The truth about why I left my high paying Corporate Job

When I drove to work that day, I thought it was going to be like any other in the past few months, an hour plus commute from Fairfield through the city to the office in Port Melbourne. Walk sheepishly past my bosses office hoping he doesn't notice that I am a few minutes late because I drop the kids off at school and sit at my cubicle.

Little did I know this day was not going to be normal at all and at the end, I would be starting my own business.

It started simply as the CEO asking me to come to his office. Which wasn't unusual as we had weekly status meetings.

"How was your weekend?", I started.

"Why the F*#K haven't you finished the website", was the pleasant way he replied and the conversation got worse from there.

"I'm waiting for you to approve the latest changes", I retorted.

"So it's my fault!" he shouted.

"Well yes", I stammered. He didn't like that.

He stood up, all 6'3" of him and started poking his finger at me and yelling that it was his business and so I was literally stealing his money by not getting the work done on time and that he can't trust me to make decisions.

A few months before he had pulled the entire marketing budget due to a steep sales decline and ensured that everything we were doing had to be approved by him personally. Being manic about every tiny detail it was virtually impossible to get anything progressed.

The tirade went on for a while and I found myself feeling quite calm and thinking, "what do I do?"

My choices were to suck it up, apologies for something that wasn't my fault or stand my ground. You can probably guess from the fact I am no longer working there, that I stood my ground. Bullies hate that.

The final straw was when he accused me of not really being sick a few weeks back and slacking off. My mistake was to answer some urgent emails while I was home with the flu, giving the impression I wasn't sick enough.

It was like time was standing still, while he was yelling at me, and I had time to consider my next options. I was gravitating towards taking my side hustle business Social Star, full time and not getting another job. So when he was done I just calmly picked up my laptop and phone and walked out, never to return.

The truth of the matter is that I really didn't want to work in corporate anymore anyhow.

My heart wasn't in it and perhaps it showed. I wanted to run my own business but I had the golden handcuffs on pretty tight. Big salary, fancy events, smart title. But limited fulfilment, very low integrity.

So perhaps I had a hand in creating that exit. I know I felt free walking to my car and driving away from a corporate office for the last time. Like a weight had been lifted and I could do whatever I wanted, with the clients I resonated with and work around my kids.

Fast forward to now, it's been eight years since that day and I haven't regretted it for one moment. Even when it was tough with cash flow, having multiple business issues, I still think back to why I didn't suck it up and put up with a bully boss.

My freedom and that of my kids is far more important than some rocky business paths.

If you feel like it's time to get out and do your own thing. Come have a chat with me and I will share my journey of building my brand and business all for the cost of a coffee (or beer or two).

I can't promise you it's easier, but I can tell you it's worth it.

Andrew

P.S. I am now taking applications for my beta course of Launch in 12 Weeks at a fraction of the cost to get some feedback before we launch. If you are interested just send me a message.

Andrew Ford

Marketing expert Andrew Ford, the founder of Social Star, has discovered the secret of ‘Powerful Branding’. With a fire for unleashing people’s inner brand and developing business models to generate profit from an individual’s passions, Andrew leverages ground-breaking digital and social media marketing techniques to create digital strategies for clients to attract maximum opportunities. Having established a strong name for himself in the field, Andrew blends traditional business techniques with now-necessary tools for entrepreneurs to achieve scale, quality, and influence in their niche. Andrew’s comprehensive business background and qualifications consist of a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) (RMIT 2003), a Graduate Certificate in Management (MBA Executive Program, University of Sydney 2005), and a Masters of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Swinburne University 2011). Continually on the cutting edge of his own education, Andrew has tested his marketing theories in forums such as the BCG Business Strategy Competition, which he won in 2005 against all Victorian MBA schools, and the Venture Cup Business Plan Competition (Swinburne University 2003), which he won in the Masters category. With experience working at Hewlett-Packard, Sensis (Telstra) and IBM, Andrew also has mentored dozens of junior staffs to help them achieve their professional goals. Meeting and influencing high-profile public figures helped Andrew to realise just how many professionals require more understanding and control of their public brands or appearance, and need help with the skills to use the many amazing free tools at their disposal to generate success. At Social Star, Andrew consults with clients to uncover their personal brand – both where it is today and where it can be tomorrow – and refine and define how that should be displayed in social media in order to attract their perfect target audience. Andrew mentors his clients to rapidly grow their business’ audiences, resulting in larger potential client bases and higher revenue. Applying formulas that integrate over twenty years of Andrew’s business experience and fifteen years of formal business education, Social Star specialises in building clarity and velocity for clients’ brands using the ‘Understand, Build and Leverage’ methodology. ‘Having a Personal Business enables people to have an authentic, congruent connection with their valued clients and partners, using their brand as the bridge,’ says Andrew. ‘I’m highly driven to work with the new breed of entrepreneurs and small business owners – people who have a passion for making the world a better place. Traditional business models are stepping aside as people follow their innermost dreams and my role is to see them operate within their values while creating wealth. Some people think you have to sacrifice what you love to be successful in your business, yet it is actually the opposite. Follow your passion and success will come.’ Lecturing at Swinburne University from 2009 to 2011 on brand dynamics and digital marketing, presenting at numerous conferences, and consulting to hundreds of clients, Andrew has seen his philosophy work that if you follow your unique path, based on your skills, experience, values and goals, you will automatically attract the opportunities you desire and achieve the success you deserve. Living his mantra, Andrew has created a successful business and attracts high-profile clients including musicians, athletes, authors, models, entrepreneurs, professionals and small business owners, helping them find their ‘why’ in their business and fulfilment in their lives. Business for Andrew is more than work, it’s personal. Running a personal business means that he is able to fulfil all of his values rather than separating his life from work. It supports his two boys while providing social opportunities, educational development, fitness opportunities, spiritual fulfilment and many valuable friendships. Social Star has now become the vehicle for Andrew to crystallise his mission in the world, to help people love what they do, supporting his ‘why’, that if more people loved what they did, the world would be a better place.

 
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