Jason D. Barr

Everyone approaches this issue from a different angle, really, so there’s probably not one true answer.  Personally, there are a few reasons that I can think of that motivated me to seriously pressing forward with starting my own company.

First of all, I wanted a little bit of diversification.  Everyone is familiar (I assume) with this concept; don’t put all your eggs in one basket.  Even Warren Buffett (he of the statement, “put all your eggs in one basket and watch that basket very closely”) admits that diversification is the best strategy for 99% of investors out there today.  If you have two sources of income (or more), and you lose one, it doesn’t hurt as much as if you lost your only source.  I have a job for a company in an industry that’s facing some serious downward pressure from the market.  Things may not go well at some point, and I may be out of that position.  If I have alternate sources of income (like the teaching I do on the side, or this business that I’m creating), then the impact of losing one stream of income is lessened.  It doesn’t hurt my family as much and it provides me additional time to find a way to replace it.

Secondly, I wanted to do this because it’s something I’m interested in.  I did the exercises I mentioned in my last post and I determined that I have this area where my interests and skills intersect (and that meets a need in the marketplace).  This is not true at my day job.  I may be moderately capable at being a financial analyst, but I’m no longer remotely interested in it.  It causes me physical pain to wake up and make the trip into the office on some mornings.  So, for the sake of my sanity, I really had to find a creative outlet; something that challenged me and I found enjoyable.  If there were no market for my services, it’d be a hobby.  However, since I believe that people will pay me for it, it will become a business.

Thirdly, the diversification and having multiple streams of income will allow me to have control over my own schedule and practice some creative lifestyle design.  By not having one place I have to be, day in and day out for nine, 10, 11 hours a day (or more for some people), you can be flexible in your schedule and in your committments.  If you have one position that pays all the bills, you have to be devoted to that one position.  However, if you have two or three or more, you can do a little of this and a little of that.  To me, that’s appealing.  I can change what I’m doing when one thing becomes too tedious, focus on something else for awhile, and come back to the original challenge refreshed and renewed.

Those are all I can think of right off the top of my head (I don’t really plan these posts out much, and don’t revise them hardly at all).  However, those strike me as three fairly good reasons to start doing something new.

Obviously, this is going to vary from person to person.  Everyone has different motivations and goals when starting a business.  You may be coming to this decision from what I consider to be a position of strength; you’ve developed a new product (or improved an existing one) or you’ve got connections to provide something that the marketplace sorely needs.  That’s pretty much a no brainer, and you don’t even need to be reading this.  Move on to step two.

However, if you just know you want to get into business for yourself, but you don’t know what to do, I’ll define the way that I came up with the idea for my business.  Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle, dividing it into two columns.  Label the one on the left “Skills” and the column on the right “Interests”.  Now, start listing anything and everything that fits into those two categories for you personally.  Yes, you do have skills; don’t sell yourself short.  Once you’ve got a good list on both sides of the paper (at least 10-15, but more is better), start drawing lines between the first item in your “skills” list to all the “interests”.  Connect the two and see what you come up with.

For example, say you’re good at teaching.  That’s a skill you’ve developed to the point that you’re at least moderately proficient in it.  And, on the interest side, you’ve got the outdoors and reading and baseball and biking and cooking and any number of other things.  How does the skill of teaching mesh with any one of these interests?  Could you teach a class on bicycle maintenance?  How about starting a baseball skills camp?  Could you begin to tutor high school kids in a subject you enjoy?

Keep doing this through your whole list, until you matched ever single skill you have with all of your interests.  This should provide you with a good starting point for potential areas where your skills could intersect with something you’re passionate about (or, at least, that you enjoy).  All that’s left is to further develop these areas into something someone would pay you to do for them.  It’s really pretty easy.

