Episode #91 – Marc Miller and his wife are expatriating to Mexico.

Description:

Marc shares with the audience more about his upcoming move to Mexico including a big announcement on how the move is progressing.

Key Takeaways:

[2:12] Marc welcomes you to Episode 91 of the Repurpose Your Career podcast. If you’re enjoying this podcast, Marc invites you to share this podcast with like-minded souls. Please subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Podbean, Overcast, TuneIn, Spotify, or Stitcher. Share it on social media, write an honest iTunes review, or tell your neighbors and colleagues so Marc can help more people.

[2:49] Next week, Marc will interview Dawn Graham, author of Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers — and Seize Success. Dr. Dawn Marie Graham, Ph.D. is one of the nation’s leading career coaches. She is the career director for the MBA program for executives at the Wharton School, where she counsels business leaders.

[3:11] A licensed psychologist and former corporate recruiter, Dr. Dawn Graham hosts the SiriusXM Radio’s popular weekly call-in show, Career Talk and is a regular contributor to Forbes.

[3:26] This week, Marc will be talking about the first six weeks of his family’s transition to being temporary expats in Mexico. This is a three-to-four month visit. This episode is a follow-on to Episode 86 where Marc discussed their drive from Austin to Ajijic, Mexico.

Now on to the podcast…

Download Link | iTunes | Stitcher Radio | Google Play | Podbean | TuneIn | Overcast 

[3:44] The Millers arrived in Ajijic on a Saturday late in June and Marc’s first challenge was getting all the technology to work.

[3:53] The WiFi in the Airbnb they rented wasn’t very good. It is through TelMex, the incumbent landline carrier. They provide ADSL service but the connection is shared between two houses and the cable router is in the other house, so coverage is poor. Marc bought a WiFi extender and an Ethernet cable at Steren (like Radio Shack).

[6:05] The second problem is that the cell phone service is not very good. They get 3G data. Marc was getting a low signal for a while, but it has gotten stronger.

[6:51] The next step was to find stores. They found a small “dollar store” and bought a slow cooker, a blender, a racket-sized electric insect swatter, and household items. The store opened the insect swatter package and slow cooker to make sure they worked when they bought them. They later bought a bug zapper from Steren.

[8:10] Next, Marc found a gym. He chose Zona Gym, a basic gym for 550 pesos for two months or about $12 a month. He also bought a cat tree from a man at a Bazaar who makes them custom for 1200 pesos ($60). It would have been more than $200 at home.

[9:28] Mrs. Miller set a Saturday appointment for an endocrinologist through the Quality Care Clinic about three weeks before the trip. At the appointment, the doctor spent two hours with her looking at her history, then set up an appointment for a hematologist, two days later on Monday. The endocrinologist appointment was 700 pesos or about $35.

[11:06] On Monday, Mrs. Miller met with the hematologist for an hour. The cost was also about $35. Mrs. Miller, a former nurse, was thrilled with the care from both doctors.

[11:28] After about three weeks, the Millers were fairly settled in. Marc was running his Career Pivot Community Mastermind calls. One night, during a seasonal storm, the Internet connection failed. So he ran the call off his iPhone 3G network without video. Marc was getting about 1Mb/s upload speeds, which is low for video.

[12:31] Marc talks about Chicklet, the street dog in the neighborhood. He was an abandoned dog. Marc started leaving food for him. He was getting fed by a lot of people. Finally, an expat family took him in, so he has a home. Ajijic has plenty of street dogs and some roof dogs! You may hear some of them in the podcast.

[14:52] There is a lot of construction in Ajijic. The housing market is hot, mostly due to the number of expats moving in, both renters and buyers. Marc says some buy within three days. This caused Marc to accelerate their search for a rental property.

[15:20] Marc’s original plan was to arrange a rental now for January when they would return to Mexico. The rental market is too hot for that. Big Announcement: Marc is about to sign a lease for a two-bedroom, two-bath casita a block from the main plaza in Ajijic.

