UNEMPLOYED (GOING CORPORATE)

THURSDAY, MARCH 18 2004 @ 09:49 AM

Reading some other members of the community share their misfortunes regarding business, I thought I would share my story too. Well, it's not like I was an actual employee anyway. For the last year I've been working for this company, and although I was the lead Flash developer, I still billed them as a freelancer, as they contracted me on a per-project basis, which was great as I had the freedom I needed to pursue my own interests, on the side.

But the loads of work we were having during the last few months made me work almost like a full-time employee, in terms of time spent with them at their offices. Things were goes so great and I was so busy, I stopped looking elsewhere for jobs, as I was being provided with all the work I needed. Then, last week I received a call from one of the partners, he told me that the company is being closed, because of some differences between the partners regarding the management of the company. Lesson learned: never stop looking elsewhere.

My closest friends and the guys that got my card at MXDU know that I was planning going corporate in the near future, as a matter of fact, I incorporated my company last year and started billing through it since January of this year. It was nowhere in my plans to start operating on my own this soon, but that's what I decided to do under the current circumstances.

So, while I'm still doing business with one of the partners of the company I was working for, I'm taking advantage of the low work level and already started re-conditioning my home-office (read: my office space is taking over my living room), preparing material for the company's website and architecting a business plan. Seems like my education in business management will pay off after all :)

Going on your own is so exciting as it is scary, and paying yourself from your own money is not funny at all. Most probably the next few weeks will be as quiet as the past two around here, but I'll make sure to share with you whatever I find valuable.

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JONAS GALVEZ

MARCH 18 2004 @ 10:39 AM

Sad to hear that, man. Hope it all works well for you.

DASSO

MARCH 18 2004 @ 10:49 AM

Good luck!
I'm sure you will get it.

JESTERXL

MARCH 18 2004 @ 11:10 AM

Read, set, go...

DARRON

MARCH 18 2004 @ 12:03 PM

Good luck in the future.. I wish you the best!

VIEKO FRANETOVIC

MARCH 18 2004 @ 12:37 PM

Best of luck to you and welcome to the club! The best piece of advice I can give you: Spend 50% of your time on the street looking for clients! they won't come to you even if you have the best solution for their needs. Take care!

OSCAR TRELLES

MARCH 18 2004 @ 02:29 PM

Thanks for your support guys :) I'm looking into this as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. Fortunately, I was already preparing for this, the only problem here is timing, as I was expecting to cash until May and launch during the Summer when business is naturally slower.

I agree 100% Vieko, clients won't come knock your door by themselves. But before hitting the streets, we have to make sure everything is ready to satisfy the demand you will be creating. Planning ahead is important.

Thanks again for your comments!

MATT VOERMAN

MARCH 18 2004 @ 07:09 PM

Hey Oscar,
I'm a firm believer that everything happens in life for a reason. Sometimes the reason may not be clear at the time (especially when it seems bad), but if you can somehow take a moment to step back and look at the big picture, it usually becomes clearer. Kind of like deciding whether the glass is half full or half empty.

I was in a similar situation when I was made redundant from my f/t corporate job a few years ago. I had been thinking (and planning) to go solo for sometime, and then came the news that I was going to be let go. It was a shock and sad for a little while (2 hrs), but then I realised that this was an opportunity rather than an problem. I was now free to persue my own freelance/contract business, 3 years later I haven't looked back - its great!

If you have a positive attitude and a professional work ethic (both of which I know you possess) great opportunity's will fall into your lap.

Keep your chin up, mate! All the best.

SIMON MACKIE

MARCH 18 2004 @ 10:54 PM

Good luck Oscar - I'm sure you'll be fine :-)

OSCAR TRELLES

MARCH 19 2004 @ 01:18 AM

Hey, my friends from Down Under! Thanks a lot for your support Matt. We have a saying in Spanish: "No hay mal que por bien no venga", which means exactly what you say, that everything happens for a reason, even if it looks bad at first. When the time to fly solo comes, all we have to do is continue to work our tails off and give our best, as everything else will fall in place eventually.

Thanks to you too Simon, I think new challenges force you to learn and move quickly, and that's good. Probably I will have more stuff to share here, once I'm all set for the real action.

Cheers!

KAI HANNONEN

MARCH 20 2004 @ 03:29 AM

Hi Oscar,
I've been in a same situation. The company I was working for didn't close but all the good guys left and I was forced to do something. I started my own business. I had only one old computer and not that much money.

Now, a little over 2 years later, things are good. I'm very happy with the decision I made.

I'm sure you will find customers - Just go for it Oscar!

Cheers,
Kaitsu

OSCAR TRELLES

MARCH 21 2004 @ 11:52 PM

Thanks for sharing you experience Kai, I hope I can say the same two years from now :)

DOMINICK ACCATTATO

MARCH 24 2004 @ 12:06 PM

I'm planning the same things as you Oscar. I am finding myself very fortunate thus far though with my other work situations. I will hopefully have a smoother transistion and a little more money to bank on my business. Good luck with yours. I'm sure we will be seeing much more of you in the future!

ALLAN WHITE

MARCH 25 2004 @ 12:38 PM

Oscar,

Your post is encouraging - my experience almost mirrored yours this last year, very coincidentally. Steady contract work, I let most of my clients go, then...the work dried up, and I'm beating the bushes for work again. Fortunately, I'm flooded with work now, away from the safety net! Lots of word-of-mouth references from clients.

I'll keep reading your site and follow your trek. Best of luck!

OSCAR TRELLES

MARCH 26 2004 @ 12:04 AM

Thank you Allan. Actually, things are looking better than I first expected. I'm seeing some very interesting, challenging, new projects coming in the near future. I'll keep you posted on any interesting developments. Cheers!

EDWARD EUGENE BASKETT

FEBRUARY 12 2005 @ 01:03 PM

I LEAP OVER THEIR HEADS - STRAIGHT TO THE GUT. Dear Oscar, Think you will enjoy this regarding General Electric and Jack Welch. I am rapidly becoming his legacy. Please use as you see fit, as did Professor Robert Jensen at Trinity University, among others. Found you on Yahoo under Corporate Rants. Mine is a classic. Please go to www.edwardbaskett.com. Thank you. "PLACING GE IN THE WORST POSSIBLE LIGHT."