Like
many of us, Darryl Howard spent 30 years working in corporate America
until one day he realized that his career was stagnant and his work
was not fulfilling his needs. I met Darryl at a networking
event in the Raleigh area in early 2009 and a month or so later I
received a two sentence email that read, "OK Bill, my
career is in the dumps and I know I need a change. Are you willing to
work with a middle aged, tired sales guy that thinks he wants to do
something different?" Within a month, Darryl and I
started working together to clearly illuminate what was missing for
Darryl, what was holding him back from pursuing his dreams, and to
develop an action plan toward finding his purpose and passion in
life. Darryl worked hard and dug deep within himself and is now
the proud owner of Space Logix,
a collaborative, co-working facility located in Greensboro NC with a
mission "to deliver a welcoming, dynamic and environmentally
friendly workspace - at the lowest possible cost - that energizes the
business professional and provides the necessary amenities to promote
creativity and productivity."
I recently sat
down with Darryl to have him share his journey and the lessons he has
learned about himself and about going from a long career in Corporate
America to being a business owner, an entrepreneur.
How
long were you in corporate America working for someone else?
How many companies did you work for throughout your career?
I spent over 30
years in corporate America. My entire career was spent in the
technology sector concentrating in internet equipment sales and
services. I worked for 9 different companies during my career.
What
did you like most about being part of a company, a larger
organization?
Extensive
training and advancement opportunities due to the high growth rate of
the industry. Additionally, the income level that supported my
family, including the cost of higher education
for my children and all those weddings, certainly was a great
thing about being part of a larger organization.
When
did it stop being enjoyable or gratifying? Why?
Probably around
my early 50's. The work started to become routine and I felt like I
had done it all before and could not see anything meaningful for
myself down the road. During a two year period, I quit four jobs
because I felt they were not a fit for me. Basically, I was the one
that was unhappy in my career.
How
many years did it take you to make the leap of faith to venture out
on your own? What were your beliefs, people, situations, etc.
that were holding you back? Describe your life during that
period of time.
It was about a
three year period before I went out on my own. It was the most
difficult time of my life. I was unhappy with what I was doing, I did
not understand why everything didn't seem to be working and I was not
facing up to the fact that my life was in turmoil. Once I let go and
realized the truth of my situation, I was able to put my foot forward
and make a new start.
What
were the primary motivations, beliefs, people, situations, etc. that
enabled or supported you to take the "plunge" into working
for yourself?
My primary
motivation was I needed to be in a creative environment and be
creating something daily. I also needed to be surrounded by people to
share ideas and collaborate with as well as to help others be
successful. My wife was my biggest supporter. My faith as well
helped me work through this time of transition. And last but
not least, my personal coach brought to the surface what my true
passion was by holding up the "mirror" to my face for me to
evaluate my life and to see my blind spots that were holding me back.
Your
newly launched business, Space Logix,
didn't happen overnight. Briefly explain the process you went
through to make this dream a reality. Offer some lessons to the
many aspiring entrepreneurs out there.
Diligence and
research is my advice for anyone starting a business. The time
I spent from concept, to business plan, to research and final
execution was a total of two years. Once I opened the doors to
Space Logix I realized that the
"real" work as far as finding customers and supporting them
was just beginning. And, the most important thing you can do to help
you with success is to seek advice. There are
some good resources that are out there and
can help you with your strategic business plan. Look into the SBTDC,
developmental coaching firms, along with
community colleges and universities in your area.
Now
that your doors have been open for business for about 3 months, what
keeps you up at night? How do you deal with these issues?
Of course the
concern with covering the financial overhead keeps me up at night.
Action is what keeps me going. Never stopping long
enough to worry and always thinking about what I can do better is
what gets me through each day. Also, having great clients working at
Space Logix and bringing their positive
energy to my business help keeps me motivated.
Has it been worth it thus
far? Why?
Absolutely! I
get up every day with a purpose. At one time a few years ago I
did not. Of course there is fear associated with the uncertainty of
tomorrow but now I am in charge of my own destiny.
In closing, if
you are at a "crossroads" in your career and are needing some help navigating the transition,
please give myself or my partner Dave a call for a free consultation
to explore whether we may be of assistance.