[15:55] It will be $950 a month, which is $200 to $300 more than Marc was planning to spend. It is new construction and part of a gentrification development in the middle of town. Marc renewed their membership at Lake Chapala Society. A volunteer there, Marguerita, is a real estate agent. She gave Marc some leads on apartments.

[16:35] Marc also talked to their neighbor Lori, a real estate agent. Marc learned that you have to move quickly to get a rental. They also looked on some Facebook groups. They first looked at a unit in La Floresta, a neighborhood built in the 50s and 60s. There are a lot of four to five bedroom homes built for Guadalajarans for vacation homes.

[17:48] Then, they looked at a property in Riberas but there was no internet installed. Marc didn’t want to take the chance that they couldn’t get a good installation there. After looking at a couple more places, they found the casita that they chose to rent. Marc lists the deposits they need to put on the rental. Marc found cats are a problem in renting.

[20:05] The casita has secure off-street parking and a private courtyard. There are about $4,000 in deposits due up front. Marc doesn’t have a bank account in Ajijic so he is pulling 7,000 pesos at a time from ATMs. That’s $390. It’s an all cash society.

[20:53] The next steps are to finalize the lease. They plan to move in on September 3. Marc needs to get a lawyer to review the lease and talk about immigration status. After that step, Marc needs legal advice on taxes and running his business from Mexico.

[21:29] Marc has located a health insurance broker. Marc completely expects his ACA plan to blow up next year. Marc and his wife are currently paying $1,358 a month for a $10,000 deductible policy. Next is an appointment to get their teeth cleaned.

[22:06] Marc needs to locate a property manager in Austin for their home there. As Marc accelerates his plans to rent, he has time set apart to buy some things for the rental, including a much larger cat tree.

[22:51] The last thing is to find a new gym because they will be two or three miles from Zona, which is walking distance from his Airbnb. Marc has not put 20 miles on his car since they arrived in Ajijic.

[23:14] They take the bus everywhere. They took the bus one weekend to Jocotepec on the western end of Lake Chapala. They took the bus another weekend to San Juan Cosalá also on the lake. Next weekend, they will take the car into Guadalajara.

[23:37] Mrs. Miller needed her Birkenstock boots repaired. Marc tells how they found Umberto, a shoe repairman, through the Gringos Ajijic & Lakeside Facebook group. It was 300 pesos ($15) to put new soles and heels on them, made out of tire tread, in a week. Umberto is also the lead singer at the Chili Fest. Everyone loves him.

[25:40] Facebook is the place to go to find different people’s experiences.

[26:11] Marc will be in the unit one month, pay the electric bill, then drive back to Austin for a period to get the condo ready to rent.

[26:37] Marc has figured out that what they are going to save on health insurance will fully pay for their housing expenses in Mexico. At the same time, Marc expects that renting out their Austin condo will also almost cover their housing expense.

[27:01] The housing in Ajijic is 30% to 40% higher than Marc thought it would be. The market is exploding.

[27:11] All the rental units they looked at are fully furnished.

[27:29] Marc had thought they would start renting in early January, but it was just not possible. No matter how well they had planned, they have had to adjust plans as they learned more.

[27:49] They also met the man who makes the cat trees. Ignacio (Nacio for short) is a 75-year-old retired Mexican general manager. He is going to build a six-foot-tall that will be weather resistant for outside use.

[28:07] In a couple of weeks, Marc will start the next career pivot evaluation series with “Can Sarah Repurpose Her Career?” Sarah (not her real name) is employed, a closet creative, and a structured anarchist. He personality is quite interesting. Marc has seen all aspects of her personality in other clients, but not in the same person.

[29:42] Check back next week, when Marc will be interviewing Dawn Graham, author of Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers — and Seize Success.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Careerpivot.com

Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers — and Seize Success,
by Dawn Graham

TelMex

Steren

Radio Shack

Walmart Mexico

Airbnb

Zona Fitness Club in Mexico

Quality Care Clinic Chapala

iPhone

3G Wireless

Zoom.us

Lake Chapala Society

La Floresta

Riberas del Pilar

Jocotepec

San Juan Cosalá

Guadalajara

Gringos Ajijic & Lakeside

Birkenstock

Please pick up a copy of Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for the 2nd Half of Life, by Marc Miller and Susan Lahey. The paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats are available. When you have completed reading the book, Marc would very much appreciate your leaving an honest review on Amazon.com. The audio version of the book is available on the iTunes app, Audible, and Amazon.

