Employment and making a big leap....

Gassage

As I've mentioned I work as the Marketing Director of a planning and env consultancy and I alos get income from rugby- coaching and writing. Quite frankly the main job is hateful. Lovely company, lovely people, boring as hell.

I've been approached by a global Blue Chip (propery giant!) who have a seven figure sponsorship deal with England Rugby, to roll out their sponsorship programme, a lot of which is coaching in schools based. It would be freelance, 3 days per week or thereabouts, no security though. The 3 days would pay as much as I earn from my main job. It's not a done deal, and I'm meeting their CEO on Weds.

It got me thinking- I'm at the age where I want, again, to do something for myself with more esoteric reward.

So, if I got this (and there's also another freelance gig available for me doing all the comms for a Harley St medical practice which would add another £1k or £2k per month) I wonder what else to do...

So- bearing in mind I have a huge black book of rugby contacts, plus a black book of biz contacts I made during my time with James Caan I have decided there's a market (and I know it exists) to coach retiring and injured players into new careers. The crux is, whilst a lot have tried to monteise this exact thing, no-one wants to pay. The way you'd make the dosh is to then integrate them into a company and take a traditional recruiters' fee.

I believe that taking on former pro sportsmen is a very attractive proposition for big businesses- 1) the players can smash down doors through their profile (all professional services companies are very rugby rather than soccer orientated) 2) the self-discipline and will to win means they make great employees too.

When in Cannes, I bumped into Louis Deacon, the former Tigers and England second row who has just retired, and in 10 mintues I'd introed him to someone who promptly offered him a £50k BD role, so I know it can happen

I reckon that even if I placed one player a month, that's £5-9k per placement, depending on starting salary.

What's the collective view on that latter proposition?

I like security, but this whole model does appeal.

Be grateful for thoughts....

spark240

Well, I'm not site what " that age" is...but given that I'm 50 and in a similar much much more modest situation, I would suggest you do something positive. However, you don't say what your life finance position is, do you need to earn££££ each month, what happens if you have dry spell?

Gassage

^ 50 the same as you.

Financially- I have property assests (and guitars) and savings enough to live for a year or so.

I need to earn c. £4k ish per month to cover everything, so not a lot.

stonevibe

Go for it fella. 

You only get so much time where you are young, mobile and healthy.

Make the most of your knowledge and contacts.

TTony

I've got no experience of that particular field (!), but on the general employment vs self-employment question ...

I spent the early years of my working career as an employee for various large financial institutions.  Good money, "security", career progression (work hard to be allowed to work harder), and lots of the little benefits around the side.

About 15 year ago, I quit and went self-employed.

Better money, better "security", bigger challenges, more satisfaction.

Being self-employed you need to be able to motivate yourself, to rely on yourself, to build (and work at maintaining) your own network, to be very confident in your own skills and value, and to enjoy what you do.  If you can do that, you will build far more "security" than any job (where you're only ever a corporate takeover or downsizing exercise and a notice period away from being unemployed) and you'll also get to enjoy what you do.

Knowing what I do, the potential of your network is enviably strong, and with a bit of work (and you obviously have the skills to work it), that will become a very valuable resource for you.

There are downsides to the self-employed life too, but after 15 years, I still see far more upside.

All I'd recommend is having enough ££s in readily available format to last you a good 6 months before you do it.  Building your own business will take time, and you need enough of a financial cushion that you're not panicking to close every deal.  

Gassage

@stonevibe

The latter is the key- I have huge contacts but I'm bloody useless at monetising them

Gassage

@ttony

Thanks- very sage advice too and totally resonates with my thinking.

I may have an offline chat with you.

I have a great name for the consultancy

GainLine Consulting.

It works a charm- rugby gainline, gaining in biz etc...

ToneControl

you seem to have everything in place, a 1 year buffer, a new main constant income, reasonable income requirement

I'd say as long as you would not be permanently burning your bridges back to a role similar to your current job, which I assume is true, then you should go for it

Get the text on the headhunter contracts right, and where's the catch? 

Gassage

I'm meeting the CEO of the biggest player agency today at Tiwckers (Big Red Management- or now Esportif...)) who is a life long mate- he used to be a TIgers' lock forward but we used him as a punch bag as he was as soft as shit....I want him to agree an exclusive with me- I get ALL of his players.

Re my current, they know. I've told them. They also have intimated they'd give me a retainer to continue with the BD side of my job- say £750 a month but still that's a help.

http://www.esportif.com/

Gassage

Can I ask,

Gain Line Communications/Marketing/Consulting (last word is irrelvent)

Do we like this?

richardhomer

God, are we all 50? (The answer in my case is 'until next Wednesday'....)