So, the end result of my ruminations on this site (working through some exercises from What Color is Your Parachute? and then thinking hard about what came out of it) is that I’ve determined that I’m not really going to find a job that I truly enjoy.  There’s just too much baggage that comes with a job that doesn’t really work for me.  I don’t like taking orders, I hate having a set schedule, I don’t like “face time”, I’m not really interested in corporate ladder climbing for ladder-climbing’s sake, etc. etc.  For instance, if I had the job I have now, but didn’t have to go to a cubicle every day and punch the clock (even though I’m a salaried employee, I’m expected to be around from 8-5), it’d be bearable.  It wouldn’t be interesting by any stretch of the imagination, but I could live with it.

The thing is, I could totally do the job that I do right now from home.  I’d even be willing to pay for internet access, a cell phone and a computer out of my own pocket to be able to telecommute.  My boss and I talk face to face at least once a week, but it’s rarely ever more than twice a week, tops.  And, the things we cover could just as easily be handled via email or a phone call (or video Skype).  It’s simply the culture of the company that I work at that requires me to be in my cubicle for eight or nine hours a day.  I can see needing to come in to work one day a week and accomplishing all that I have on my plate that requires a physical presence.  Everything else is totally superfluous.

So, I’ve decided to start a business on the side in the hopes that it will quickly replace my current income and allow me some freedom to engage in creative lifestyle design (living life and earning a living on my own terms and in my own way).  If you’ve not heard the term “lifestyle design” before, google it.  You’ll find some pretty interesting things to read that will, if nothing else, provide some fodder for keeping you occupied on this slow week prior to Independence Day.

So, in much the same way that the Parachute series of articles wasn’t meant to be illuminating to anyone but me, the next few articles are mainly going to be a journal.  I’m planning on using this space to document the process that I go through to create this business entity, from initial conception to operations planning to the minutiae involved in getting a small business off the ground (accounting, setting up logistics, determining the right legal entity for the business, and so on).  If you don’t get a whole lot out of this, I’m sorry.  Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m not really doing this for you.  I only get about 1 hit a day or every other day on this website, so I’m sure I don’t have a big audience to disappoint.  Just for posterity’s sake, I wanted to clarify why I’m blabbing on.  It’s not that I’ve got knowledge to impart; it’s that I want to keep a record of what I do, so that I can look back and laugh at my mistakes.

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I’m a reader. Oh, my word, I love books. My mom has always told me that she and my dad made a concerted effort to read to me all the time. I’ve always heard that the more that you read to your kids when they’re young, the more they will enjoy it when they get old; it’s certainly held true in my case. I’ve learned so much from the books that I’ve read throughout my life, and I continue to learn from them. I talked a little bit about this here, but I’m so curious about so many topics and subjects that I continue to read and read and read.

As far as I’m concerned, this is one of the best traits anyone could have. I don’t think I’ve met many intelligent people who weren’t readers, and most of the people I know who are readers are very smart. One of the most often used euphemisms for intelligence is “well-read”, for crying out loud! If there is one thing I hope to impart to my son, other than my faith, it’s my love of reading and learning. Books have opened up so many new interests to me, and I’m really, honestly appreciative to Gutenberg for facilitating my lifetime learning.

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I’m a history buff.  I’m fascinated by what has happened in the past.  I’ve never been able to understand people who don’t find history as interesting as I do.  A lot of what draws me to philosophy holds true for history, I think.  I really like to see an orderly progression and development; cause and effect, in hindsight, makes a lot of events appear inevitable.  It’s the same for philosophy, I think.  One thinker building ideas off of another’s ideas, and on and on and on.  Recent history is interesting to me, but I’m mainly fascinated by ancient history.  The beginnings of civilizations, the rise and fall of groups of people.  The ability to look back at fateful decisions and trends and say “that was the moment they sealed their fate”.  I don’t know… People have this tendency to look at me funny when I try to explain this to them.

Anyway, had I been thinking when I was in college, I think I would have probably been better off majoring in history.  I’d be a professor by now, I’m sure of it.  No use rehashing why I picked philosophy, really.  It was interesting to me at the time, but I wasn’t nearly as good at it, if that makes sense.  I can’t see myself as a philosophy professor, but I can definitely see being a history teacher.  The interest level has remained high throughout my life thus far.