Marc has the paid membership community running on the CareerPivot.com website. The website is in production. Marc is contacting people on the waitlist. Get more information and sign up for the waitlist at CareerPivot.com/Community. Marc has five initial cohorts of 10 members in the second half of life. Those in the initial cohorts are guiding him in this endeavor. Shortly, Marc will start recruiting members for the sixth cohort who are motivated to take action and give Marc input on what he should produce next. Ask to be put on the waiting list to join a cohort. This is a unique paid membership community where Marc will offer group coaching, special content, mastermind groups, branding sessions and, more importantly, a community where you can seek help.

CareerPivot.com/Episode-91 Show Notes for this episode.

Please subscribe at CareerPivot.com to get updates on all the other happenings at Career Pivot. Marc publishes a blog with Show Notes every Tuesday morning. If you subscribe to the Career Pivots blog, every Sunday you will receive the Career Pivot Insights email, which includes a link to this podcast. Please take a moment — go to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Podbean, TuneIn, Overcast through the Overcast app, or Spotify through the Spotify app. Give this podcast an honest review and subscribe! If you’re not sure how to leave a review, please go to CareerPivot.com/review, and read the detailed instructions there.

Email Marc at Podcast@CareerPivot.com.

Contact Marc, and ask questions at Careerpivot.com/contact-me

You can find Show Notes at Careerpivot.com/repurpose-career-podcast.

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Episode #90 – Marc works with “Juan,” (not his real name) to pivot his career, in the last of a series of four episodes featuring “Juan.”

Description

In Part 4 of this series, Marc covers the third feedback session with Juan for his personality assessment.

Key Takeaways

[:59] Marc welcomes you to Episode 90 of the Repurpose Your Career podcast. Marc started this podcast the last week of October 2016. He never expected to reach Episode 90, nor to get the positive reception he’s received from many of the episodes. Marc wants to do something special for Episode 100!

[1:34] If you’re enjoying this podcast, Marc invites you to share this podcast with like-minded souls. Please subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Podbean, Overcast, TuneIn, Spotify, or Stitcher. Share it on social media, write an honest iTunes review, or tell your neighbors and colleagues so Marc can help more people.

[1:58] Marc reads a couple of iTunes reviews. Adine1965 started a new job search and found Career Pivot. “I don’t miss a single episode. With Marc’s help and insight, I’m starting to reframe the next steps in my career and tell my story in a new and better way.”

Now on to the podcast…

Download Link | iTunes | Stitcher Radio | Google Play | Podbean | TuneIn | Overcast 

[2:29] Mark Anthony Dyson says, “Engaging and informative. Big fan of this podcast as Marc takes us through many phases of the over-40 journey. Listen to his shows on moving to another country! … Marc will say he’s a recovering engineer only to let you know he is analytically inclined with a propensity to give you the truth with no chaser!”

[3:04] Mark Anthony Dyson will be back to help Marc with another Q&A session in the next month or so.

[3:11] Marc has added links to the Career Pivot podcast for Podbean, Overcast and TuneIn so there are all kinds of places you can get this podcast.

[3:21] Next week, Marc will be talking about his family’s next steps in moving to Mexico. Marc is recording this episode about six weeks into his current visit and he has a major announcement for listeners. He wants you to hear why the family is accelerating the process and the choices they are making.

[3:42] This week, Marc presents part four of “Can Juan Repurpose His Career?” Juan is in his mid-fifties, a former school teacher, technology trainer, adjunct professor, and a multipotentialite. Juan is trying to figure out what is next.

