What are the differences between a corporate career and entrepreneurship and which option works best for a parent’s lifestyle? Today I’m going to share my experiences working both types of jobs and share the pros and cons of each, including how that applies to parenthood.

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I have a background working corporate jobs including for brands like O’Neill and Hurley. While these companies are both relatively small businesses, they are established companies that paid me on a consistent basis and gave me benefits etc.

I also have my own business Bodomint, where I design and sell diaper bags and handbags, which I have been running for almost 9 years now. So I have experience in both of these worlds while also having 3 kids.

Stability vs. Freedom

I would say the overall theme of the benefits of a corporate career is stability. It’s knowing that things will be consistent. While the theme of having your own startup business is freedom. So freedom versus stability. Let’s break down the perks of both.

The Perks of a Corporate Job or Career

#1: Stable Paycheck

Having a stable paycheck is a huge perk and the stability itself offers some freedom. If that paycheck is enough to sustain you and your family’s needs then that does offer a sense of freedom, right? You’re not stressing about the financial aspect of life. You know your bills are going to be paid, you’re paying into your retirement, etc. That’s obviously a huge benefit and offers a certain peace of mind.

However, I also want to say that having a startup doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t have financial stability. It’s just that chances are that it will be a struggle, but there is potential for huge financial success. Unfortunately, it’s not guaranteed.

#2: Benefits

Another perk of having a corporate job is the benefits like your 401k and especially your health insurance. When I worked for Hurley, it was owned by Nike at the time. And Nike is just known for having the best benefits for its employees. We had a great 401k that did matching up to 6%. The health insurance was amazing. Even when I went to the doctor, there were a couple of times they said, “I’ve never seen health insurance cover this before” and they were surprised. Nike also covered mental health and life insurance.

My family’s favorite benefit when I worked for Hurley/Nike was that they got 40% off of anything from Nike or Hurley. My parents, spouse, brothers, and sisters (including in-laws) all got their own accounts to shop online. My family was so bummed when I quit.

#3: Social Interaction

I would say the thing that I miss the most about a corporate career is social interaction. I miss the consistent interaction with other adults that I could commiserate with about whatever life was handing me either at home or at work. It’s nice knowing there are people in the same boat as you and that are part of your community that you see every day.

Not only that, but you can get ideas and inspiration from other people. When I was teaching college classes I really liked interacting with the students. It kind of gave me a finger on the pulse of what was happening in the fashion industry, what college-aged students were into, or what brands were trending.

Honestly, I wouldn’t have thought that I would miss that as much as I do. I’m an introvert. I often like spending time alone, that’s where I get my energy. But we all need human connection in our lives and work is a good place to do it without having to be vulnerable and make plans with people.

#4: Defined Schedule

Another great benefit of having a traditional corporate job is that your time is more defined. That can sound a little bit constraining, but I found it to be helpful in some ways. You have a separate space and time for work to be done. This is the time to be working. This is the time to be cleaning the house or making dinner. It is a relief in some ways to be able to have that defined for you.

For example, I did not have my kids around me while I was trying to work at my corporate job. This summer my kids have been home a lot more than they are during the school year. I’m trying to get some work done while they’re here and there’s just a lot of chaos. It’s really hard to focus and get work done.

Also, other people understand corporate job schedule restrictions better than when you’re trying to enforce your own schedule. And maybe this is just me speaking from living next door to my mom who does a lot of babysitting for me. She also babysat for me while I worked my corporate job.

Other people think, “Oh, you’re at work. I won’t bother you. You’re reporting to someone that needs you to get that work done.” But when you’re at home trying to do work for your own business, people think, “Oh, you’re here! Let me just chat with you.” It’s harder to set those boundaries. (But you know I love you, Mom!)

#5: Master a Specialty

At a corporate job, you may get the chance to really dive into a specialty and understand it. You’re learning one specific part of the business and you can learn a lot about it. You know that saying “A Jack of all trades and a master of none.” You could become a master of a specific trade at a corporate job and that’s something to feel proud of, especially if it’s a topic you’re really interested in.

