Over a decade ago during the Great Recession, I was chatting with my teenage son and college-age daughter. We were discussing how they might begin to consider how they will navigate an uncertain future and what it might look like going forward.
They were already accepting those career paths forged in the past were no longer going to be the same. It would continue to change and evolve at a quickening pace.
During our discussion, they made interesting points, "We have to diversify - to create streams of income" They also said, "We have to see ourselves as our own brand".
I wasn't sure I liked the last comment about being a brand. It was as if they wanted to become a marketable object. But upon further consideration, I realized they meant they would take charge of how they navigated their career and do it differently.
In fact, it is what I had done for almost all my life in the roles of both employee and entrepreneur. I was always the brand.
They saw it and knew it early on...
But businesses were slow to adapt to the changes happening in the workforce, ignoring those who were burnt out, overwhelmed, and unfulfilled.
And subsequently, the repercussions of the Pandemic affecting the workforce -creating the Great Resignation. Many have left to launch their own businesses while companies are scrambling to create better, more employee-centric offerings in their businesses in the hopes to continue to retain valuable talent.
However, what about the individual? Are we all 'naturally' entrepreneurial? Not everyone is suited or in the position to endure the risks and financial uncertainty. And yet, so many have left the workforce -seeking entrepreneurship -desiring to control their earnings, and how they live in work.
Is this the answer to the Great Resignation? Or perhaps it will continue to evolve and change as my kids had forecasted.
I am a strong advocate for women becoming entrepreneurs because it offers the ability to create a resilient life and career path so we can continue to work and remain relevant while scaling up and down to answer to our personal life goals. But as mentioned...It is not for everyone. (Maybe there is a workaround?)
Can we adopt a way to live and work flexibly? Not all of us naturally know how to do this. It requires we develop our own framework and structure. I have had to create the skills, habits, and boundaries to navigate entrepreneurship over decades. I speak with others about this on my podcast with my guests and solos. It takes effort to create structure in our businesses - for our lives and work.
We are seeing the growing pains now as companies are grappling with remote work, hybrid work, and reorganizing how they will keep their employees connected, cared for, and happy. We are all in flux and growth is never easy.
But I am hopeful that we can begin to act as entrepreneurs of our brand -as my kids were speaking about over a decade ago. Those who may not be able to work for themselves completely could develop characteristics that will serve them going forward.
Consider this...
If we develop ourselves as a brand (keenly aware of our strengths, skills, our value) and continue to be able to recreate how to deliver them and adopt the characteristics of entrepreneurs (able to recognize opportunity, innovate and implement) we can navigate change and continue to design and redesign our work and lives.
If we can become entrepreneurs of our own brand - ourselves - we can develop personal resilience and seek what works best for our lives and career as we traverse a multi-stage life, through to extended working years. (Many are working into their 70's)
Where once we worked towards life and career goals outside of us, we now live and work with our personal goals in mind -utilizing our unique talents and reinventing how we will implement them- be it in our own businesses, side businesses, or moving in out of the roles of employee and entrepreneur.
We weave our brand flexibly to live and work sustainably
Indeed -I am hopeful for women especially -to embrace this mindset and to continue to work, develop a business on the side, or go all-in as an entrepreneur eventually if they choose. Additionally, businesses - more now than ever - are seeking those who exemplify an entrepreneurial skillset.
Whether employed or self-employed - if we embrace our brand, we can become entrepreneurs for ourselves (our brand) throughout life and in so doing...remain relevant.
While companies work to develop how they will navigate these changes - we too must consider our part in how we will do the same and take charge of our own journey.
Find out more about the author,( speaker,founder, podcast host): Elizabeth Ribons
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