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Would like your professional opinion on a difficult career decision

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Chatty06

New Contributor
User Power
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79%
Jul 13, 2016
19
15
42
Hi All,

I'm contemplating a major career path decision and I would like your professional opinion.

I have 12 years in the finance industry (asset management). I'm currently a VP and I make about 150k/year; however, the work life is just terrible. The hours are 8-5 which is fine but it's nothing but spreadsheets and numbers day in and day out. It's truly lifeless.

I'm an introvert through and through and my dream is to own an online business and work from a home office.

I'm 35 and I really feel like I need to make some decisions on my next career moves. I can either dive deeper into finance and get the CFA, FRM, and CIPM which take 2-3 years a piece to pass and about 600-900 hours per certification or I could create start up a business.

I feel that continuing to build on my career capital can only help my career and earning potential. How much I don't know since I'm already a VP and making decent money. The probability of success is very high. I might even end up getting a higher level job that I enjoy more.

This path is highly probable but it means I'll be doing the corporate gig for another 20-30 years.

On the other hand I can start a business. With this there are a lot of unknowns, which is what worries me the most. My hours could be longer, my pay could be less, and there is a very high probability of failure. However, if it succeeds I could get my dream of working from a home office.

Do I give up my career capital and start at the bottom of the learning curve with business or do I continue to build on my career capital in hope of making more money and speeding up my retirement?

What are your thoughts?
 
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grindmode

Bronze Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
126%
Jan 21, 2017
125
157
Kansas City
Hi All,

I'm contemplating a major career path decision and I would like your professional opinion.

I have 12 years in the finance industry (asset management). I'm currently a VP and I make about 150k/year; however, the work life is just terrible. The hours are 8-5 which is fine but it's nothing but spreadsheets and numbers day in and day out. It's truly lifeless.

I'm an introvert through and through and my dream is to own an online business and work from a home office.

I'm 35 and I really feel like I need to make some decisions on my next career moves. I can either dive deeper into finance and get the CFA, FRM, and CIPM which take 2-3 years a piece to pass and about 600-900 hours per certification or I could create start up a business.

I feel that continuing to build on my career capital can only help my career and earning potential. How much I don't know since I'm already a VP and making decent money. The probability of success is very high. I might even end up getting a higher level job that I enjoy more.

This path is highly probable but it means I'll be doing the corporate gig for another 20-30 years.

On the other hand I can start a business. With this there are a lot of unknowns, which is what worries me the most. My hours could be longer, my pay could be less, and there is a very high probability of failure. However, if it succeeds I could get my dream of working from a home office.

Do I give up my career capital and start at the bottom of the learning curve with business or do I continue to build on my career capital in hope of making more money and speeding up my retirement?

What are your thoughts?
Sounds like your asking something YOU ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER YOU WANT AND KNOW YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THROUGH WITH...but you are "seeking permission" from other's which is normal in your type of scenario...

You can't be a complete idiot and lazy slacker with a current job being a VP correct? You know that your NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY CONTINUING YOUR JOB AND WILL OR IN YOUR OWN WORDS DESCRIBED SOMETHING I READ AS, "I will be selling my soul officially and then living as a zombie BUT I will have a job with some structure that I'm comfortable in with a decent salary which is scary to walk away from...". Not being rude or negative but does this sound like reality?

Your absolutely right, you could quit and take action on starting your own business(s) while you could not just make less but ultimately never succeed, worst case scenario. Would you rather lay on your death bed knowing you busted your @ss pursuing your dreams even if you hypothetically never reached them.... that feeling would be much better than laying in your death bed "wondering what if and regretting not having tried"....

Ultimately, if you force yourself to think as failure is not an option and you are already successful instead of thinking "maybe one day I will be...", you will do big things and become unstoppable...

The real question again you already answered yourself or know the answer what your asking...
 

juan917

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
181%
Jul 27, 2015
471
852
32
With that type of income I'm sure you have some savings? I would invest in real estate.
 

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