Laid off Workers Unite

I am fifty years old with college and high school age children to support. Having grown up in a very Bohemian type upbringing, I always wanted stability especially knowing where my next pay check was coming from. However, intermixed with this desire for stable work was the classic feeling of being chained to a computer screen and not doing what I really love (whatever that is).

I got an MBA about a decade ago and had the desire to start up my own business. My father was an amazingly creative but not so successful entrepreneur. I wrote up and presented a plan to VC's for a New Parenting Coupon book which would in effect be an advertising vehicle for local businesses. It would also provide a service to new parents and would be part of a gift package when they left the hospital. I found out years later someone did this exact idea.

I was laid off about six years ago and started my own small business computer servicing business. I also did some consulting. A fellow whom I was consulting to thought my business plan for raising money for a fleet of computer home and small business technicians was a lousy idea. Well - there are now successful chains of computer technicians servicing small businesses and homes.

So - carpe diem! Seize the day. When an inspiration comes to you, write out a skeleton business plan. Run it by some people you trust.

This blog is about my fourth try at my own business. I would rather have multiple clients and sources of income than be employed by one large corporation which laid me off and many others several months ago.

I found in this case software that I was familiar with and investigated their partner and consultants program. I followed this up by speaking directly to the sales directors. They actually gave me ideas about where their products were lacking. Researching this, I found that the marketplace they were referring to is the potentially huge health care medical records field. One of President Obama's health initiatives is to implement better health care medical record keeping to save on costs while eliminating mistakes.

I have found a partner (a wonderfully bright, former colleague of mine) who also has been laid off. I have written a business plan and a PowerPoint slide presentation. My partner has identified an important member of the health care community and she arranged a presentation to him. We are researching funding - private equity or partnerships. Thus far, I have run my business plan by a friend who is a VC. He said it looks good but there is no money right now due to the bad economy. We will have to press on.

Basically, this is a shoe string operation and we need funding soon. I will keep you posted and hopefully this blog will be useful to nascent entrepreneurs.