[3:59] If you have not listened to the first three parts of this series, please stop now and listen to Episode 83, Episode 84, and Episode 88. Find the reports used in this series at CareerPivot.com/Juan. You may pause the episode now to download the reports.

[4:31] Juan was calling in from a hotel in Central America, so the audio is less than optimal.

[4:43] Marc welcomes Juan to the third feedback session. Juan has been doing some homework. His assignment was to review three problems he solved at work and three problems he solved in his personal life to study his thought process. He comments on the insights he received from the reports. Juan deliberates over decisions and takes time when he can.

[7:00] Juan says that under stress he will make a quick decision. He uses the example of his divorce as a quicker decision. On the job front, he makes sure he has a gig lined up before he leaves a job.

[8:25] Marc and Juan look at the stress report. There are three sections in it. The sections are interpersonal relationships, schedules and details, and decision-making. The first page covers what you can do when you are under stress to get out of stress.

[9:11] The interpersonal section shows Juan’s needs in self-consciousness and dealing with people. Juan likes to be respected and is an introvert. Juan reads a list of 10 needs that likely relate to him personally.

[10:10] Juan needs respected titles and status, personalized benefits, criticism balanced by praise, genuine pats on the back, close individual ties, freedom from group pressures, special time to be alone, time to be quiet and think, individualized benefits, and a few close one-on-one friends. Juan picks the top four of this list. They all fit.

[11:15] Each section contains 10 needs. Juan will consider them all and synthesize them down to his 10 most important needs. Then Juan will write a probing open-ended question for each need. Juan needs to know how to figure out if he will get them. He needs to know what to listen for.

[11:55] At the bottom of the page are things Juan can do to avoid stress in these areas. Spend time with a special person, keep a list of your recent successes, do things you feel good about, have for casual exchanges with superiors, set aside quiet time, protect yourself from interruptions. Allocate one weekend a month for your significant other.

[13:07] Prepare for holidays or hectic social periods by spending more time alone. Juan really relates to this one. Juan is already doing some of these. Marc relates to spending time alone as well, especially during the holidays. Marc doesn’t go to holiday parties.

[14:45] On page 5 is the topic of managing needs for insistence and restlessness. Insistence is your need to have rules and structure. Juan is relatively high in insistence. Restlessness is your need for variety. Juan is average in restlessness. Juan needs the following items.

[15:14] Organizational support, detailed instructions, steady, predictable income, clearly defined responsibilities, specific rules and policies, novelty and change in your day, frequent shifts in your activities, an independent work role, varied or complex work activities, and changes in the group or the scenery.

[15:45] Novelty, an independent role, clearly defined responsibilities, changes in group or scenery stand out the most for Juan. The steady predictable income is what kept him on as a teacher, but he didn’t feel professionally respected.

[16:42] Juan’s need for variety and for rules and structure contrast each other.

[16:52] Juan reads tips to build resistance and avoid stress in these areas. Identify an important recurring task you do well and schedule time for that task at the beginning of a work period or cycle, schedule important tasks in a way that allows for interruptions but protects the important tasks. Establish your schedule in writing.

[17:24] Set aside time every day to organize your thoughts and plan your day or to review the day’s progress and plan the next day. Build up a stockpile of small worthwhile projects to work on when you need a break from a boring task.

[17:41] Develop schedules and time management habits that allow you to routinely work on or monitor several tasks every day. Keep variety and a sense of newness in your hobbies and social life. Avoid taking on home projects that will require you to do essentially the same tasks every day and night for months on end.

[18:07] Marc stresses that Juan should pay attention to keeping variety and a sense of newness in his hobbies and social life. You can find enjoyment and a needed break in hobbies. Juan is spending time keeping on top of technology changes to keep current. His stockpile of small worthwhile projects is technology projects.

[19:23] Juan keeps a variety and sense of newness by traveling, meeting new people and attending conferences. Juan agrees that he needs new challenging projects at home. Juan enjoys diving into ambiguity in his freelance and consulting work and seeing what’s new.

