4 Things to Consider Before You Quit Your Day Job

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Have you ever wanted to quit your day job? I just finished my first full year of self-employment and today I want to share my thoughts on 4 things to consider before you leave a job--whether by choice or necessity. And while these might be especially applicable to my area, the radio business, some could be true of any business. First, a little background.

In mid-2018, I did what I wanted to do for a while; venture out, be my own boss, and start my own business. I wanted the flexibility to be able to get on a plane and spend time with family and friends far away when I missed them-or when they needed me. I wanted work to fit into my life, not the other way around. 

It wasn't a completely insane idea, because I had actually started a side hustle 20 years ago. I was in my 12th year as program director for WDOK in Cleveland when I decided I wanted to step away for full-time voiceover work, but back then, I had a bit of a cushion. The famed and fabulous radio consultant Mike McVay--who was our consultant (and my mentor) at the time, had recommended me as an image voice for a number of his AC client stations after hearing how I sounded on 'DOK. So armed with his recommendation, about 10 stations as clients, and a cool little home studio my husband built for me, I worked from home and had the ability to be around more for my school-aged kids. To make things even better, after I left the station, Mike asked me to join McVay Media as one of his AC specialists. But 2 years in- it happened. I got a phone call and a job offer and was lured back to radio programming because, well, quite honestly, I missed the heck out of radio, and also, financial security became a priority after my husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Going back to full-time radio work in 2001 was not only good for my mental health but also my fiscal health, because within a year I was a widowed single mom and sole support of my 2 pre-teen daughters. 

I've spent years in multiple formats, the last 12 in country radio, but always wondered, "what if I had stuck with the voice imaging these past 20 years? Would I be like Roberta Solomon, Jen Sweeney or a host of other female imaging pros that I so admire now?" The itch to get back into full-time VO work just never went away. I had continued to do freelance voice work and writing projects all these years-so what if I tried it again? I mean if not now, then when, right?

So armed with probably too much confidence (um...what's that saying? "confidence is the feeling you have before you fully understand the situation?") I walked away from a well-paying gig to relaunch my career in voice-over and writing. I'm not naive, I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I would be lying if I said I was surprised at the various things that have made it so tough. 

Here are 4 points to consider before making your move.

1. You Will Be Humbled
With a VP title and the responsibility of overseeing a couple of radio stations and a staff of people reporting to me, I had a certain amount of power and privilege. That perhaps gave me an over-abundance of confidence and ego that I could do anything! On the one hand, without that confidence, I may not have made the jump...but once away from a position of authority, things change. You no longer have a staff of people looking for your direction, advice or opinion. Your phone rings less. Show biz, like any biz, is full of people who have to act like they like you to get what they need, whether it is a song played on your station, or a staff member wanting something. Now, the decisions you make affect far fewer people. Advice? Don't be a jerk. Be the person people will miss (not be relieved) when you turn in your resignation. Be the boss you'd want to report to. Be clear, honest, and fair. Be the colleague people will want to stay in touch with when you don't have any power anymore.


2. You'll Grieve
If your work was a big part of your identity, you'll miss it. Or maybe you won't. But I do. So much of what I did in my day-to-day engaged a big part of my brain's creative side. I love actively creating with other people. I loved my team. I loved brainstorming ideas for marketing, contests, and promotions, writing creative copy, and doing all this with a team of creative people. And the music! Country radio especially is known for its relationships with artists and labels. Record label reps became my friends and many artists have my cell number and they actively communicated with me on a regular basis. I miss all of that. There was pressure, sure. There were nonsense, politics and hard work...not all were creative and fun--but when you do something for so many years and then you stop, you have to know you will grieve that part of your identity. Consider and come to grips with how much of what you are is what you do.