I will say that the degree of specialization varies from company to company. When I worked at La Jolla Group, I worked for a brand that was relatively small and I had my hands in a lot of different aspects of the business. I was doing trend research, product development, and design. Whereas in bigger corporations, there’s someone that just does design, someone that just does tech packs, someone just for product development or just for production.

Read More: How I Started My Own Bag Company

The Perks of Entrepreneurship or Your Own Business

#1: Schedule Freedom

Freedom is the key word for me when it comes to the perks of having your own business. One of the biggest elements of freedom you get is “schedule freedom”. So if your kids have sports or activities at school, or you want to go on that field trip with your kids, you can do it. You don’t have to report to anyone. You just go and do it. For example, I recently went on a vacation and I didn’t have to ask for that time off and I didn’t feel guilty or like I was a bad employee.

I remember when I had a corporate job and I would have time off for a dentist appointment or maybe I’d be out to lunch, I would look around and wonder how all these people are out doing things. I’d think, “Don’t they have jobs? How do they have this much freedom?” Which was funny because I was also out at that moment, but I remember being envious of the freedom.

Now having my own business I do have more freedom in my schedule. I’ll think, “I’m going to hit up the grocery store right now while the kids are in school so I don’t have to bring them with me,” or “I just need a break and some fresh air. I’m going to take a 30-minute break,” and I don’t have to explain that to anyone. That’s definitely “schedule freedom”.

#2: Creative Freedom

Creative freedom is the most significant reason I chose to have my own business. I did have a little bit of creative freedom as a designer for corporate companies, but I was designing for a target customer that wasn’t me. Also, they weren’t designs that I was passionate about.

Having my own startup and designing my own products fulfills my need for creativity which matters to me.

I learned a lot from being a designer for a target customer that wasn’t like me and that helped me to become a better designer. I could see what the trends were and how to apply that to a particular brand or customer. I still use those skills today, but I enjoy the freedom I have now to design things that are beautiful to me, that I would use in my own life, and that customers that are similar to me will also enjoy.

I also get to style my Instagram, style my photo shoots, tell photographers what I’m looking for, pick the colors and logos for my brand. That’s the kind of creative freedom that makes running my own business worth it for me.

I’ve always just had this need that I must be creative. Having Bodomint has been that lifeline for me, especially as a mom when most of my time is so focused on my kids’ needs. Now I feel like my career can fulfill my needs for me because I have that creative freedom.

#3: Breadth of Knowledge

Another perk of owning your own business is that it gives you the opportunity to learn all aspects of running a business. You’re always learning.

I really enjoy that about having my own business. I get to learn about marketing. I get to learn about tracking my finances, customer service, and building a website. I enjoy learning all those different aspects of business.

#4: Location Freedom

I can kind of do my job anywhere. Sometimes I need a change of scenery from my home or my she shed. So I will go to a local coworking space. There’s one near me that overlooks the bay. It’s beautiful. Honestly, sometimes a change of scenery really helps me get more work done. Plus, seeing a lot of people working and hustling, that motivates me.

Is a Corporate Career or Entrepreneurship the Right Choice for You?

Deciding whether a corporate job or entrepreneurship is for you is really a personal choice. Obviously, you have to consider:

1. Your risk tolerance
2. Do you have a passion for entrepreneurship?
3. Your own financial situation
4. Where will you get health benefits?

Test Your Business First

Regarding your financial situation, one great way to start your business is to do it while you also have a corporate job. You can test out your business to make sure that:

1. it is a viable business
2. You’ve done your market research
3. Your product is validated
4. You know that there’s a good profit margin

before you decide to quit your corporate job and start relying on the income from your startup.

Read More: How to Have Your Products Made

So I’m not advocating for you to quit your corporate career and do a startup if that’s not something that works for you at this time, but you can work your way towards that if the perks of entrepreneurship seem meaningful to you and help fulfill you creatively.

Free Product Launch Guide

If you enjoyed this episode then you’ll love the Free Product Launch Guide that goes into more detail about creating a solid foundation and making samples before you launch your business.