[20:30] The next area is managing needs for physical energy and thought. A minimum of prolonged activity, stimulation of new ideas, friendly, low-key surroundings, time for reflection, unhurried work conditions, time to think decisions through, support from others on decisions, opportunities to talk out worries, and offers of assistance and help.

[21:08] The last is cautious decision-making by others. Juan relates to the stimulation of new ideas, friendly, low-key surroundings, unhurried work conditions, support from others in decisions. Juan notes he is relocating out of state to a new low-key surrounding with minimal pressure. He does not want to work in a factory.

[22:03] Juan wants support from others on decisions. He likes Marc’s writings, the community forum, Career Pivot. He appreciates the offers of assistance from others on the community forum. Juan looks to others who have made cautious decisions who have been inspirational in Juan’s pivoting.

[22:38] To build resistance and avoid stress, Juan should plan schedules and projects taking time to stop and think about where he has been and where he is going, give more time to abstract or philosophical thought activities, and avoid taking on too many projects or social obligations when work is hectic.

[23:03] Juan should develop a relaxing, low-key hobby or recreation and make use of the curative powers of this activity often. Build life goals and important plans carefully with thorough discussion from those close to him and advice from knowledgeable advisors.

[23:24] Juan should develop close relations with patient and effective advisors who will reflect on his ideas with him and help him think carefully about important issues. Juan should keep abreast of major developments in his work area so he is ready to deal with issues they arise and have a good idea of where to go for assistance and information.

[23:47] Juan should remind those close to him that he needs careful preparation before making a decision and elicit their support in developing several options to consider.

[24:00] Juan is giving more time to philosophical thought and activities, such as exercise, yoga, meditation, healthy eating, avoiding things that would threaten his health. Juan is avoiding taking on too many projects as he has overwhelmed himself in the past. Juan is building life goals, working with Marc and others.

[24:58] As technology in business is changing, Juan is staying abreast of issues like AI and how his field is affected. Juan says the report gives him a map to follow.

[25:53] Marc assigns homework to Juan. Synthesize the 30 needs down to 10. Read a blog post Marc will send him about how to write open-ended questions; develop an open-ended question for each of the 10 needs and then know what he is listening for.

[26:18] Marc assigns Juan to approach three people from his personal life and three people from his work life and ask them to give him three to five phrases that describe him. Marc expects there will be a difference between the people who know him from work and the people who know him more socially. Juan needs to look for the difference.

[27:07] Juan shares with the audience that he is relocating abroad. He is inspired by Marc and Mrs. Miller and their experiences as well as the experiences of other friends who have moved to new areas. Juan is looking for a low-key, low-stress area to refresh and recharge. With no dependents and no home, it is easy for him to move.

[28:28] Juan notes the impending healthcare disaster in the U.S. Juan sees a new future in San Jose, Costa Rica. He has met people from all over who expatriate there. He feels like he is in a new Paradise.

[29:48] Marc thanks Juan for participating in this series and says people have told him how it has resonated with them. Juan thanks Marc for changing his life.

[31:02] Marc says Juan is in the process of making some major decisions and working through the Career Pivot evaluation has been a real help to him. Juan was in the initial cohort of the Career Pivot Community website.

[32:17] In a couple of weeks, Marc will be starting the next series, with “Can Sarah Repurpose Her Career?” Sarah (not her real name) is employed, a closet creative, and a structured anarchist. Sarah’s personality is quite interesting.

[33:08] Check back next week, when Marc will be talking about their next steps in moving to Mexico. There will be a major announcement you will want to hear. Marc wants you to hear the reasons they are accelerating the process and the choices they are making.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Careerpivot.com

CareerPivot.com/Episode-83 “Can Juan Repurpose His Career? Part 1”

CareerPivot.com/Episode-84 “Can Juan Repurpose His Career? Part 2”

CareerPivot.com/Episode-88 “Can Juan Repurpose His Career? Part 3”

Reports used in the Feedback Session with Juan Doe

Start with No: The Negotiating Tools that the Pros Don’t Want You to Know,
by Jim Camp

Please pick up a copy of Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for the 2nd Half of Life, by Marc Miller and Susan Lahey. The paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats are available. When you have completed reading the book, Marc would very much appreciate your leaving an honest review on Amazon.com. The audio version of the book is available on the iTunes app, Audible, and Amazon.

