource officer. You should also have a personal interview and a reference interview. Both these types of interviews can be very useful when it come s to presenting your resume in Gwinnett.The length of employment that you will be expected to keep will depend on how long you have been employed for and how many years you have been employed for. Each organization is different when it comes to this matter. You should also make sure that you include all the relevant information that is necessary for your resume to be accepted.The number of job opportunities in Gwinnett is quite impressive and there are many opportunities available for you to go for. In order to do this, you should make sure that you use the various resources available online for your resume writing. Your resume will only help in putting you in front of an employer and you should make sure that you are equipped with the proper information so that you can have a good chance of being hired.

Exercise Faster or slower - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Exercise Faster or slower - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Is faster always better? Try this exercise, and see what you think. Lets say that you want to optimize some process to save time. In many activities, you can take all the fun out of it if you hurry too much. For example, I used to be a hell-bent skier. This happens when youre living in flat, snow-less Demark, and you only have the chance to ski for one week every year. By god, I wanted the most skiing I could possibly get! So I got up really early every morning, I took almost no breaks (except for a short lunch break), and I generally drove myself and everybody around me to exhaustion and desperation. Then on a trip a couple of years ago, I learned that by relaxing a little, taking a lot of breaks, Id get less skiing done, but Id enjoy it a hell of a lot more. Say 20% less skiing, 80% more fun! And Ive found that this equation holds in many other activities. So, what is it that happens when you try do something faster? Odds are, that beyond a certain point, the faster you do it, the less you enjoy it. Maybe its just more fun when you do it slowly. Alternatively, you may become stressed because youre not doing it as fast as youd like. So this is the exercise: Find a process or action youd like to optimize (it can be anything really, your morning drive to work, your evening meal or something you do at work), and then try to do it faster or slower. Keep a journal where you log the time it took and how you liked the experience. Then try to see if theres a connection, and try to see if theres an optimal hurry level, that doesnt eliminate the fun. 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

Monday Tip Share something funny - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Monday Tip Share something funny - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Todays Monday tip comes from Nimmy from Bangalore, who wrote a very nice review of my book, and then went on to add some ideas for making your work day a little happier. One of her suggestions is to read something funny every day and share it with your colleagues. Try to go beyond Dilbert and the usual list of 200 blonde jokes :o) Nirmala suggests Calvin Hobbes or PG Wodehouse. I would add Over the Hedge, Cute Overload or Snopes. And if youre among geeks: Player vs.player or User Friendly. Find something funny and share it. Print it out and pass it around or hang it on the bulletin board. Thanks Nimmy! What about you: How do you get your giggles during the work day? The Chief Happiness Officers Monday tips are simple, easy, fun things you can do to make yourself and others happy at work and get the work-week off to a great start. Something everyone can do in five minutes, tops. When you try it, write a comment here to tell me how it went. Previous monday tips. 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