Self-employed? Me?

When the going gets tough, I'd like to think it's an opportunity to do something you've never dared to, because the stakes are lower. I'm from a very risk adverse background. But when I was told the company I worked for was loosing money due to the current recession, I thought I'd better start thinking about a more independent career path.

In March, the news broke at an office meeting. Since then, 20% of staff have been made redundant. I'm lucky to have survived.

Not so long ago, I used to be a hardworking worker ant. I'd do everything to my best ability when told/asked and most employers viewed me as nothing but a CAD monkey .

Then I read the book,

'Good Girls Don't Get the Corner Office' and started to speak up for myself. It was both good and bad. Good in that I didn't beat myself up anymore for keeping quiet when I REALLY should have said something. Bad that I realised my company could not offer the career growth I wanted and started to see me as somewhat of a challenge to manage.

Anyway, I'm determined that if the economy and the industry I'm in (architecture) is to fall like a malnourished tree in a forest, I will not go down gripping desperately to its dried branches!

I've toyed with the idea of being my own boss recently, and this feels like the right time. My comfortable-enough life was not the best environment to spring me into action. My biggest resistance is not the prospect of failure, but the fear of the unknown. I've wanted to be an architect since young and for the past 20-something years, it's been a single, safe course I've been taking.

I told my landlord that I was about to loose my job (with the intention of softening him up for when I eventually ask for a rent-reduction!) and being the nicest landlord I've ever had, he said that I should not worry and that I was a smart girl an I'd find something soon. He added that if there were no jobs out there, I could set up on my own (like he did when he first came to London 30 odd years ago with nothing and started his barber shop). He thought that anyone who spoke good English and is hardworking could never really fail.

My job prospects are suffering due to the economy but I've got some savings for seed capital. The worst that could happen would be that I fail at this, and go back to being employed. At least I can say I've tried and then really appreciate the security of full-time employment! I start telling myself it's the journey that counts. "Forget travelling to widen my horizons, the journey is right here!"

My first instinct is to be self-employed by working as a free-lance architect. This means doing the same job, but working for different clients on a contract-by-contract basis. An alternative would be to retrain and use the new skill to work in a self-employed capacity. Or, I could set up my own business!

This is all new for me... I'm overwhelmed.