How to handle the stigma of leaving a white collar job for a sweaty startup?

[gonick]

Hey sweaty startup,

Looking for input from founders who have navigated the road of leaving a corporate "white-collar" 9-5 job in pursuit of a sweaty startup.

I find expectations from others to continue on in corporate life and climb the ladder are deterring me from taking the leap in to a sweaty startup. I feel as though the only socially acceptable path is a "non-sweaty" business. I think this is partly due to the sunk cost fallacy of getting a 4 year degree.

1. What career were you in before your sweaty startup?
   
2. What is your sweaty startup?
   
3. How did friends/family react to you leaving your corporate job?
   
4. How did you deal with negative reactions from friends/family to you leaving your corporate job?
   

-Cheers!

 

[barcud]

@gonick I was a Captain in the Army. After that I worked in financial sales. I've done repair and remodel work on every house I've ever lived in, so when I got laid off during the pandemic, I started a home improvement business. I'm licensed and insured in my state.

You do what is best for YOU and your family (if applicable). Fuck the stigma and what anyone else thinks. It is your life, not theirs.

I now have more freedom in my schedule, have more time with my kids, and enjoy the work I do.

Sunk cost? I have a Masters degree, and I swing hammers. Had I stayed in the Army, I'd be a Major and about 7 years from retirement, pension, and free Healthcare for life.

 

[itsjustmerae]

@barcud This is great. My brother graduated from a business school and now swings a hammer too. He used his education for his house rental business.

My cousin used to work in a cubicle getting yelled at. One day he turned 40, got up and walked out as they were yelling at him. He went home and shaved his head and became an electrician. He's never been happier.

 

[preppertoo]

@barcud Sincerely, thank you for this. I'm a veteran in supply chain and am going to be swinging hammers full time soon.

 

[crystalnicole]

@preppertoo Anus_camper

 

[cmont]

@barcud What state do you live in that you can do that? In Virginia, you have to be a licensed contractor to do anything, and that requires a designated person where another contractor has signed off on their 2 years experience minimum. I looked into this for handyman services and the state board of contractors said I can’t even change a faucet or put in a ceiling fan because they’re under the domain of electricians and plumbers. Basically all I can do is pressure washing, painting, and drywall patches.

 

[barcud]

@cmont I live in CT. I have a Home Improvement Contractor license. I can do everything minus plumbing, electrical, or HVAC (minus fixture swaps).

 

[nzubechi]

@barcud Thank you for your service!

 

[pastorpontibus]

@gonick Step 1: Give zero fucks, it's your path.

Once you start down the path, you have gone from employee to entrepreneur, founder, and CEO. This is the top of the food chain even if your chain is small. Everything has to start somewhere. In the end, if you're meeting your definition of success and finding happiness, that's all that matters.

IMO, People who would look down on someone else for the "job" they do can fuck right off.

 

[merlon636]

@pastorpontibus This is my favorite piece of advice here.

 

[johnwyo1]

@gonick Go watch Office Space. Moral of the story is at the very end.

 

[elbee85]

@gonick While I don’t normally suggest people take proverbs to heart, I once heard “it’s better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox”.

You’re in control, any success you see is directly your effort. Anybody can apply for a job and be told what to do, far fewer people can start something for themselves and grow it.

 

[merlon636]

@gonick I was a lawyer for 20 years. I was a partner in a boutique firm. Short answer: law isn’t super fun. I put in my time, had great success, and wanted to do something else.

My sweaty startup: arts and crafts. It is sweatier than it sounds - I work with wood and lasers, paint and stain.

Friends and family have sort of watched on in amusement but they’ve seen me grow my art into something pretty damn big. No one has really been negative.

 

[aintnosaint]

@merlon636 I would really love to see your work! I have aspirations to go down a similar path. Leave big tech corporate and start a garage manufacturing business of some kind working with wood, metal, 3D printing, etc. It would be sweet to see the types of things you're making and to hear more about your journey.

 

[itsjustmerae]

@gonick

1. I sat in a cubicle doing corporate tech support. In my first foray into the corporate world, I realized how corrupt it was. I'd suggest preventative fixes and the boss refused to implement them. He told me it was because we were paid by call volume, not client satisfaction. That was the moment I understood WHY the entire IT industry is corrupt, and WHY things are designed not to work.
2. I went off on my own doing in-home tech support for seniors. Everything I do revolves around making their tech foolproof, minimalist, and insanely reliable. Turns out there's absolutely no need for virus scanners, monthly fees, or replacing your equipment because someone told you it was "out of support".

3/4. Luckily, I come from a family of small business owners. The most successful ones succeeded without a degree and without a corporate job.
I thought my degree was a sunk cost too, but I ended up using a few nuggets of it later on in my own business.

 

[aintnosaint]

@itsjustmerae I love your answer to 2. What a unique and meaningful thing to do! It must bring great joy to see happy customers in that context.

 

[itsjustmerae]

@aintnosaint Thank you! It's an amazing feeling to save the elderly from unnecessary expenses. Last month I chopped one couple's cable bill from $233 down to 46.

Take up your sword and join me!

 

[jas3]

@gonick I’m still transitioning (full time job, sweaty start up on my time off) so take that how you will.

1. Car sales (white collar enough)
2. Landscaping
3. I keep a small positive circle, so pretty supportive (they all know the goal is to leave the full time gig)
4. Ignored them like I do when they call complain how they hate their jobs, being an employee and not a boss and all that fun stuff.

At my previous dealer, they would always tell me “stick around and keep working hard like you are, you have strong potential to be a manager soon!” And then the managers would hire their friends from outside the company from other dealers etc. you’re going to have plenty of managers/coworkers telling you to stick around but that’s because they can’t afford to lose you. Ignore it all and do what makes you happy.

 

[snatmadoce1971]

@gonick Everyone basically looked down on me until I was successful lol

 

[tarheelpride91]

@gonick

1. I was a lawyer
2. I buy homes, remodel them, and turn them into rentals
3. Nobody said anything because they saw that I was doing well for myself and was happy
4. There weren't any.