I need some career advice

[g9m3c]

Hello everyone. First of all, I am sorry for the lengthy post, but I feel it is necessary to properly explain my situation. I am 21 years old and currently attending introductory business classes at a community college located in Tuscaloosa, AL. I am (was?) hoping to transfer to UA in 2011. I also work part-time in retail/customer service. However, as nice as all of that sounds, I am very unhappy with my current situation. I find myself uninterested in school, despite maintaining respectable grades, and I have grown more than tired with my job and living arrangements. I have always had a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and I feel that urge daily gaining strength. It has affected my life to the point that I am constantly thinking about and researching business opportunities and methods instead of devoting myself to my education and day-to-day tasks. So, what I am getting at is this: To those that were, or are, in a similar situation, what did you do and what would be your advice for me? Did you stick it out through school to earn a piece of paper or did you throw yourself into the world of business without it? Any other related (or semi-related) advice would be very welcomed.


Thank you for your time.

-Grant

[freeliving]

Stick with school in times like this it is always good to have colledge diploma.the reason being alot of people are out of work deciding to go back to school, so 5 years from now if you leave you will have a hard time winning that job you might want later.I would maybe find a hobby/business you will enjoy to start and use the skills you are learning from school to make school more interesting.Just remeber business school is not only for the diploma it is for the contacts you will meet there. 5 years later your classmates will be your ticket to finacial freedom.

[JohnYE]

Hi Grant,

Thanks for a great post and great question. Freeliving makes some valid points. You can make some valuable contacts at college, and if it's a job you're after, a college degree will be an advantage in the future.

A job doesn't seem like the direction in which you're headed though, if I'm reading your post right. There is unlimited (yes, literally UNLIMITED) opportunity in the world for anyone willing to put in the effort, regardless of your level of formal education. See a recent blog post on this site, here for some examples.

If you have a dream, whether that's going through school to get specialized knowledge to become a certain profession or starting a business, go for that dream with everything you've got, and don't let anyone tell you there is a "right" path, or that you must do it a certain way. That's not to say you never heed advice or learn from the experience of others. It just means there are many paths to success, and you need to find the one that makes sense for you.

There is nothing wrong with earning a college degree. It is, in my opinion, by no means a waste of time, as every experience you have adds to who you are and contributes to your ultimate success. It is also not a necessity, unless you have plans to be a doctor, lawyer, or some other professional who must have a degree (or you want to work for one of those companies that posts "college degree required" for a job anyone with a little experience and half a brain could do, but the hiring manager has a degree and must justify its importance by making this a requirement). (Tangent! Sorry.)

As for contacts and knowledge, yes, those can be gained at college, and they can be gained at least as well in the real world too. Join one or several networking groups and organizations in your area, and learn from those people. Chances are they know more about making it in today's business climate than 99% of all college instructors.

So, that's my two cents. The bottom line: Envision your end goal and work backwards in your mind to figure out what path will get you there. Then follow that path, don't look back, and don't let anything or anyone stand in your way.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

To your success!
John

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[g9m3c]

Thank you both very much for your advice; it is appreciated greatly. Last night, I read through Simon Prentice's e-book on Network Marketing. It was truly an inspiration and I am interested in getting to know a bit more about it; however scam-ish it might seem. I also read the blog post you linked to, John. What a list! I will continue to ponder my path, not unlike what I've done for the past few years. It is exciting, however, to know I now have a place to exchange ideas and inspiration.


Thanks again!
-Grant

[juliawatson]

Hi Grant - have you tried the OpenCoffeeClub? A place to meet like-minded people. (I tried to post the URL here but am not currently able to: you can Google them). All the best and let us know how it goes! Julia

[freeliving]

http://personalmba.com/best-business-books/
I think this might halp also to open your mind to other options enjoy

[g9m3c]

Thanks for the additional info and links, everyone. I may be going to my local Barnes and Noble to pick up a couple of books on that list.

I signed up for the Open Coffee club, but haven't looked around much. Are the forums the main place for interaction and feedback on that site? I didn't understand the whole "Make your own club" part of it.


Thanks again!

-Grant

[John Williams]

Grant,

I ran into the same problem in college and ended up dropping out twice and I definitely regret the decision. That little piece of paper no matter what you decide to do with it lends to one of the most important tools an entrepreneur has at his disposal; credibility.

