Take it from Jay-Z: “I'm not a businessman. I'm​ a business, man!”

#REALTALK -- This week, I was a guest blogger for Kasozi Associates, a fantastic career coaching company based in Chicago, IL, where I talked about entrepreneurship. As I wrote this blog, I got to thinking about the time right before I decided to start my own business - what an exciting time it was! My 10 minutes of reminiscing with my husband led me to write a new blog post about this critical and nerve-racking transition in my life.

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I spent my entire career working for somebody else and I was A-OK. I met and worked with great people and I had structure every day and a set paycheck every other week. Some days were stressful, but the security blanket that was a successful and reputable company as my employer was glorious.

Fast forward to today, I recently celebrated the first anniversary of my marketing agency, HALCON Marketing Solutions. Making this decision wasn't easy. If you're thinking about quitting your job and starting your own business, I ask you to DIG DEEP. These were a few things I did before I finally took the plunge.

#1: Dip Your Feet Into the Water

When I was interviewed by Kasozi Associates last November, I was only dipping my feet into the water and maintained a full-time job as I started my own business. I was too scared, and I just couldn't quit cold turkey. Some people have the financial security to just go ahead and quit. I, on the other hand, can't even continue to play on a slot machine if I already lost $20, so I'm not much of a risk-taker.

It got busier as more projects trickled in, and I found myself working 8+ hours at my 9-5 job and then working until 2am to complete projects for HALCON. I was utterly drained, and it was quite challenging to be creative when I was mentally and physically exhausted. I couldn't ignore the signs, so I quit my full-time job to focus on building my business. HALCON was supposed to be a consulting firm with me as the sole member, but it has evolved into a full-service boutique agency in just one year. The success of the business helped me make the decision and say, "Wow, this is working! I'm going for it!"

#2: Seek Guidance from CLOSE Family and Friends

The important word in the above tip is CLOSE family and friends. Don't post on Facebook asking for everyone's opinion. Starting your own business will not only affect your life, but your immediate family's lives as well. Your close family and friends also know you enough to tell you the real deal. They won't sugar coat anything, so if they think your product idea is not going to work, they will surely tell you.

I had a LONG talk with my husband before I quit my full-time job. We both went over pros and cons, analyzed our finances, and discussed how this change would affect our time together and potentially our quality of life. Knowing I had the full support of my husband and close family gave me the courage and confidence to start HALCON one year ago.

#3 Ask Yourself "WHY" You Want to Do This

Starting and maintaining your own business is no piece of cake. I had to really ask myself why I wanted to start my own marketing firm. For example, ask yourself, "Do I want to do this because it's my passion and dream, or because I am sick of going to work every day? Am I just tired of my co-workers and boss right now, but if I change scenery, I'd be okay?"

If your business is your PASSION and you have the financial means, time, support and dedication to go for it... GO FOR IT. Just make sure you're doing this all for the right reasons - not because you hate driving to work every morning.

While in Los Angeles and New York City, I had the pleasure of working with some big-name clients and was utterly blessed to work for companies like ESPN, MTV, and FOX Networks. Now, I support entrepreneurs, small businesses, and startups, which has reawakened my love of helping others using the power of marketing. On a day-to-day basis, my small but mighty team and I teach business owners the tools and strategies to grow their brands in a 100% collaborative and fun environment. I am proud of my team and am consistently awed at their creativity and ingenuity. I've always wanted to feel like I was genuinely helping people in my job. At HALCON, I see the results of my hard work and use my skills to help others succeed. It's what I've always been looking for.

At some point, I had enough pros and cons lists to wrap around the earth two times, and the more I went back and forth, the more confused and unfocused I became. I decided to sit back and ask myself, "Are you going to regret not taking this chance, Nicole?" My answer to this question obviously dictated what I did next.

I am extremely lucky that I survived my first year. That said, I still have a very long way to go per the list of short and long-term goals I created for my "little agency that could." My journey has only just begun. 

I'm here to help. If you have any questions or need advice, shoot me an email at contact@halconmarketing.com!