Seize that nagging desire to do what you love

These days, millions of Americans are starting their own businesses, at the highest rate in many years. Kind of odd timing, but really not. We all found that during the pandemic, while working from home, or maybe not working at all, that we had time to think about what we liked about our current jobs — or didn’t.

Maybe you’ve had enough of working at a “regular” job. Maybe that idea has been brewing under the surface for years. Maybe you’ve been thinking about getting a new and better job.

Maybe now is the right time to bring these ideas into the light of day, the kind of ideas feed right into your entrepreneurial urge to start a new business.

Good for you.

Consider that my business partner, Mel Katz, and I bought our first Manpower franchise on a lark. Our two families wanted to move to San Diego and we needed a way to earn a living. Even though we knew very little to nothing about owning and running a staffing firm, we really enjoyed the business from day one. We were determined to make it work, or go hungry. We were motivated to work our butts off making it successful. We keep reading about startups from people who are dabbling in a side business, other than their day-to-day job. And it seems they’re all hitting it out of the park and making lots of money.

How often do we hear “This all started in a garage, or back bedroom?” So why not you?

Hitting it out of the park is pretty rare

It’s not nearly as easy as it sounds. And hitting it out of the park is pretty rare, but that depends on your definition of a park. In fact, half of millennials, which now comprise the bulk of the workforce, have a second income, usually a gig-style job. If you’re feeling confident enough to try something you’ve always wanted to try, now is the time to go for it. That savory pasta sauce your family raves about can now only be found at Grandma’s house. Same with those fabulous cookies, or country jam that all your friends rave about. Only available in your kitchen.

Or, “There ought to be a software that…”

Or, “Your artwork is so good, you should sell it.”

I often talk about when we all lay down on our deathbed, I don’t want us to have any regrets of “I shoulda, coulda, why didn’t I have the nerve to…” Instead, I want to yell, “Take me now, I’ve done or tried everything down here and I am ready for a new challenge.” Start small.

What are your hobbies? What have you been making or doing for free that people would be willing to pay money for?

Make that jam or soap or spaghetti sauce and sell it at a booth at a farmer’s market. It might be so much fun that you really don’t care if you sell much of it. Even better, you might ask yourself, “How do I make enough to re-stock my booth next week?”

Your new weekend and evening project

Don’t think you have to give up your day job to explore or take on one of these new paths. For now, it can be your new weekend and evening project. Not good in the kitchen? Go to the app store. There are more sites like Etsy than you can imagine. Check out several that interest you. While you’re at it, why not apply for that part-time consultant gig or teach whatever you know well? If things don’t work out the way you want, you can always go back to a “real” job, whatever that means to you. And for the next year or so, jumping back into the job market shouldn’t be a problem.

After all, you may have saved more money than ever during COVID because of no travel, no dining out, and not much fun.

And with a simpler lifestyle, maybe you can live off one salary, at least for a while. To heck with Omicron.

It’s time to think out of your box and get rid of “I’ve always wanted to…”

Blair is co-founder of Manpower Staffing and author of “Job Won.” pblair@manpowersd.com