Marc has the paid membership community running on the CareerPivot.com website. The website is in production in Beta Mode. Marc is contacting people on the waitlist. Get more information and sign up for the waitlist at CareerPivot.com/Community. Marc has five initial cohorts of 10 members in the second half of life. They are guiding him on what to build. Shortly, Marc will start recruiting members for the sixth cohort who are motivated to take action and give Marc input on what he should produce next. Ask to be put on the waiting list to join a cohort. This is a unique paid membership community where Marc will offer group coaching, special content, mastermind groups, branding sessions and a community where you can seek help.

CareerPivot.com/Episode-90 Show Notes for this episode.

Please subscribe at CareerPivot.com to get updates on all the other happenings at Career Pivot. Marc publishes a blog with Show Notes every Tuesday morning. If you subscribe to the Career Pivots blog, every Sunday you will receive the Career Pivot Insights email, which includes a link to this podcast. Please take a moment — go to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Podbean, TuneIn, Overcast through the Overcast app, or Spotify through the Spotify app. Give this podcast an honest review and subscribe! If you’re not sure how to leave a review, please go to CareerPivot.com/review, and read the detailed instructions there.

Email Marc at Podcast@CareerPivot.com.

Contact Marc, and ask questions at Careerpivot.com/contact-me

You can find Show Notes at Careerpivot.com/repurpose-career-podcast.

To subscribe from an iPhone: CareerPivot.com/iTunes

To subscribe from an Android: CareerPivot.com/Android

Careerpivot.com

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Episode #89 – Marc interviews Jeanne Yocum, author of The Self-Employment Survival Guide: Proven Strategies to Succeed as Your Own Boss. Listen in for great guidance for venturing into self-employment.

 

Description:

For 30 years, Jeanne Yocum has been self-employed as a public relations consultant and ghostwriter. This Spring, Rowman and Littlefield published Jeanne’s first solo book, The Self-Employment Survival Guide: Proven Strategies to Succeed as Your Own Boss. Jeanne previously authored two books: The New Product Launch: 10 Proven Strategies and Ban the Humorous Bazooka: [and Avoid the Roadblocks and Speed Bumps Along the Innovation Highway]. She has also ghostwritten books on open innovation, strategic partnerships, and leading fast-growth companies. A Pennsylvania native, Jeanne holds a BA in Journalism from Pennsylvania State University and a Masters in Journalism from Boston University. After spending most of her career in Greater Boston and in Western Massachusetts, she now lives in Durham, North Carolina. She credits her parents for fostering skills that have enabled her to succeed as her own boss. Her mother was a high school teacher who led her to love writing. Her father was self-employed and served as her example on how to succeed out there on your own.

Key Takeaways:

[1:23] Marc welcomes you to Episode 89 of the Repurpose Your Career podcast and invites you to share this podcast with like-minded souls. Please subscribe, share it on social media, write an honest iTunes review, or tell your neighbors and colleagues so Marc can help more people.

[1:52] Next week’s episode is planned to be the fourth episode of the four-part series “Can Juan Repurpose His Career?” You’ll want to come back and hear the closing episode of Juan’s saga!

[2:04] This week, Marc has an interesting interview with Jeanne Yocum. Marc shares her biography.

Now on to the podcast…

Download Link | iTunes | Stitcher Radio | Google Play | Podbean | TuneIn | Overcast 

[3:25] Marc welcomes Jeanne Yocum to the podcast. Marc says he relates to The Self-Employment Survival Guide: Proven Strategies to Succeed as Your Own Boss. For three years, setting up CareerPivot, Marc was going through much of the mindset described in the book. He sometimes thinks he works for the worst boss ever.

[3:49] As her own boss, Jeanne indulged her own requests for days off, usually.

