Check in if you're unemployed, 40+ and have NEVER started a business

[Taverner]

I fear that kind of control, because knowing my luck I wouldn't just bankrupt myself, but everything in a 50 mile radius.

[LiberalFighter]

1. If you do start a business make sure you are in the middle of as many Republicans as possible.

And warn any Democrats in the area.

[Taverner]

2. No plans to start a business

People would never go for my 'A Blade Server in every home!" plan

[LiberalFighter]

8. Sell your idea to a TeaBagger.

[Dulcinea]

10. Me neither.

I know several people who are in business for themselves, and I know I don't have that kind of drive. They're never really off the clock. That's not for me.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. I actually did it, but it was REALLY hard

I was lucky in having an editing job (for a multi-volume series of textbooks) as I was transitioning to full-time translating. I joined professional associations and mailing lists and answered every call for free-lancers that I could find. It took three years to make a living wage as a translator, and there have been many ups and downs.

But I would never go back to college teaching, even though I sometimes miss having colleagues and actually enjoyed classroom teaching at times. Too many colleges have adopted the corporate model.

An advantage is that my job is completely portable. I know translators who actually move or have moved from country to country. One is spending the year traveling in Southeast Asia with his wife, working all the while.

I may do something like that myself (minus the wife) eventually, especially if the economy REALLY goes bad.

[Taverner]

4. I just want to go on sales calls and profit

Capitalism is what it is, and the most money is tied into the sale.

But in the mean time we need something more substantial.

[Hello_Kitty]

6. Sales is really stressful.

I'm an outgoing and articulate person so I figured I'd get the hang of it easily. I struggled to keep my head above water for a couple of years and gave up.

[Taverner]

7. I love sales

But Sales does not love me

I'm the techie who loves to tell 'the good story'

But most account managers see you as a flawed version of themselves

So I have been in the finals, but never made it to 'job'

[pitohui]

5. there's no one like that in existence

everybody believes the bullshit that if you can't get a job why you can just start a business until they have actually tried it

starting a business means losing money instead of just not having money come in...most people wake up pretty fast when they see that

but everyone thinks they're the smart one who is going to be different

so that's why you see on this thread NO ONE has said "oh yeah i'm unemployed over 40 never had a business" that person doesn't exist...EVERYONE in that situation has (mostly stupidly) wasted money trying to make something happen

self employed from age 25 and almost no one in america (certainly no one in europe or any other expensive area) could have lived on what i lived on without bankruptcy ...

[dickthegrouch]

9. We've all tried at some time or another

I've come to the conclusion after three attempts that I'm just not cut out for it. I don't have enough contacts to make a go of it, and I'm embarrassed to push myself on people unless they come to me. Not good traits for selling ideas or things :(

I function far better as an enabling cog in an enterprise than as anything else.

Moral, Know yourself before you try entrepreneurship.

[sohndrsmith]

11. Define "started a business"... What I've tried to do is not what I'd call

trying to start a business but I could be wrong. Since I did try to create and produce goods which I would happily exchange for money if someone wanted to do that with me.

Was that a business? I don't think it ever got to that level - but I do think it could have if someone hadn't bought my identity (without my knowledge or agreement) turning it into a company name for which I had no ownership or control. That really shattered my momentum and I'm still trying to find my way back, because people loved (and bought) my work... so I got that part right.

Legally, it probably would be categorized as a hobby. Which is sad because it's all I've got... : /