How do you know it’s time to quit your job?

This week on my @bromabakery stories, I posted an “ask me anything” questions box. One question I was surprised to see variations of over and over again? 

“I would like to start my own at-home baking business but I’m afraid cuz you know bills lol.” 

“I’m really unhappy with my job. How did you start?” 

“What are your tips for someone hesitant about starting a blog?”

“What advice would you give to someone who wants to quit their job to open a bakery?” 

Basically…a lot of people want to quit their jobs! And I guess this shouldn’t come as quite the surprise. It seems like everyone has been unsatisfied with their current careers lately. There’s even a new economic term for it now: The Great Resignation. 

So as someone who, in 2014, left her job cold turkey with $8,000 to her name and ZERO idea how to monetize a blog or social media, I wanted to take today to share my two cents on taking a leap with a new career. 

1. Have a few months of savings in the bank

I have to kick this off with an annoying but obvious part of this equation: to start your own business you definitely need to have some sort of financial fallback. For me, that was $8,000 in my bank account, which as a 22-year-old felt like enough to leave my restaurant job and try to make my blog a thing. 

This number will be different for everyone, but the important thing is that before you make this decision to quit, sit down and take a look to see what makes financial sense for YOU. A good rule of thumb many financial advisors use for starting something completely new is to have 6 months worth of expenses in the bank (but please note that we’re not financial advisers; this is just our opinion!). 

2. Assess the market

Examining the financial viability of the job you want to go into is key in deciding if it’s a feasible new career. As in, choosing to become a tiny clay figurine maker who specializes in World War 2 figures sounds freaking rad, but in terms of being financially viable? I’m not so sure…

So something I highly recommend is doing some market research. Are there people who do something similar to what you want to do, maybe in a different market/product, but who are successful at it? Is this a known industry of people who are able to profit off of this thing? And is the market big enough that there are educational resources out there that can help you to learn how to do this thing? 

For me, when I quit my job I literally went home and Googled “how to make money on a food blog.” Even though I didn’t know how, I knew that other people were food blogging very successfully, so it was just a matter of educating myself on how to do it (shameless plug: luckily today, you don’t have to Google it…you can just take Foodtography School 😉). 

Now, if you’re reading this and wondering if there is still room in the 2021 food blogging market…the answer is HELL YES. In the grand scheme of things, blogging is a relatively new industry, only a decade old. Businesses realize the power of the modern-day food blogger (who can concept, create, and promote content) and nearly all companies have transitioned a portion of their advertising dollars from big marketing firms to smaller food bloggers. Why? Because they get more for their money!

3. Accept the Risks

The truth is that there probably is never going to be a perfect time for you to quit your job. If you keep waiting for a sign? You’re never going to. You really just need to follow your gut. 

The most important thing though is to plan as much as you can while also being prepared for the possibility of failure. Because of course, striking out on your own is going to have risks, and if anyone tells you otherwise that’s a crock of sh*t. But as long as you make the decision carefully, and know that if you do it that you’ll work really hard to make it happen, and ultimately accept a little bit of unknown, then the potential for reward? Guys, it’s life-changing. 

Besides marrying my husband, I’m not joking when I say it was the best decision of my life. And I want that for you, too. Because you deserve to have a job that you love, that feeds your passion, and ignites your soul. 

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Quitting your day job is a big decision, and one that is completely personal. It might not be the right time for you now. But I hope that this offers you some insight into how I made my decision, and the advice I offer to people who are considering changing their careers.

P.S. One last thing: I know a huge question a lot of people have is “is it too late to start?” What I’ll say for the digital/social media industry is: absolutely not. Just take TikTok, for example. It’s only been a “big thing” for like a year and a half, and people are making entire careers solely from TikTok. 

I myself have gained 90,000 followers on TikTok in the last month alone, and it’s not from people finding me through my Instagram; it’s because creating food content is just starting to become a thing, leaving an open market for new TikTok creators like me.

It may be too late to start doing what everybody else has been doing for the last 5 years, but the digital and social media world is not going anywhere. You can always adapt your skillset. You got this!