[4:15] Jeanne had been self-employed for 25 years when she started writing this book. In addition to her own experience, a significant number of her public relations and event planning clients were self-employed. She also worked with self-employed graphic designers.

[4:52] Jeanne didn’t find any books that addressed the nitty-gritty of running your business and the perplexing people problems you run into on a day-to-day basis. So she decided to write that book as a resource for others.

[6:01] When Marc first got started he hired a business coach who walked him through understanding the types of clients he wanted and those he didn’t and learning how to determine the difference quickly. Marc has come up with a business model where he asks for a lot of his money up front.

[6:33] Jeanne discusses the question of whether someone can succeed in self-employment. Everyone likes to think they could. Then they start asking about staying motivated. (Well, the mortgage comes due every month! How’s that?)

[7:16] There’s a mindset that you do need, including some specific characteristics. Some of them can be learned. You can be great with your product or service, but are you great with the people issues?

[8:04] When Marc got started, he was used to being an employee, not self-employed. It took him a long time to get the self-employment mindset.

[8:24] Persistence, decisiveness, risk tolerance, self-motivation, confidence, and optimism are the six characteristics Jeanne recommends you need before deciding to become self-employed.

[8:52] Most of us working for anybody else rely on someone above us to make final decisions. That is not the case for the self-employed.

[9:22] Marc’s problem as a self-employed person was in being his own biggest critic.

[9:37] Some people starting out lack persistence. It’s easy to get discouraged from people who are not interested or keep you dangling. Get used to rejection and get used to going after people who owe you money. Not everybody says yes and not everybody pays on time. Take assertiveness training.

[11:07] You have to be decisive. Put a strategy in place and give it a good, honest chance to succeed. You have to work toward something. Jeanne shares a client story. If you get queasy about being the decider, you need to give this serious thought. Self-employment may not be right for you.

[12:43] Marc runs into some people who can’t make decisions and others who make slap-dash decisions without thinking enough about them. Do the research but set a time-limit to how long you research before the decision.

[13:48] Marc asks how long to hold onto an idea before letting it die as unworkable. Don’t worry how much time you have invested in it. Investing more time won’t make it work. Marc notes his own flopped ideas before he started this podcast.

[14:27] Don’t keep digging a hole that you’re in over your head. If you never make the decision, then you really have made a decision not to do something. You’re going to face risks day-to-day, through no fault of your own. If you just can’t tolerate risk, self-employment will make you unhappy.

[15:39] Jeanne started her business at the beginning of a recession and has survived two more. She was worried. She lost a major client. But somebody else came along.

[16:16] You’ll need self-motivation. When you’re self-employed, you have to have it within yourself to do what needs to be done.

[16:45] Don’t fall for distractions. When business is down, it’s no time to paint a bedroom. Get back to your desk and do something to produce income.

[17:10] You have to build up your self-motivation. You have to want the business to succeed. Many businesses fail before the five-year mark, largely because the owner lacked self-motivation.

[17:35] Marc discusses the Birkman Assessment. One of the measurements is ‘change/insistence.’ Marc is very low ‘change.’ He has to separate himself from ‘devices’ because he is too easily distracted. He has taken Facebook off his phone. He moved his podcast setup into a closet to isolate himself.

[18:57] Jeanne addresses myths: ‘Life will be better without a boss.” Think of all the decisions the boss makes. You have to understand the accounting, especially about taxes.

[19:53] When you’re self-employed, you have multiple bosses — all your clients. Each of them wants to feel they are the most important person on your schedule that day and that you will jump when they call. Jeanne talks about clients trying to micromanage her.

[21:27] Don’t make the decision to be self-employed because you are unhappy with your current boss. You have to see if you have the self-employment mindset, a solid plan, a market who will buy from you, and the expectation of making a living off the price you can charge in that market. If you want to escape your boss, find a better boss.

[22:57] If you are running to something, not away from something, self-employment may be right for you.

[23:10] Will your work/life balance be so much better when you are self-employed? Eventually, that may be true. In the startup phase (the first couple of years), your work/life balance may be worse than when you work for someone else.

