Thanks for taking the time to read this post, wherever and whenever it may be. I still appreciate you allowing me to be a part of your day as much as I did the very first day I started blogging. Thank you. It means a ton.
That said, I’m taking a break from blogging and completely discontinuing my podcast, Up and To The Right. I will rebrand and launch a new, more focused podcast later.
Have you ever felt like you were on the verge of burnout? That’s how I feel as I type this. My workday was about 10 hours a day at my corporate job for the past two months. The remaining hours were spent taking consulting calls, recording podcasts, blogging, speaking, and launching a full-blown online training course.
Preparing to “make the leap.”
In the midst of all this, my wife and I recently spoke about the possibility of me leaving my CMO job to run my speaking & consulting business full-time. The current plan is for me to go part-time at work by the end of this year. As soon as my business income surpasses my regular salary for two consecutive months, I will resign.
We’ve never been ones to shy away from transition. Earlier this year I stepped down from another part-time position, leaving $30,000 in additional salary on the table. Now we’re here looking at the very real possibility of me quitting another position just a few months later.
Honestly, it’s pretty scary.
My CMO job doesn’t make the choice any easier … we nearly broke $1M in revenue over the past seven weeks, a new company record. My co-workers are great. The salary is generous, and they actually just gave me another raise. But I’ve realized this: just because a door is open doesn’t mean you should walk through it.
My mind is made up. I want to help you by delivering more focused content on personal branding. I want to help inspire others through my speaking and presentations. I want to aid organizations doing significant humanitarian and ministerial work that make the world a better place. I want to take my corporate leadership and marketing experiences and use them for a different team and tribe. This is part of my calling in life.
The client story that (almost) made me cry man tears …
Recently I caught up with a former client. Long story short, he wanted to take his photography business to the next level. He also has a son that has some specific medical needs, so he wanted the freedom to be able to stay at home when needed. We worked together to market his services, change his pricing, and help him achieve his goals.
I got to catch up with this guy over a year after we concluded our contract and asked, “How’s business?” He told me he was now booked a year in advance, quit his day job, and spends more time at home with his son. I nearly cried. This is just one of the client stories that keep me pressing through.
My blog and podcast will always be a free vehicle for me to add value to you. I plan to rebrand my podcast with a more specific focus in a few weeks. In the meantime my energy will be spent on setting up my business infrastructure, getting to know the needs of the people on my email list, and creating a new workflow.
To join my email list, click here.
Mike Kim, the guinea pig.
First, I hope being honest about this process keeps you from feeling alone. You may well be in the same boat, trying to branch out full-time to do your own thing. The internet is the easiest place to hide our true selves. I want to be real about this journey. I can’t promise I will have all the answers, or even succeed in making the leap! But I can promise I will be honest about the process. Consider me the guinea pig.
Need help?
The second reason is more practical. If you or anyone you know needs help in marketing or copywriting for a personal brand, contact me at mike [at] mikekim [dot] tv. I am confident I can help. I’ve never prospected for consulting work before, but now is as good a time as any. For testimonials, visit my consulting page.
If you’re on my email list I will continue to engage with you there. My social channels will push out the best of my previous content for the next few weeks.
Friend, thank you for being part of this journey. I’m honored you’d read this, honored you’d make me a part of your life, and can’t wait to be back with better, more focused insight that can help you.
P.S. – The courage to “make the leap” has been stirred up by these amazing people; first and foremost, my wife Iris. Thank you also to Eric Peoples, Josh Finley, Jared Easley, Ray Edwards, John Kramp, Kary Oberbrunner, and Cliff Ravenscraft … who have all taken the time to personally listen to and advise me on this grand scheme to “make the leap.”
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