My story of Reluctant Solopreneurship

This is my story of reluctant solopreneurship.

When my first child was born in 2008, the only option (in a job I loved) to be more present in my young son’s life was to work part-time hours – with part-time pay. And yet, my scope of work and results only grew post-baby. For two consecutive years, my team (of 50+ full & part-time employees) achieved their best results ever. For my management efforts and efficiency, I received 20% less pay simply because of my reduced work hours.

Compensation contingent upon facetime and hours only, without regards to scope and results, was the first strike against a traditional job for me.

Then, when secondary infertility and a sick parent required me to be somewhere other than on a Long Island Rail Road train at 7:06 am, I found the standard 9-5 work week unworkable.

Rigid work schedules were the second strike for me.

Lastly, when a respected colleague candidly shared that I’d “never be taken seriously or get promoted working a flexible or part-time schedule,” I knew I needed to blaze a different path.

The “There’s only one ‘right’ way to work and grow here” mindset was the third and final blow.

Please hear this: I loved working and leading within organizations. And I was really good at it.

But – and I cannot stress this enough - I was not willing to sacrifice the bigger, broader vision for my life because a traditional job structure could not figure out how to value and accommodate me.

So, 11 years ago, I created something better for me. On my own. Reluctantly.

Now…

I charge for the results I help individuals and organizations achieve.
My work schedule revolves around my life.
I can work from anywhere.
I still get to make an impact on individuals and organizations that I care about – on my terms - and by working smarter and more efficiently.

Let’s be real. It hasn’t always been easy blazing a non-traditional path. And I’ve learned some hard lessons along the way. But I stand by my decision all those years ago.

Waiting for organizational change around talent practices and management:

required time I simply did not have; and
kept me from making the impact I knew was possible.

And I know I'm not the only one. Currently, 36% of the US workforce is made up of independent workers, according to McKinsey. And parents are more likely than their nonparent peers to leave their current job to start a business.

Sometimes the organizational structures in place restrain, rather than accelerate, progress.

What this means for Your Organization & You

It’s not your fault if you’ve felt frustrated trying to fit your evolving life around the margins of your traditional career.

Few work environments – even post-pandemic – are set up to value results and nimbly accommodate anything other than the “ideal worker” – who gives 100% (or more) to one defined job.

What organizations do now will make or break their ability to achieve their goals, recruit top talent, and retain their key people.

It may even make or break their ability to retain YOU.

If you’re an organizational leader…

I continue to believe organizations and their leaders can meet this moment and evolve the way work happens. I am committed to supporting teams interested in building more flexible and sustainable work environments and cultures that meet the evolving needs of the people that work with them and end cycles of overwork.

But this will require new ways of working you and your teams may not be used to, like:

Focusing on only 2-3 critical, needle-moving priorities to achieve your goals
Leveraging full-time employees AND consultants effectively to advance the work
Designing equitable talent policies, practices, and benefits that honor and incentivize results, rest, and a focus on individuals’ evolving needs over their career
Investing in leaders and managers so they have the skills and behaviors to meet this moment

In short, the nature of work is evolving and so must your organization’s strategy and talent approach.

It’s time for a new way forward. If this sounds interesting to you, let’s set up a 30-minute consultation call to see how I can be a support to you and your organization in 2023.

If you’re an individual who can no longer wait for change…

Listen. I get it. Change takes time. And you may be done fighting the institutional structures and swimming upstream. Bravo for knowing your boundaries.

But what next?

If you’re thinking about making the leap into solopreneurship in the education or nonprofit spaces, I want to support you on what can feel like a scary and lonely new path.

It is possible to build a balanced business that works for your life.

Let’s TAlk

After all, we can only wait for so long.

Does something in here resonate or make your blood boil? Let me know. DM me or email me at danielle@lumitalent.com