[23:33] Marc has not had a work/life balance for five years! If you want to run a lifestyle business, you may not build up much business. It takes time to create a business.

[25:13] You will go to early-morning networking breakfasts, after-hours meetings at the end of the day, and do all sorts of work running the business that you don’t get paid to do. You have to run your business. You will need accounting training, etc. You don’t get to do just what you love (providing your service or product).

[27:38] Marc makes two points: it’s very important to work on the business, not in it, and figure out what you are not good at or do not like to do and find other people to do that. Don’t think you can’t afford to hire. You can’t afford not to.

[28:17] Marc can do any of the tasks in his business. So he needs to learn how to outsource to people who will do it faster than he can, and for less money.

[29:02] Look at what your own time is worth writing business proposals rather than writing code for your website. Cash flow, cash flow, cash flow is the mantra of the self-employed.

[30:02] Marc asks how to deal with income and workflow fluctuations.

[30:08] Jeanne says, keep at it. If you have “just a little” work to do, don’t put it off to do your grocery shopping or mow the lawn. Do the paid work first, then spend the rest of the day bringing in new business. You can’t let up. Do chores outside of business hours. When things are down, don’t let that distract you. Keep it up.

[31:21] Another aspect of the self-employment mindset is optimism. When business slows down, you can get discouraged or you can open another door. If you just keep at it, your plate will get full again.

[32:04] When you have too much work, outsource new work to a known and trusted vendor. Or ask the client if they can wait until next month when you can devote time to them.

[33:27] Kay McManus of K-Kan says when you get started, the only qualification for a new client is a pulse. It’s hard to run away from a client with money but sometimes you have to trust your instinct. You don’t want to work with clients that take energy away from you. It takes a while to trust your instincts, Jeanne says. Meet them for lunch.

[34:48] If you have dollar signs in your eyes, you never learn to listen to your instincts. But you can’t afford not to do your best work for everybody. Word will spread. It helps if you have clients that are really great. If something is putting you off, just walk away.

[36:00] Jeanne’s last words — “Buy my book!” Jeanne also invites you to her blog, Succeeding in Small Business. Find yourself some friends who are self-employed, not necessarily a mentor (but get mentors, too), with whom you can commiserate. Having someone in the same situation to talk to will be a big help.

[37:55] Marc ties this into his online community where he asks people to get an accountability buddy.

[38:20] Jeanne says you can buy the book on Amazon and it is also available in a Kindle version. Barnes & Noble carries the book in many locations. Or check your independent bookstore. Also available in Audible format. Jeanne shares her contact information (see below).

[40:52] Check back next week, when Marc will air the fourth and final part of “Can Juan Repurpose His Career?”

Mentioned in This Episode:

Careerpivot.com

Careerpivot.com/Juan

The Self-Employment Survival Guide: Proven Strategies to Succeed as Your Own Boss, by Jeanne Yocum

Birkman Assessment

Kay McManus / Kay-Kan.com

Succeeding in Small Business — Jeanne Yocum blog

The Self-Employment Survival Guide on Facebook

Please pick up a copy of Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for the 2nd Half of Life, by Marc Miller and Susan Lahey. The paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats are available now. When you have completed reading the book, Marc would very much appreciate your leaving an honest review on Amazon.com. The audio version of the book is available on the iTunes app, Audible, and Amazon.

Marc has the paid membership community running on the CareerPivot.com website. The website is in production. Marc is contacting people on the waitlist. Get more information and sign up for the waitlist at CareerPivot.com/Community. Marc has five initial cohorts of 10 members in the second half of life. They are guiding him on what to build. In a few weeks, Marc will start recruiting members for the sixth cohort who are motivated to take action and give Marc input on what he should produce next. Ask to be put on the waiting list to join a cohort. This is a unique paid membership community where Marc will offer group coaching, special content, mastermind groups, branding sessions and a community where you can seek help.

CareerPivot.com/Episode-89 Show Notes for this episode.

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