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For posterity’s sake, since very few people read this, I took a couple weeks off to finish up my MBA (one week for finals, which didn’t go as well as I would have hoped, and one for a capstone and graduation).  But, I’m back now and will hopefully post on a fairly regular basis.

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I’m a technophile.  I love technology and toys and things with blinky lights and flashy icons.  Supposedly most guys are like this, right?  I don’t know if that’s really the case or not, but I know I am.  If I had the money, I’d spend it on a new iPod and a rippin’-fast new laptop and a Kindle and anything else electronic that catches my eye.

But, it’s more than the toys.  I’m constantly trying new stuff.  I’m interested in web design and coding; have been since the first time I got on the Internet in 1995.  I’m always trying to learn more about how things work on the inside (programming languages, servers, the actual hardware, whatever).  I’m not scared of breaking something or trying out something I’m unfamiliar with to learn more about it.  I always make a backup, and then I just go to town and see what I can see, you know?  It’s fun trying out new programs like Open Office or using the latest toy that Google has put out.

This one is really kind of unimportant in the grand scheme of things, especially considering the stuff I’ve discussed in the past few posts.  However, I think that the fact that I’m curious and willing to try new things is important, especially if I’m looking to embark on something new as far as a career.

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I’m an introvert. Both in the sense that most people understand it, as well as the “correct” definition. Most folks think that introverts are people who are not comfortable in social situations, speaking in front of crowds, etc. That captures me to a certain extent, although I do feel like I’ve trained myself to fake it pretty well. Social situations (such as a party or anywhere else where I’m in a group of mostly unknown folks) aren’t my favorite. I can small talk people, (and do it fairly well, I think) but it always seems kind of forced to me. It’s on par with mowing the lawn or something; I do it, but it’s not something I want to be doing, so it seems to go pretty slowly and I’m always looking for my exit. As an aside, I’ve hit on my strategy before when I’m talking with new folks here.

However, I’ve read a couple of books on psychology and personality that define extroverts and introverts in a way that I really like. It’s not so much whether you feel comfortable in social situations, or have anxiety about them, or even enjoy them. An extrovert is someone who’s batteries are charged, so to speak, by being in a social situation, while an introvert is someone who feels refreshed after spending time alone (reading, or playing video games, or sitting in a dark room or whatever). The next time you’re in a social situation, notice how you feel after it’s over. Are you refreshed, and looking for the after-party? Or, do you need to go home and mellow out for awhile before you can relax? That reaction will tell you what you truly are. I’m definitely one of the people who is exhausted by being around other people. Not that I dislike being around people, it’s just physically draining to me. It’s not what I would choose to do if someone asked me what I want to do to relax.

I believe this temperament has contributed to my development as a curious and well-rounded person. If I hadn’t spent so much time reading instead of going to parties, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. That’s not to say that introverts are better off than extroverts, or to stereotype one group over another. It’s just that for me personally, I know that it’s contributed to my intellectual development. On the flip side, I’ve also had to work hard to become more of a people person. I’m certainly not one (a people person, that is), but I think I’ve gotten better than I was when, say, I was in high school.

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I’m a baseball fan. There’s just something about the game that scratches my particular itch. Even though it’s ostensibly a team sport, it’s also very individual (pitcher vs hitter, catcher vs potential base stealer, right fielder vs guy trying to go first to third on a short single to right, etc.). There’s a lot to do with the history, as well, I suppose. I am a history buff, so that appeals to me. The game’s been played professionally since the 1860’s, and even though there have been rules changes, it’s essentially the same as it always has been. It’s a sport, but it’s also a game, if you understand the distinction. There’s a level of strategy that I seem to find missing in other sports (football, basketball, hockey, etc.). I like the fact that there’s no clock, that it’s the only sport where the defense has the ball, and that any one game could theoretically go on forever. I like the fact that it’s a nearly daily presence in my life from late March through October; that’s something that other sports don’t have. Football’s on once a week (although it’s getting worse more frequent). Basketball season seems to last just as long as baseball season does, but there’re a lot fewer games, so it seems to draaaaaag. Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate why other people like other sports, and I enjoy soccer futbol myself. I just can’t really get into anything else like I have into baseball.