Leaving now can say a lot of things about you to consumers, investors, banks, that your work ethic is uninspiring.

Some background on me,
I decided to leave college and start my own consulting business, which ultimately went under. Why? People are actually interested in that information about you whether you want to make it public or not.
I now run two small businesses but building the client base is hard and I can't say for sure but I believe the degree would've saved me a lot of heartache and hardship.

If you couple these things with the fact that regardless of if you drop out or not; a solid and presentable business plan takes time and there will be many revisions. Having the social interaction with a diverse group of classmates on a day to day basis will undoubtedly give you the experiences you need to revise your plans without risking too much information or money.

Just my two cents, don't let me sway you either way. Your decision here is more important than my opinion.

[Carlos™]

I am going through the same phase as you are. But I'm not going to drop out of college. I am very close to completing my degree. Problem is tuition has gone up, and I would have to pay up front for books and stuff like that.

So, I skipped two semesters because I feel that my energy levels had dropped then. I feel more energized than ever before. I wrote two business plans recently, and I am working hard on the second one.

I've been running my website for as long as 5 years now, 3 years after the inception, I bought the business license for the site. Now I am looking to expand my business, regardless of what, if any one wants my degree in college. I can do it, because I have been in the business long enough to know the ropes.

Finding a job in my area is hard as it is. What's worse is that I have a really big gap in my employment resume. So, right now, I'm at a roadblock. But shortly after being in that roadblock, I have been at career crossroads.

So, I said to myself "I have the chance to make a new beginning!" And I started to buy websites month after month.

My advice to you is go with what you know. Don't jump into business for the sake of being in business, or making money. If you have a dream, follow through. And do it hard.

[noob]

Thought I'd throw in an opinion since it seems a lot of people are encouraging the education route. Personally I believe a degree is not necessary to succeed and I know this from personal experience, not just from reading about other successful people who've achieved it. A degree doesn't guarantee a job as many are finding out in recent years and those who are going back to school may not know of other options or want to know of other options.

In my personal experience, when you've mentally checked out of something, it never ends well. I'm sorry that John had bad experience with his consulting business and felt that not having the degree may have attributed to that but I know its not necessary for success as an entrepreneur. Having said all that though, college do offer great resources such as networking among other things outside the classroom. But you can easily achieve the similar results without being in college if you know where to look.

At the end of the day, you must make the choice that best fits you, no one can decide what is right or wrong for you.

[ernest1918]

What I am saying has been said above already but by leaving school it would be like you leaving your "business" when things aren't so good an education is important now. sure you may not make as much now but with that paper you will mosty likely make more down the road

[marktc]

Getting a degree is not compulsory for business success, but be careful about quitting college because you might begin to form a habit of quitting things you don't like.

I finished my degree and some post-grad study and I will say that although a lot of the content is useless, you will build up a work ethic if you finish what you started.

Also be careful of network marketing opportunities. Some work but many don't. They are very good at marketing their business so make sure you take your time and evaluate the opportunities carefully - ask yourself what product/service will you sell and why would customers choose to buy from you rather than just looking at the profits they claim you will make.

I plan on doing some posts on MLM on my site soon.

[noob]

It appears there's a lot of concerns from others on here that quitting school somehow equals to quitting business. I know dozens of people who've dropped out and all succeeded in building successful businesses. I don't really see how the two correlate. Quitting one thing does not mean you're a quitter in everything. If you simply don't enjoy doing something, it's time to let go. Holding on would only end up torturing yourself in some cases.

[Southern_Lenders]

You're in T-town? I live in Birmingham, and my Cousin lives in tuscaloosa at the University Downs Apartments. Nice to see someone from AL.

[Alexishost]

Books to help you
I suggest read visionary business by marcallen to start getting ideas and decide what the best 4 you next

I have always had a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and I feel that urge daily gaining strength. It has affected my life to the point that I am constantly thinking about and researching business opportunities and methods instead of devoting myself to my education and day-to-day tasks. So, what I am getting at is this: To those that were, or are, in a similar situation, what did you do and what would be your advice for me? Did you stick it out through school to earn a piece of paper or did you throw yourself into the world of business without it? Any other related (or semi-related) advice would be very welcomed.


Thank you for your time.

-Grant