Bored....

I have been an admin asst for years now and I am simply bored with it. I would like to go in another direction but don't know what or how to do it. Does anyone have any suggestions how I can plot my way to a new job experience? Has anyone just given up years of experience to go into another field and how hard was that on salary and you? Thanks for any help you can provide me! Debbie

I had been a manager of a greek food estabisment for years, I was not happy! But I thought I couldn't do anything else! This was 12 yrs ago when I left! I left to sell Mary Kay cosmetics. My family thought I was crazy! To be honest it was Mary Kay cosmetic's that gave me the courage to leave! I sold Mary Kay for a few years, won a car ect.. but that just was not what I wanted for a life time career! Then I bought a welcome wagon buisness, then a few other small business's! Now all this started I thought I was a stable person! I was the manager for this greek place for 10 yrs! Worked 80 hrs a week for years! WHen I left Yes at first I made less money than I did at my normal career! But I had less stress! Then I started watching elderly people in there homes, then I got friends doing it! I did that for 5 or 6 yrs, well 4 yrs ago I opened my own business with caregivers that go into the home of elderly people to cook, clean and bath them. Our 4th year we did a half million dollars in rev, we have 30 employees and last year I opened a handi cap transportation business! I have only had 2 years of college, was a single mom at 16 yrs old, came from a broken home, was only married 2 yrs myself. People wonder how I got to where I am?? I just never gave up! I just kept pushing for more! In the beginning I worked 24 hrs a day, now I let other people do most the work, yes I do work maybe 40 hrs a week, I am there when my clients and employees need me But guess what? Owning my own business I will never have to buy my own car again, gas doesn't come out of my pocket! there is so many tax advantages to owning a business! I love being able to take a cruise every year, no one can tell me when I have to get up! Ok I admitt I get up at 5am! This is when I can get most my paper work done without the phone ringing! I love what I do! My boyfriend and I just bought our dream home and we can afford it! No we did not go over board! Both my adult children work for the business. I dont know if thats good or not! I dont know if they could handle a "Normal" job where they would get fired if they didnt do what they were suppose to do! Well Good Luck! You can do anything you set your mind to! See ya lighter! Cyndi

Thanks Cyndi for sharing your story with me! I appreciate reading this. You have done well...Keep up the good work Debbie

Hello, Cyndi ! I am a young mom myself and lately have been thinking about opening my own business, as a health care agency. When you did yours, did it cost a lot of money to start it, and how did you get the know-how? please share....I really need to find a way to legitimately have my own business without spending a lot of money.....because i don't have any . thanx in advance.

I just saw your post on the obesity career board, Yes it took about fifteen thousand of money I had saved to open my business, insurance and workmens comp is really expensive. Plus a computer ect... And i didnt pay myself for the first year. I did home care for seniors before I opened my business, before that I was a resterurant manager, so I knew how to manage people. A friend of mine just opened a caregiver/senior business, she didnt have any money to start. I am afraid she is gonna get herself into trouble! She has wrote checks for her personal bills out of her business account! A big no no for the IRS! Plus she doesnt have workmens comp for her employees! Its a law here! Then she also is not keeping her tax money in a sperate account, she has it in her expense account and she spends the tax money and when its due she don't understand why she doesnt have the money! I may not do everything perfect but I know that you need a different account to keep your payroll and tax money in and don't spend it on anything else! That would be like stealing money from your employees . My business is 4 yrs old now, last year I opened a hadi cap trasportation business, I could have never done this without first having a sucessful caregiving business. Because we take state clients to the Dr it takes 6 mths or longer for the business to get paid from the state! This is not fun! You could look into franchises and do lots of research, most of them will train you but thats also very expensive. My friend who opened her business does come to me for advice but she doesnt seem to be following my advice! i do not want her to fail! I also did read lots of books on opening a small business, I went to book stores that ya can sit there and read the books then put them back on the shelf! Like a boarders books, I bought a few. I did incorporate my business from day one cause then if my business is ever sued, no one can touch my house or my personal bank account. After 6 mths I hired an accountant, to jeep me on track and make sure I was doin things right for the IRS! She makes sure I deposit enough every 2 weeks into my payroll acct to cover taxes ect.. she also makes sure all taxes are paid on time ect.. She doesnt make my desposits or write out my bills. I want to keep control of these things! I keep track before she does payroll about how much it should be that way if she is way off I know and will be able to find the problem! good luck! Cyndi

Hi Debbie, I would ask myself, "What would I do all day long for FREE?" I have always heard that you should do what you love, and the money will follow. Long ago, when I was 18, I had been assigned a work-study job working with preschoolers. I loved it so much that I have been doing it ever since. Even though I have a Master's in Early Childhood, the pay and the benefits can be a real discouragement. But I also offer special tutoring and art classes to children on a part-time basis for just a few hours in the afternoon. This is where I make better money. I think that a lot of us, by reassessing WANTS and NEEDS, could live simpler lives yet still be fulfilled by our careers. I have yet to have a new car or a tropical vacation. I am a single mom of a teenage son and his friends often brag of big-screen TV's and laptop computers. He is an understanding child, not at all spoiled, and we spend our weekends playing board games, going to the library, or cook new dinners. The I-pods and flat-screen TV's will have to wait until Prince Charming comes riding up on his horse! But, seriously, think of a new, fresh way to market something that you LOVE! It could make all the difference in the world. Hope this helps! Denise

Hi Debbie,
   I work from home.  I love the freedom I have, to do what I want and when I want to. I work a few
hours a week. I actually own an "UN" franchise business......it's like owning a whole "mall without walls"! I own a product brokage company that specializes in one to one marketing. We train people how to make a residual six figure income in two to three years!
Let me know if your interested.......
Helen