VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION re: your desire to go into business

My first thoughts from reading your post is that you are not yet psychologically ready to "go it alone". One possibility for you if you want to work for yourself but might not be ready for the move is franchising. Another possibility may be to work part-time for a steady income whilst building your own business in the hours you are not working for an employer.

If you believe owning & running your own business is the way to go then it is very good that you are thinking of the qualities you need and what kind of business would suit the skills and experiences you have. You can also never do too much research of the right kind before embarking on a venture.

About 2 years ago, due to a lot of circumstances I decided to set up a training company (being as I am a nurse and also a qualified & experienced trainer & lecturer) - I had been wanting to do it for about 10 years, however, I was in a position where I had no job so sort of took the plunge so to speak. I did business courses, had a business mentor, did the market research, secured some funding, created a limited company & set up and office, secured contracts and then failed spectacularly when the contracts were cancelled due to NHS training funds being pulled. I lost everything - house, income, friends and was eventually declared bankrupt. I have not been deterred! The taste of freedom to be my own boss was too great despite not being successful.

I worked so had and had such a lot of material and have been determined to learn from the things that went wrong. I'm using some of the training packages to create a book. I now have a part-time job and I am just re-launching this business (because I love training, coachig & advising) but on a much smaller scale, working out of a spare bedroom in my home. It will not be my main source of income so I can build slowly. I've also incorporated skills I have such as being a careers advisor for nurses and coaching skills that I've developed during my time as a nurse manager & mentor. I've built my own website using a template and will be doing most of the marketing materials myself.

My advice:

1) You need to ensure you are in an emotionally strong place before you start. I'd always thought as a nurse I should be able to "cure myself" emotionally. On the advice of a few people I went to see a counsellor (I think they're called therapists in the US); best thing I have done for my own emotional well being.

2) Make a list of all the strengths you have, both personally and in nursing - anything you are good at doing and enjoy doing. If you set up business in an area you enjoy it will not seem like work and you will build on your own enjoyment of it thus creating success.

3) Try and align yourself with positive, like-minded people. People close to you can often be very negative and this is mostly out of fear for you because starting your own business is very risky. Your husbands advice to "be all you can be" is wonderful. Write it down and have it as your personal motto. Seek out nurse entrepreneurs locally to you and join any groups they may have. In addition, you could join a local women's business group or forum as although they may not be nurses, they will be able to give you some insights into the requirements and help you to avoid any pitfalls. There are also many online forums where budding entrepreneurs can post about setting up alone and you can loads of info this way.

4) Going it alone is fine, but support is always helpful. I don't have a partner or spouse, however I am quite a strong character when it comes to my work, but I am not pushy. I have aligned myself with people who know how to sell and also applied for my part-time job because it involves a significant amount of cold-calling and negotiating, but in a relatively safe environment (I get paid regardless). It has given me the opportunity to learn skills I can then bring to and use in my own business. I've also collected names & contact details of people I know who could do work for me on a freelance basis should I get the the point of having to expand.

5) You mentioned the area you live in does not seem conducive to a nurse oriented business. I would suggest taking a trip to the local library or business information centre and looking at your local population in a bit more depth. Find out what is needed in your area which is nursing orientated and the match your business to it, whilst keeping within you skills, abilities and passions.


I hope this is helpful. Let me know what you think.

Hey, Powernurse! Don't give up!!!! I was a pediatric RN and then a Family Nurse Practitioner before opening up a ful-scale preschool & infant center. I did the entire thing by myself!!! My husband (now ex-husband) didn't want to help. It is VERY possible to start your own successful business by yourself. It's a lot of work, but I did it, and so can you! The school is running beautifully after 5 1/2 years. I only work about 12 hours/week -- admin, etc. I advertise as a "nurse practitioner owned preschool." I've never advertised. It's housed in a building near my house. I have 12 employees and they take care of 54 infants/preschoolers every day. What type of business do you want to start? What state do you live in? Don't let horror stories deter you. There are also a lot of success stories! Let me know if I can help!
Alice
California

I too have been what I like to call facility dependent (work for a hospital or some sort of powerful health care entity) for my entire career. I have a Master's Degree,(mandated by my employer) for the job I now hold, which is acute care case management. I am single also, and have to think about the risks of self-employment (health insurance, no benefits etc.) but have wanted to go into legal consultant work for a long time. I have been actively recruiting a partner to work with me, so I do understand why you would want to share the load with another person. I looked on the net, (googled Legal nurse consultant) and found lots of info. Also, as you will see, this site is a great place for support and info. Email me if you want to speak further.

Morghan MSN, ARNP, BC, CARN, ACM
Wichita, ks

MORE POWER TO YOU POWERNURSE!

BTW, Hi I'm 2010futurern,

I totally agree with you and would like to partner with you in your endeavor. My screenname very much explains my point, intent and purpose, lol. The year 2010 is my year of SALVATION! I've grown beyond the taking orders, the being a good employee and doing as I'm told! lol Actually, I've nothing against being or doing any of those, however...... The point is that I've grown. And as my 18 year old and even my 16 yo, seeks to express and impress upon me........ there comes a time in life, after you've birthed them, bathed them, fed them, taught them, warned them, scolded them and through it all LOVED them.... you let them go, you encourage them to go and GROW.

I feel as if I'm a butterfly trapped in chrysalis form (Pupa of a moth or butterfly enclosed in a cocoon;
pupa (an insect in the inactive stage of development (when it is not feeding) intermediate between larva and adult). That's me! Trapped in an inactive stage of development, neither free to grow (in business, in life) nor am I free to just enjoy being in this stage of my life. I do enjoy enjoy life, yet there must be more to life, this life........

Hey, it's not JUST, lol, mid life crisis, which it really isn't that......because really what came first, (the chicken---the desire to escape everyone's idea of who I am and can be, including my having bought into it......... or the (egg-- so called, "mid life crisis, where I feel so strongly that I AM and I CAN!!!!! be more, do more, have more---ergo CHANGE into that beautiful butterfly/contented, expanding, growing, self aware and accomplished being---- that I see, feel, taste and can almost touch...........

I'm a bit wordy and something else, someone would gladly try to describe for me...... but the point is, it's not as others say or what others say...... I MUST CHOOSE TO REALIZE THAT I AM THE CAPTAIN OF THIS/MY SHIP.......
not my employers, not my kids, not my friends, not any of these individually, but for all of them I give of myself, what they have requested/required, to the best of my ability. It's time now that I combine all this giving to others and give to myself.

Want to let's see what "FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE" means? Want to find out what 2 who are similar in many ways might device/create/accomplish might do together? I know, trust me I do, what the difficulties, impossibilites even, of trying to break out of a mold that others have placed you, yourself included prevents one from accomplishing. However, I wonder, what if................