I have observed the large company going from an organization that trains, develops, retains and rewards top performers to becoming organizations that worship the next quarterly report with no loyalty to the people that make it happen. Many of the older and very experienced executives are leaving big corporate America and looking to help smaller companies who have a passion for what they are trying to achieve.

In some company out there, there is a compound or product that can solve many of the world’s problems.

There is a company that I am friends with the founder that has developed a small implantable chip that monitors radiation levels in breast cancer patients receiving radiation.

Working for companies like this not only helps the pocketbook but also helps to take breast cancer closer to extinction.

I am also a cancer survivor and want my kids not to have to worry about cancer.

Great stuff…

Have you promoted this blog on Fast Pitch!(www.fastpitchnetworking.com)? It’s an online business network that has as one of it’s features a way to promote your blog to their audience of small business owners.
FP was actually just named Website of The Week by MSNBC’s ‘Your Business’ show for small business owners.

If you’re already on another network (LinkedIn, etc.) – no problem. Fast Pitch! takes a completely different approach. Compare Networks: http://www.fastpitchnetworking.com/comapre.cfm

Keep up the good work!

Tammy

Holly, really interesting story. You want to start a business, right? How are you like corporate having gone with a startup at first?

Mike, I do understand your comment about starting your own business right out of the gate. There are many benefits and a lot of people have seen success with this method.

But I also believe that everyone should get a taste of corporate before going straight to entrepreneurship, because not everyone will dislike corporate. In fact, it’s very easy to stay in corporate now that I’m here… but that’s almost better. Because if I leave it’s because I really wanted to, because it’s so easy not to.

And sometimes arriving isn’t the end goal. I’ve found many times when I get things to quickly or too easily it’s almost deflating. The build-up and tension of whether you will make it or not are the best parts of success.

Stan, I agree wholeheartedly. I switched from a huge company to a company that was .6% the size, and I definitely noticed I had much more responsibility and opportunity. The larger company was very traditional and had this ridiculous path you had to follow if you ever wanted to do something interesting in the company.

Still, more responsibility isn’t for everyone. If you want to go to work every day, put in your 8 hours, have reasonable job security, and get a nice fat paycheck, larger companies are the way to go. It’s so easy to stay status quo as long as you don’t rock the boat.

It sounds like in your case that the people who started the startup might have left their previous company in a “less than perfect” manner. That’s what led to the problems.

The 2 main things you DO get in a startup are EXPERIENCE and OPPORTUNITIES. And, like the article said, you don’t necessarily have any better job security at a non-startup company.

Mr. Positioning
Stanley F. Bronstein
Attorney, CPA, Author & Professional Speaker

One other comment though, I still believe that launching your own business from day one is a better choice. Clearly there will be more stress initially but you will learn very quickly. Plus the early you start the sooner you “arrive”.

As you stated, it was like Starting A Business 101. I learned exactly what NOT to do. I moved into a corporate job after that where I have learned valuable business lessons on the ‘other’ side. I still have the start-up itch though. Unlike my first job, though, as an entrepreneur I’ll get educated first, remain nimble, and grow slowly.

So many lessons to learn. Don’t be afraid of start-ups. It was the best paying and most invigorating job I’ve ever had.