3. Ageism is a thing-but don't let it stop you
I'm at that strange time of life. Not yet at retirement age, but closer to the end of my career than the beginning. So I get a lot of comments like "how are you enjoying retirement?" and I find it challenging to not sound defensive or aggressive when I attempt to explain that "I'm NOT retired" and in fact, I am working a lot harder for a lot less. And speaking of a less...start that process now...but I'll get to that in a moment. When you leave a job by choice or necessity, it is important to remind yourself that while you may find yourself competing with people a good bit younger than you for future opportunities, you have a wealth of experience that is incredibly valuable, so don't let your age shake your confidence. In the right situation, you can mentor someone younger, and they, in turn, can mentor you. The best work situation is a diverse one, so be proud of the experience and the knowledge you bring and USE it to your advantage.


4. Live on less. A lot less
Pretty much every financial expert out there encourages you to live well below your means, and I can't stress that enough. I saved half of every paycheck for well over a year. I set a goal of how much I would need to live on (to pay the mortgage, utilities and have some sort of disposal fun money) just in case I didn't get any clients for the first 6 months. If you have a partner who is bringing an income, whether it is less or more, live on just one income for 6 months. It's amazing when you really pay attention to where your money goes you realize how much you waste on stuff you just don't need. Even though I thought I had a grip on the finances, this past year has really taught me some financial lessons.

In closing. It's been a scary year of rebirth and growth; of exciting successes and more than a few disappointments. I thought my name, my track record and my list of accomplishments all would have people lining up as clients left and right, ha! So it's been a little harder than I thought. But I do have some great clients that I am proud to represent with my voice, and my writing skills. And I'm going to keep plugging away. 


And maybe...just maybe I have one more radio gig left in me before that elusive retirement. I guess as they say in the radio business....stay tuned!

Click to learn more about and hear demos Sue Wilson Creative

All The Ways To Give

I attended a remarkable memorial service a few months ago for a most remarkable man, and it is still affecting me. After hearing the story of this self-made billionaire and philanthropist from the many who eulogized him, it is clear that Mort Mandel fully participated in every one of his 98 years, right up to his last breath, and in doing so, enriched the lives of so many. In a quote from his 2013 book "It's All About Who" he said, "I think of the world as having a huge number of candles and only a small percentage are lit. I devoted a big part of my life to lighting as many candles as I can. To light a candle is to make the world a better place."  The things Mr. Mandel did for others went far beyond his financial generosity, and during this season of giving, his example has inspired me to think about the many ways we can light a few candles, even if we don't have the financial wherewithal of a wealthy entrepreneur. Here are some ways to give that go beyond a monetary donation.

Knowledge
Every single one of us has something we can teach someone. If you have strong communication skills, you could work with someone who struggles with social anxiety or has difficulty being “heard”. Perhaps you have killer social media skills.

Teach someone you work with how to improve their online brand.Tutor a child. Give a music lesson. The best thing about sharing knowledge is that you can give it away and still have everything you started with.

Stuff
We all have a lot of stuff that we just don't use, or need. But where to begin? There’s a very cool charity called GiveBackBox that makes it easy to donate, while being “green”. Here's a quick summary: The next time you get an Amazon delivery, save the box. Then, fill it with your unwanted items, such as gently used clothing, shoes toys, or household goods. Go to GiveBackBox and print a prepaid shipping label. Attach the label to your box and drop it at a UPS store -or wherever you ship your items, and off it goes to make a difference in the life of another person. Find out more HERE

Time
There are so many wonderful organizations in your community that need help. If you love animals you can walk dogs or cuddle with kittens in your free time. Stuff envelopes, file, or help with administrative duties in the office of a non-profit you believe in. Serve food at a local food pantry. If you need ideas, this website Northeast Ohio Family Fun has a ton of volunteer suggestions.

Blood
Blood donations can help save people's lives. Right now, in the time you are reading this, someone, somewhere is greatly in need of blood. It truly is the gift of life.

Visit The American Red Cross to learn more about blood donation.

Share (the love)Facebook has a wonderful Fundraiser feature that lets you raise money for your favorite non-profit and makes it easy for your friends to just click and donate--with money going straight to the charity. You can also use Go Fund Me or other free crowd-sourcing sites to raise money for your own cause--maybe you know of a family that needs help with medical bills or perhaps you learn of another worthy cause. Once you set it up, you can use any one of the many social media platforms to spread the word. Pay It Forward For Pets.

