by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

Do you have a business idea or career fantasy that has stalled because of lack of capital? Would a big check for $50,000 give you the cushion you need to quit your day job and go after your dream? While I’m sure you’d like $100,000 to start that new home-based business, this would still make for a nice deposit in your Escape Fund.

The Intuit Just Start Contest is giving one lucky person a $50,000 grant to strike out on their own and follow their passion ($5,000 prizes will also go to each of two runners-up). Just tell them what it is that you want to "Just Start." Your submission can be in writing or on video and will be judged based on your clarity of expression and the feasibility of your idea. Entries are due by December 15, 2007.

Who will be sitting in judgment of you and your dreams? Columnist and small business expert Anita Campbell, author and marketing guru John Jantsch (the man behind the awesome Duct Tape Marketing blog), and technology consultant Ramon Ray.

And while you’re online, you might want to check out JumpUp, the free online community for entrepreneurs that was started by Intuit. Life as an aspiring entrepreneur toiling in a day job can be lonely and isolating. JumpUp is a great place to connect with a community of like-minded people who can share advice, ideas, and opportunities.

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

When office life is getting you down, block out your boss’s yammering and the tortured noises from the next cubicle with the sweet sounds from your iPod. Here are some song picks to add to your rotation.

Songs for Wallowing in Your Misery

Songs for Daydreaming About Leaving

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

Looking for inspiration? Check out the Ladies Who Launch blog for stories from women who left the corporate world to launch their own businesses. This week’s blog theme is "Leaving Corporate America," a subject near and dear to my heart.

Whether you’re looking to start your own multi-national or looking to learn how to start a dog massage business, this is a great resource.

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

According to Forbes.com, it’s time to think seriously about quitting your job if:

• You have physical and/or mental illnesses such as stomachaches, headaches, frequent crying (and fighting back tears at work), feelings of dread every Sunday evening or sleeplessness.

• You continuously describe your job negatively to friends, family and others.

• Your energy is spent just surviving at work, and there is no joy.

No, these feelings aren’t normal. If they have become normal, then you REALLY need to think about making a change. Everybody has bad weeks at the office, but you don’t have to settle for ongoing misery. Check out the Forbes.com article for advice on whether you should stay or go.

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

Everyone knows that money doesn’t guarantee happiness, but Suze Orman’s recent column makes some excellent points about how much easier it is to smile when you aren’t worrying about making ends meet.

This is a major reason why people stay in corporate jobs they hate. They’re worried that their real career dreams won’t pay the bills and they’ll end up living in a van down by the river. But how much money do you really need to be happy?

Do you need enough for a fancy car and a McMansion or are you okay with making some material sacrifices to follow your dream career? Everybody has different needs and priorities. I strongly believe that you can have both a career you love and a decent income.

I know many people who are living this dream. Sometimes it requires going through some lean periods or putting up with a job you’re not crazy about long enough to sock away some savings. For others, it means balancing money-making with dream-pursuing in creative ways.

But it can be done — whether you’re inside Corporate America or following your own path.

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

More than 148 million Americans have shunned cubicle life to become free agents — freelancers, consultants, entrepreneurs, and contract workers. That’s about 22% of the U.S workforce.

The "free agent nation", as defined by Daniel Pink’s excellent 2001 book, is obviously growing. What’s even more interesting is that free agents appear to be much more satisfied with their work than the average desk jockey. A 2005 study by staffing firm Kelly Services found that 87% of surveyed free agents defined themselves as "extremely or somewhat satisfied" with their jobs.

The Kelly Services survey found that free agents value the flexibility, balance, and personal satisfaction offered by their job situations.

Of course, the free agent life is not for everyone. It requires hard work, an entrepreneurial attitude, and a tolerance for risk. However, in today’s job market, there is no such thing as job security. Even the largest and most "stable" companies have made layoffs standard operating procedure. At least free agents get to control their own destinies. Learn more about the freelance movement.

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

Are you tired of spending the prime of your life in a cubicle? You’re not alone. Recent studies show that between 50% and 75% of white-collar workers hate their jobs. Not all corporate jobs suck. But the truth is that the old corporate job model is clearly not working for today’s employees. Generation X and Y care more about balance and making a difference than they do about climbing the corporate ladder.

This blog is meant to be a resource for disgruntled corporate prisoners who are looking to make a change. If you’re burnt out on your corporate gig, we can help. The good news is that the job market is changing and there are a lot of other options out there for people who don’t fit into the corporate mold. Start your own business, go freelance, go part-time, take a sabbatical,  or find a job at a company that doesn’t subscribe to the standard bureaucratic corporate vision (there are more and more jobs like this out there!).

I learned a lot while making the transition from corporate VP to entrepreneur. I talked to dozens of successful corporate types that had either made a major career change or were dreaming of making one.

It can be scary to walk away from a seemingly stable job (but let’s face it, no corporate job is truly stable as the layoff-palooza of the last few years has shown us). However, a lot of people have found a way to do it and ended up finding much more fulfilling work (and without going bankrupt)

This blog will feature their stories along with lots of tips, stats, and resources for people trying to climb out of the corporate trenches. If you’ve got a story to tell, or an issue to raise, I’d love to hear from you!