Today’s guest took a leap from her lucrative corporate career around the same time Phil and I launched The SHUT UP Show 8 months ago. It was intriguing to talk to her about the lessons she has learned while the transition is still so new and raw. Many times we talk to guests who have already braved through the early stages of their entrepreneurial endeavor. In today’s episode, you get to witness real-time “I don’t know where I’ll end up in a few months, we’ll see” kind of fear no one can manufacture… but you definitely need to see and hear.
Share Some Shut Up Love –> Here’s my opportunity. If I don’t take it, I’m gonna regret it when I’m 70 years old with no teeth. @julieedmonson #shutupshow (click to tweet)
Fun Facts:
- Julie is a coach mostly helping women who are bootstrapping solopreneurs, creative entrepreneurs, passionate overachievers and driven (albeit slightly crazed) go-getters.
- Before jumping into her own business, Julie had a “dream” job as a corporate communications consultant for the largest customer-owned health insurer in the United States.
- Julie has spent the last 10 years managing small business design projects, large corporate communications work and project management, mid-size business event planning, lifestyle/food blogging, internal business copy editing, and a whole lot of everything else in between.
- She taught herself HTML and CSS and loves graphic design and brand development.
- Julie earned a degree in Advertising and Public Relations from Texas Christian University, and an MBA with concentrations in Marketing Management and Organizational Strategy from The University of Texas at Dallas.
Defining Shut Up Moment:
ON LEAVING CORPORATE TO LAUNCH A COACHING BUSINESS: I spent two years with the dream job that fell on my lap, to be honest. When I finally got the job, I still wasn’t happy. I grew up with an entrepreneurial family. I saw my dad run his own business, calling his own shots, living his dream. And I thought I was living mine. We’re always taught you work hard, you bust your tail off, you do your thing. I finally felt I was good at something but I wasn’t happy. The company I worked for was dangling the carrot in front of me. But the projects fell through more than once. I finally took the leap of faith. I had been doing things on the side, not intentionally, and I decided this is what makes me happy. I’m doing this on the side because I want to. After a lot of soul searching and a lot of happy hours talking to a great support system who reinforced this for me, I did it. It’s been about 7 months now I’ve been on my own. It’s hard but I wouldn’t change a thing.
ON EXPOSING YOUR VULNERABILITY TO A STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM: I have always forged my own path. At times, I’ve wrapped myself with bubble wrap thinking, “Nobody gets me and no one’s gonna get me until I hit it!” But “it” is a moving target. What you think you want today might not be what you want three weeks from now. It’s constantly evolving. That’s difficult to express to someone who doesn’t share your vision. You have to make yourself available. If you don’t expose people to it, you’re not going to get anywhere. Being vulnerable with others may expose you to things you never knew you wanted. I’m over here tunnel-visioned after I left my job and I finally had my right of passage middle-of-the-night panic attack. I finally realized I’m pushing everybody away. I’m scared they might come back and tell me I’m crazy. Sometimes you need that push to help you reevaluate. I absolutely recommend you bring in friends and family members who are supportive.
Shut Up Tips:
People want to live a no-exucses life and live with integrity, but they just don’t. – Phil
If I ever had to, I know I could fall back on what I’ve done before this. But if I don’t do this now, I’m never gonna do it. – Julie
Are you happy where you’re at? Okay, what are you gonna do about it? Why are you complaining about it, go do it. – Julie
“If not now, when?” is a great question to ask yourself. – Phil
A lot of times, people do build a support system but they don’t have confidence they’re really there. – Phil
The people that love us the most can’t support us. – Phil
Just because the people you love support you doesn’t mean you can turn your back and run. You have to give back to and reinforce that both ways. – Julie
Use your discretion when taking advice and tossing others. – Berni
If you know you have the skills, experience and gumption to do it, why not? – Julie
My fear of success is the fear of the unknown. The unknown can be scary and lonely because you’ve never been there before. – Julie
It’s funny because I coach people on this all the time. It’s so much easier to be on the outside looking in. On the inside it’s much scarier. – Julie
You see all these people online and you think they got their shit together but we all go through this fear. – Julie
Regardless of what happens as I progress through my entrepreneurial dream, I will never have the excuse of “I could have, but.” – Julie
Julie Recommends:
If you are a small business owner or new solopreneur, Julie has tools and programs for DIY entrepreneurs here.
Find Julie:
You can find Julie’s blog, podcast and coaching services at JulieEdmonson.com.