This organization does tremendous work to improve the lives of pets--and people! One of my particular favorites is a wonderful local animal welfare non-profit,

Whether through money, time, or talent, may we all be inspired light a few candles to spread whatever light we can, for as long as we can.

The Great Downsize... and How We Did It

There are many articles that boast the mental health benefits of being grateful, and how helpful it is to actively think of, and even write down things you are thankful for on a daily basis. This morning, at the top of my grateful list, is the recent simplification of our lifestyle. My husband and I made a huge change 2 months ago. We moved from just under 3000 SF of living space into a cozy 2 bedroom condo, measuring in at just under 1000. I had lived in the home we just left for 17 years. When Tim moved in 5 plus years ago from his large family home, he added lots of his to mine, so, yeah...the ours was a lot to sort through to get ready for the downsize.

I began mentally and physically de-cluttering well before we listed the house. It was a process that began long before Marie Kondi's method of Tidying Up became all the rage. There were a few "ah ha" moments that got the process rolling. As our kids moved out and into their own places, we found there were rooms in our home we didn't enter for weeks or months at a time. We lived in what amounted to a condo-size part of our house: the kitchen and family room, our bedroom and bathroom. When we'd visit our kids or go on vacation and be in a smaller space for awhile, I realized how relaxed I felt; how little space, and how few items we really needed in our every day lives. When we returned home...I'd find myself wandering through the rooms we didn't use, and opening closets full of clothes and other stuff the kids left behind. I looked at the pretty knick-knacks I somehow acquired through the curio cabinet glass, and thought of the basement crawl space below me -full of things I hadn't looked at in years. I knew there were boxes of kids artwork, photos, toys and costumes, and lots of un-reconciled items that once belonged to our late spouses. It all had become quite overwhelming. Finally, I thought about how hard it was to clean out our parents' homes after they died, and how I didn't want to leave that job for our kids.

Years ago, I was inspired by the writings of Leo Balboa, author of the book The Power Of Less and also his blog Zen Habits. But it was the podcast The Minimalists and the philosophies of Josh and Ryan that really motivated me to want to start the process of living a more meaningful life with less. The interesting thing is, when you talk about minimizing, its sounds as though living with less is some kind of a sacrifice, and that in simplifying and de-cluttering, you are getting rid of your possession and depriving yourself of things. But it really is just the opposite. As I discovered, it's not about having less, but making room for more. One of my favorite quotes from Josh and Ryan is that "Minimalism is the thing that gets us past the things so we can make room for life’s important things—which aren’t things at all!" 

We started the process thoughtfully. Our kids took the things important to them and gave us permission to do what we wanted with what was left behind. We made sure they each took those things that had meaning to them or memories from their parents. We carefully selected the items we wanted to move with us, and those left behind we offered to family members, sold on marketplace, or donated. We sold the house and moved into a place that not only was significantly smaller, but significantly less expensive, so that we would reduce our monthly expenses significantly. 

After spending time in Portland, OR visiting one of our kids, we discovered the joy of a "walking neighborhood." Portland has a number of these, and we love being able to walk to boutique shops, great restaurants, wine bars, breweries, parks and grocery stores all within blocks of one another. We wanted to find something like that here in our hometown, and have come pretty close in our new neighborhood.  Our condo complex is a quaint and homey community-built in the early 1970's with a New England charm. It's less than a mile to Highland Square's Mustard Seed and other cool places when you head one direction, and in the other, a Whole Foods and Tim's work. Because we don't have a fenced-in yard anymore, we walk our dogs 3 to 4 times daily, and while that isn't always pleasant in cold weather, we are all healthier for it!  

I'm not sure that this is our forever home, but I do know than any move after this will be much easier. It's funny how it seems like we spend the first half of our lives acquiring stuff, and the second half  getting rid of it! But it sure feels like I've gained more by having a little less; and for that, I'm grateful.

Our lovely and larger home

Our cozy condo