Even though I’m doing this experiment with What Color is Your Parachute? to find my dream job, I can tell you what it is… getting in with a front office of a baseball team and eventually becoming the General Manager or the Director of Baseball Operations. If I had that opportunity, I would jump on it in a heartbeat, no questions asked about salary (well, it’d need to be subsistence-level, but not much more) or anything. That’s the only position in the world that I can think of where that’s the case.

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I’m a husband and father. I always wanted to get married; I never wanted to have kids. Regarding my wife, I just knew the first time I saw her. I thought that love at first sight stuff was rubbish, and I still kind of do to a certain extent. Still, I can’t explain how it felt, other than to say it was different than any time I’d ever seen anyone else before in my life. I was just drawn to her, and not just because I thought she was attractive. It went beyond that, like I could identify something in her that was made for me. Those of you who have met the love of your life may be able to identify with what I’m talking about right now. Those of you who haven’t, feel free to remain skeptical. I won’t hold it against you.

My son, on the other hand, was not what I had planned. I never wanted kids, not really. Oh, I’d thought about it a time or two because that’s what you’re supposed to do, right? Have kids and a family. When my wife told me she was pregnant, my first reaction was shock, followed pretty closely by dismay. I wasn’t interested in being a father right then, maybe not at all. What was I going to do with a kid? They’re so expensive! I’d just gotten out of the Army; my wife was still in, for crying out loud! We hadn’t really planned on this at all. I was kinda upset to be totally frank. And, unlike most folks tell you (I don’t know if it’s true or not), that didn’t change the first time I saw an ultrasound photo, or even when I saw him for the first time when he came out.

All I can say is, somewhere along the line, I started to like being a dad. I really began to love my son, and now I’d do anything for him and his mom. They really are my family, my responsibility. My wife and I are accountable for developing a human life into someone that can make reasonable decisions with good information, take a guess when there’s less than adequate information, and basically become a responsible member of society. I’m really excited about that, and I can’t wait to see what kind of person he becomes.

So, I need to find a livelihood that allows me to be around for my wife and son. I don’t want to be gone all the time, be it at an office or traveling. I want to be around to see him grow up, not just watch him grow up in the pictures on my desk. That’s what’s motivating me lately to really find the flexibility in whatever position I eventually choose. I’ve got to be around to take an active part in raising my son.

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I am a person who loves to learn and am curious about everything. As a kid, I enjoyed school. I was good at it. Always wanted to learn new things and enjoyed being able to study the subjects that I wanted to. College was the best experience of my life, because I finally got to take all classes that I wanted to take. If I didn’t want to do something (like math), I didn’t. That’s how I ended up with a degree in Liberal Arts, I suppose, because I didn’t really focus too much on any one thing or area (although I did get an emphasis in Philosophy, rather than a major).

Even today, if you were to look at my bookshelves at home, or take a peek at my Amazon Wish List, you’d see that I’ll pretty much read anything and everything. I did an MBA not because I really had a desire to make it big in the business world, but because I thought it would be interesting. Parts of it were interesting, in fact. However, parts of it were not. Just because someone likes to read, to learn, and to find out more about subjects they aren’t currently experts in, does not mean that all subjects will be equally interesting to them. I think everyone has certain areas that they enjoy more than others. The areas I like tend more toward the theoretical, the abstract, and the “big picture”; philosophy, theology, studies of the very big or very small like theoretical physics (if someone dumbs it down enough for me to understand, like Michio Kaku or Brian Greene). Some folks get fired up about math or literature; that’s cool, too. It takes all kinds.

The reason why this excites me is there’s always something new. I not only enjoy finding new things and exploring new thoughts, but finding the connections between them. Thoughts build on thoughts and theories of one thing lead to advancing the study of something seemingly unrelated. To me, that’s really cool. To see things connected in this manner is to feel as though there is a purpose and a meaning behind the day-to-day grind. It seems to remind me that there is more to this life, if that makes sense. I hope to pass this love of learning on to my son someday.