When Leaving Your Business to Work For Someone Else Makes Sense With Indigo Colton
Episode 285: Show Notes
Hello all of you beautiful people and wonderful biz queens! Today on the show we are super happy to be speaking to our friend Indigo Colton about the recent switch she made from running her own business to become a full time employee at someone else’s company. We don’t think this topic has been covered enough and it is really an important subject to understand if this question ever arises for you. We will be hearing from Indigo about her thought process, the deciding factors and some of the potential red flags. For Indigo, the change was the right move and we will try and unpack why it was the case so hopefully you can keep making the right choices for yourselves!
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Some of you may already know Indigo but this peak inside her mind is a great way to get to know another side of her. We have a really interesting conversation we know you are going to love! We have noticed people seem to be a little hesitant to share their own experiences and inner workings on this subject, so it is just great to have an open and honest conversation about these things. We will be covering the feeling of going from being your own boss to the position of an employee, benefits and things that can be learned from another business, networking possibilities and all of Indigo’s ideas and feelings in-between! So let’s get right down to it!
A Look at Indigo’s Business and What She Left Behind
Indigo has always worked with one-on-one clients in her business. Over the last few years she has built up a strong and small set of dedicated clients who she held very dear. Her business really served her needs as she was able to make her own schedule and her weeks usually consisted of about 20 hours of work, which we think sounds great! Indigo was even able to travel full time for 4 months at the beginning of 2018, and just work a little in the evenings to make sure things were ticking along. Although she still has freedom in her new position, she definitely seemed to have more in her old one.
The Request to Work Exclusively for a Particular Client
A long term client of Indigo’s and someone who’s business had been growing considerably asked her early in 2018 if she would consider working full time. At first this was something that Indigo felt she really did not want to do but then when she thought about it some more, certain things started to make sense. She had been designing online business packages in her biz and this was the bulk of what this client and now potential employer needed her to do. After some consideration they decided to give it a go for a 3 month trial and see how it fitted together. She would stay on as a contractor but would essentially be working full time for this client. As this period came to an end her now employer kept asking her when she would be committing full time, so the discussion was definitely driven by her. Indigo was not sure if she was able to even think about having a full time, 9-5 type job after the last few years but again after some talks and rethinking things she realized that going full time at this company might be a little different from what she expected. Her work week is actually about 30 to 36 hours and she able to stay flexible and the arrangement still feels light and breezy!
Shifting Expectation For Your Own Business
Having to consider what this meant for her own business, was one of the most challenging things for Indigo. She had been running her biz for the last 5 or so years and had set up multiple relationships with clients and was not sure she could go into another environment successfully. Taking this job would mean having to say no to the one-on-one work she had built up and it felt like there really would not be much time for other projects. Indigo admits now, after taking the position that she really does not miss the one-on-one work she was doing and is really enjoying just working with one person instead of a number of clients. Another great result of this process has been that she has not had to shut down her business as she thought might have had to and instead the pressure has been taken off of it and she can have more fun in that world. There is not such a need for things to always work perfectly and she can try things out at her own pace when she wants to. Right now she is slowly creating a membership program, go Indigo!
The Difference in Attitude and Energy Levels Since Switching
Indigo had built up a bad habit of working all the time on her business. We know how that can go! In her new position she has a much more strict work schedule, something that she implemented early on when she could see that she might over work herself to a burnout. Now she sticks to a routine and what is necessary on any given day and her only other commitment is to work on her own podcast a few hours every week. She has found it much easier to shut off and keep things separate in her work and private life. When Indigo was considering this switch, her parents’ first reaction was to suggest the opportunities this would offer her. They thought of the new skills she could learn and the connections and networking possibilities. Indigo admits these were not things she was really focusing on at the time, but now has already started to see these sort of benefits and is really trying her best to make the most of them. She can already see how her skills are sharpening and she is developing as a person. A strange thing that Indigo noticed is that after giving up a lot of control of her work life, going from being her own boss to having a boss, she actually feels the same about it. It is as if she is working on her own biz still! We are so glad for Indigo for finding what seems to be a great path forward and hope all of you can learn something for your own journeys!
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Highlights
A Look at Indigo’s Business and What She Left Behind. [0:04:15.8]
The Request to Work Exclusively for a Particular Client. [0:07:01.3]
Realizing that Her Work Day Would Actually Be Quite Similar [0:13:23.7]
Shifting Expectation For Your Own Business. [0:14:54.4]
The Difference in Attitude and Energy Levels Since Switching. [0:18:38.8]
The Benefits Available as an Employee. [0:25:59.2]
#TalkStrategyToMe [0:32:35.6]
Match up your requirements.
Who are you saying yes for?
ON TODAY’S SHOW
Indigo Colton
I work with business owners just like you, who are struggling in the day-to-day operations of their businesses. Helping you create simple strategies that make you feel empowered and like you can conquer the world means that you can (finally) move past those feelings of doubt, frustration, and stress that have become second nature. Because when you feel supported by your strategies, instead of lost and confused, your entire business feels different. Instead of feeling constantly behind, you’re ahead on your work. My mission to create empowering strategies all began when I started my virtual assistant business. I saw first-hand how many creative business owners were struggling with their systems, and felt like everything was slipping through the cracks.
KEY TOPICS
Moving On, Exclusivity, Shifting, Day Job, Employment
