Crunchy's Final Debt Free Diary!

crunch_time

In the spirit of being a regular diarist- just checking in for a quick update.

Had to pop to the shops yesterday for a few essentials I couldn’t get in a l d I and it should be a NSD today!

Crunch x

Willowtree222

Hi,

Just found your brand new diary. Subscribing.

How is the supply going? Are you managing to pick up work? x

Seasidegal58

Hi crunchy! Finally caught up with your diary!

Did you manage to have coffee with the potential client?

Have a good weekend!

Willowtree222

Hope you're ok?
x

crunch_time

Evening everyone!

Thanks for your concern Niknak - I am and I'm not. Here goes...

Basically, the 'business' thing is not going well. Although I have had a few inquiries nothing concrete has come my way. I'm supposed to network and send out lots of prospective emails and messages to potential clients - I have done this and felt really disheartened by the lack of response. I had a job interview for a marketing role but didn't get it and actually realised that I don't want to go back into proper office work. I sent a speculative audit off to a warm contact who took offense to my comments which was disheartening.

I'm questioning whether I actually want to do this job. There are lots of great things about it but the cons are really getting me down. I don't want to be on my phone all the time, networking and trying to juggle work with my children. All the pros I thought would be winners for me are actually cons - working at home, by myself, for myself - it's not all its cracked up to be. I don't think I want this lifestyle. I'm craving teamwork, stable pay and dare I say it - teaching again.

I'm finding it hard to deal with that I'm not actually up for this as well as feeling awful about the amount of debt and risk I have put us through. I suppose it could be worse. I could have racked it up gambling or become an alcoholic and spent it all on booze.

So I am looking at teaching jobs and facing going back with my tail between my legs. Husband is very supportive but I can't help but feel crap about it all.

Crunch xx

Chrystal

Stop beating yourself up. You tried something and it didn't work.... but you've learned valuable lessons from it about what will work for you and what won't, and that's to be celebrated.
You aren't going back with your tail between your legs - you've decided that you really prefer teaching to any other job, so this is a massive step forward. ((hugs))

Homegrown0

Sorry to hear how disheartened you're feeling about it all, but all is not lost. Consultancy/ client-facing work is notoriously tricky (I've worked for a creative agency in a past life) and combining that with trying to get your business off the ground as well as working on your own, it's going to be tough.

No one will judge you for going back to teaching but actually if you still have a passion for doing what you do, i believe the type of role you're trying to establish for your business (if i remember correctly), you'd be able to work on building that up while working then if work starts coming in then you could even go part time and plough a bit more time into your business.

Is it social media management that you're doing? Have you tried working through freelancer websites to get things started? Just doing a few jobs here and there will be some quick wins as you're waiting for clients to sign up.

It might also be worth a frank conversation with your prospective client who was offended 0- trying to establish that your report wasn't criticism, it was an opportunity to learn from and to show areas that can be improved. Sometimes there's no winning with clients, but ultimately they have engaged you because of your expertise so should be open to suggestion/ critique.

Anyway, i'll stop rambling, just wanted to try and share some positivity to raise your spirits a bit.

Willowtree222

You tried it and it didn't work. Nothing ventured nothing gained really. That's all you can do.

Could you pick up some supply to get you back into it in the short term?
N x

crunch_time

Homegrown - yes social media management was it. Truth is that I don’t actually like being on my phone all the time and hate the idea of having clients. I would really like to have my own business one day and believed that this would be a route into it but I really want some stability. I loved actual teaching but got bogged down by all the politics. I’m in a different mindset now as I’ve down a lot of life coaching during this time off and feel miles better about how to deal with it inevitably coming up again. I don’t really want to do it through freelancer sites as I don’t care that much about it in a way to make money. I’m looking at all sorts of teaching work. Husband and I have decided I could do full time or part time and even teaching assistant until the right teaching job comes in. We can survive off husbands salary until jan. I’m registered to do Day to day supply but find it hard to actually do with childcare and husband away a lot.

Thanks for commenting it’s nice to hear from people xx

crunch_time

Nicnak wrote: »

You tried it and it didn't work. Nothing ventured nothing gained really. That's all you can do.

Could you pick up some supply to get you back into it in the short term?
N x

Thanks Nicnak - you are right.

See comment above re supply.

Thanks for commenting and hope you feel better today xx