Do these questions sound familiar to you? Maybe you have said them yourself. Today people in society have no patience. Having to wait is like torture to some people. We want things done and done now – pronto – STAT! Fast food-Microwavable meals – instant messaging – you name it we got it today. But what is this doing to our society?

                Impatience-ness causes mistakes. Mistakes can cost you – money, job, family, even your life. Here we are in the second month of a new year and it seems like just yesterday we just celebrated Christmas.  I use to say “time surely does fly by fast”, but time is not flying we are rushing it. Today we are such in a rush we now have road rage, fighting in grocery store lines over someone having more than 20 items in the “Express Line”. We are living in an age where mothers and fathers are leaving small children at home or in the car to make a quick run to the store because they are too impatient to take the time to get their children ready or out the car. Only to find their child(ren) injured or even dead when they return.

                The answer – SLOW DOWN! WAIT! Running red lights and stop signs can only get you to your destination a few minutes faster but is a few minutes worth the life that could have been or was lost because you were just in big of a hurry?! Stop over spending and you won’t get so frustrated and angry that your direct deposit takes two days to post to your account. Fast food = Unhealthy, over weight America. Take the time to cook and sit down with your family sometimes.  And for goodness sakes GO TO BED! Most of the time the reason why we are so antsy and agitated is due to a lack of proper rest, poor diet, and just busy doing nothing! The best advice I can offer –  

Slow Down!

                These are the questions I have been asking myself over and over and over again. Then finally one day it hit me – I have become a SLAVE TO CORPORATE AMERICA.  I have been working for a company for over four years now in a position that I am overly qualified to be in.  Yes, I have done all the “right” things to move up – dressed for the job you want, networked, played the “Corporate game”, talked to the right people, but still after applying several times for positions which I have the education, the knowledge, experience and skills necessary to be successful in a career I continuously am getting overlooked, rejected or the position was just simply held for the “perfect candidate”. Yet I get up day after day after day rushing into a job which brings no satisfaction or fulfillment.

                But it’s not just me who is held in slavery. I’ve seen numerous people come to work with walking pneumonia, the flu, return early from major surgery early or shorten their maternity time because they are afraid of losing their jobs for whatever reason. Moms and dads have missed out on important events and moments in their children lives. Marriages have been strained because a spouse travels so frequently. People risk their lives, health, and safety driving several miles to work in stormy, snowy, icy weather conditions because the company cared more about making money than their employees. There are so  many people have died right on the job or on the way to a job or just after leaving a job from stress, and guess what? While these people lives have ended the company continues   and that job is filled by the next poor soul.

                I have to ask myself again, is it worth it? The paycheck, those “benefits”, the pension package -  you know those “perks” that come with that stressful unfulfilling job.  Is this job worth me dragging myself out of bed every morning to a job that is unfulfilling plus having to put up with people rudeness,  sitting in a position where the time, money, energy and effort it took to earn my degrees are wasting away? NO! No it is not.

                So I have decided to break the chains of slavery and take a leap, step out on faith, take a chance, risk it all, whatever you want to call it. I have decided enough is enough – I’m leaving this dead end job! With all the education, work experience, talent, skills, knowledge I have I’m sure I can find a career where I am valued. What about you?

The University of Alabama Birmingham has a program to help with this solution.  The Information Engineering and Management (IEM) program is a graduate program designed to provide working professional with the tool necessary to meet the demand of changing working environment. This program affords its clients the opportunity, not just to become leaders, but entrepreneurs and business owners. Through this program many clients have successfully broken away from corporate life into a stressed-free, passion-fulfilled life doing the things they are most passionate about.  Plan It Right Consulting is one of the newly formed businesses which were developed by way of the IEM program. 

Plan It Right Consulting is an event planning business designed to meet the needs of public and private organizations and businesses. Plan It Right Consulting specializes in detailed event planning offering everything needed for any event from start to finish. 

Plan It Right Consulting is hosting its first business exposition, entitled StartUP Expo. This is a casual event is designed to promote the entrepreneurship of newly formed small business owners as well as small businesses who are struggling to stay in business for both technology and non-technology industries.  With the changes in Corporate America, many talented individuals are embracing the ideas of many successful entrepreneurs.  

The purpose of this event is to plan, market, and execute a tradeshow for new small business owners or independent consultants affording them the opportunity to showcase their products and/or services. Start Up Expo will target technical as well as non-technical small business owners. The targeted vendors include:1) current and alumni IEM clients and 2) local small business owners who a) are starting their own business, b) have been in business for no more than two years; or c) have been in business longer than two years but business is struggling and looking to rebuild.

It is desired that this will be the first of many expos to help newly formed small businesses. It is my desire to take this expo across the state. Please stay tuned for more information.

Those were my thoughts about a year and a half ago. Today I can say I have no regrets taking a chance on this program. My life, my thought pattern, my prespective on life all have changed. I have discovered things about myself that I really didn’t know, and learning yourself is not an easy thing to do.

Before IEM I was the person who thought you had to work a 9 to 5 for 25 to 30 years working for some major, well-known corporation who gave you a pay check every other week for sitting in a cubical completing “tasks” was the path of success. BOY WAS I WRONG! Today Corporate America is quickly changing and right before our eyes. Plants, Mills, and Assembly Warehouses have chains on their doors. Banks are merging left and right. Major companies are filing bankruptcy or just going out of business. Every week I talk to at least 2 or 3 people who tell me they are being laid off, just was laid off or the saddest cases was laid off months ago with no potential employment in sight.

I am so glad that I decided to get into the IEM program. Today, I’m ready to leave my current employer and be my own boss. I no longer want anyone else to control my life, make decisions about my future, or set the pathway for me. For my final project I am working on developing my business. I am planning to use my talents, skills, and knowledge and execute a business event that would not just benefit me but those like me – the over worked, underpaid, under appreciated employee who is tired of going through the motions.

For the next few months I will be posting my progress on this project. I welcome feedback and advice.