Firstly @Gassage - you look like a remarkable youthful 50!

Secondly, hitting 50 really caused me to reappraise where I was at in life. The obvious conclusion was potentially 20 years from death - which begged the question 'what things are wrong with the way I live now, that I can change?'

Work was my biggest issue - hated the job, the pressure, the people - everything about it. It paid me more than I need (including food, my total monthly income requirement is about £1600). On a particularly bad day with a boss, I wrote my resignation there and then - without a job to go to.

Through contacts I had three options on the table within a couple of weeks of resigning - and took the least remunerative, as it represented a total change - which is what I felt I needed.

Having started to feel better about life, I've gone on a major health-kick and have so far lost two stone (sadly there is about another three to go!)

It has also resulted in me playing more - something I had in reality I had almost ceased to do. I had become a 'guitar owner', rather than a player.

In short - I took a big risk - but I don't regret it.

Gassage

@richardhomer

Thanks- great advice again. I'm also in the fortunate position that in July 2016 I have a substantial lump sum incoming- a serious amount (enough to make me start looking at 54 strats!) soi that is security itself, which is my shares exit from my ex's company- the choreog biz.

Your points re quality of life are also very resonant with me.

Re youthful- blessed in that regard- that's why my partner is 29!

jonnyburgo

It's nice to have options, go with what is going to make you happy, better in the long run.

spark240

I say you go for it.

Self belief is the key....if you think you can do it...you will.

monquixote

Go for it @Gassage

I know nothing about your area of your business, but you seem to have the contacts, the will and the financial cushion.

A couple of years ago someone made me an offer out of the blue to quit my job and do something exciting, but incredibly risky and time consuming. At the time I was 32 with no savings, just bought a house, and about to have my first child so I turned them down flat. If you've got the means then snatch their hand off.

Gassage

Nick

For me it's about enjoyment and working full time in my favourite space- rugby- where I've (arrogantly and not really for me to sy) a reputation as one of the best techincal writers on the game. I get a lot of complements off players  and coaches for my insights, and as a result, I have cred in the space.

I wanna wake up and think 'yaaaaaaay' not 'owwwwww noooo'!!

BigMonka

It sounds like the blue chip work is in the bag and would pay your way, especially if accompanied by the Harley Street work - that would totally ease the pressure of starting the recruitment company so you're on to a winner there.

How long is the blue chip sponsorship work realistically going to last for though? At that point you need to have made the transition to the recruitment work being the main income.

Gassage

@bigmonka

The sponsorship deal is 4 yrs.

Re recruitment- that is one strand. The headline is rugby into business.

The other strand is facilitating awaydays, branding, marketing/BD strategy and corp teambuilding.

How many people do you know who could say they did that for the Dragons Den crew (for 4 yrs) and could also, say as an example, bring Martin Johnson to the awayday to talk about leadership? I can charge £20k for that and it would cost me £10k to deliver. 10 a year? Job done. And I already have Pinsent Masons asking me to do their awayday.

Not many.

The other trump card I hold is I was appointed to the MCC Cricket Committee this year- I'm the Area Rep for Playing Members in London South- a huge job. MCC black book is gold dust. The Chair of the Cricket Committee is the Chief Global Compliance Director of UBS! Fuck me- if I cracked them as a client I'm home and dry.

capo4th

It's all about contacts in business and it sounds like you have a few, my wife is a marketing director and gets different offers all the time. You need to choose the right options timing is everything.

Go for it! 

Roland

richardhomer said:

God, are we all 50? 

I've always thought of this forum like people in the pub.  We may be slanted towards the middle and older age groups, but there will be a few under age drinkers amongst us.

Gassage said:

I'm also in the fortunate position that in July 2016 I have a substantial lump sum incoming ... Your points re quality of life are also very resonant with me

Let's cut to the chase.  You've reached the point in life where you don't have to chase money to maintain your lifestyle.  An opportunity has arisen to do something interesting.  You want to do it.  You wouldn't have gone public unless you were fairly sure about your decision.  It's a big decision, so you sensibly want other peoples' perspective.  Some of us have been faced with similar decisions.  At the end of the day, despite the logic, the desire for a change, and other peoples' experience, it's still a big decision.

The only questions are:

1.  Is this the right venture?  Only you can answer that.  If not then others will come along.

2.  What do I do if this particular venture goes tits up?".  I guess you've got that one covered.

JFDI.

Gassage

@roland

JFDI indeed.

However, the key is the CBRE gig- the sponsorship.