TFLF Brothers and Sisters - I'd like to say sorry in advance for the length of my introduction. This has been a long-time coming and a work in progress for many years. But, finally - something snapped today and it became "that day" to do this... I don't expect anything from y'all other than allowing me the opportunity to post this. It has been truly cathartic in just writing this out for the VERY FIRST TIME... 
SO, here goes...
------------------------------------------------------
Howdy Y'all,
My name is Dennis and for 25 years, I have been a Serial Slowlaner. :-(
But before I go any further, let's start with a bit of my backstory.
At the time of this writing, I am a 51 years old Gen-Xer. I am married to the love of my life, Tracey. She has graced me with 2 handsome boys, Trayden (17) and Devon (15).
I am originally from Fort Worth, TX but we live in the Pacific Northwest within a small suburb about an hour north of Seattle, WA.
For 25+ years, I have done what other "Slow Laners" were "supposed" to do. I went to school, getting both an BS in Business Management and a MBA. I have worked for small companies and some of the world's largest corporations. So, I have learned a little bit of stuff throughout my 51 revolutions around the Sun.
BUT...{cue the omnious, scary music}
I recently became the terrible cliche that someone of my generation fears will happen to them.
I GOT LAID OFF! In fact, both my wife (53) and I got laid off within 45 days of one another. In a proverbial instance, we lost our collective $250k a year income.
Thank you C0VlD-19, Thank you Collapse of the Worldwide Air Travel industry and Thank you to the one of the World's largest Manufacturers of Airplanes for having the worst experience of its corporate existence...(I'm sure you can figure out what I am talking about.)
So, NOW - for the first time in my and our adult lives, we are unemployed; a bit lost - but my and our spirit is not broken.
Why am I here? That's an interest question with an embarrassing answer.
See, I do have some entrepreneurial skills. I built a Web Conferencing business between 2001 and 2008 before Webex, ZOOM, GoToMeeting or the likes of any these companies were "thing". In fact, the biggest thing going at the time was AIM, ICQ and VNC.
There was no concept of webinars, there was no concept of working remotely and there was limited, primate options for virtual learning, etc. etc.
My team of 4 and I built these companies to a meager level of success where I was able to support me and my young family for 7 years. Maybe, we were able to eek out enough to pay each of us about $5k per month back in the day - barely Ramen Profitable.
But, as the needs and responsibilities of my young family grew, I slowly began to lose faith and give up on my dream of freedom.
I succumbed to the pressure of needing steady income, health insurance and the illusion of "safety". I abandoned my entrepreneurial dreams for the "security" of what I now know as the "slow lane".
I spent the next 13-ish years as a Corporate IT Drone doing my part to "build the world's best airliners". I learned how to be a decent Project Manager for IT projects, I got promoted into Management and was able to grow and lead a team of 50+ other Corporate IT Drones.
Unbeknownst to me, I developed a reputation of being a Professional Fixer who takes troubled projects, underperforming workgroups, and rebuild and restore team productivity and help them achieve the overall organization’s objectives. BUT - I never learned how to play Organizational Politics...hence - my current predicament.
But over the past 13 years, I have panged (and grieved) for what I gave up, as I now see (through perfect 20/20 hindsight) that I was probably only a few months away from striking the "vein of gold" that I always sought. I yearned to return but allowed fear of another "failure" to strangle me and my dreams!
And, as such, I wandered like the lost Israelites in the proverbial Internet Desert. I chased mirages and fell victim to false prophets promoting Internet riches. I pissed away my 40s with ABSOLUTELY nothing to friggin' show for it other than lost hours chasing thread after thread on the WarriorForum, and 10s of $1,000s of dollars on a hard-drive full of "entrepreneurial" mumbo-jumbo believing that somehow just having the courses, the books and the videos would automagically bestow magical success and let riches rain down upon me from the from Internet heavens like the player of the Lottery believes they will WIN IT BIG - if they buy just one more ticket.
BUT - ENOUGH!!! is ENOUGH!!! screams a voice inside my head!
There's a point that a Man must man-up, finally get sick and tired of being sick and tired. I believe I have reached this point.
But, my old friends, Self-Doubt and Fear, are whispering for my attention.
This is why I believe I have found my way to this group. I am seeking the company of the kindred spirits of my TFLF Brothers and Sisters. I am looking to make some new friends.
Given my family's current predicament, I starting with $0. So, I am listing and looking to sell some unused and unneeded crap from around the house to raise some "startup funds".
I am currently listening to TMF and will proceed into Unscripted afterwards. I am technologically literate. I know my way around the theory associated with the business fundamentals. I know my way around Web Hosting and I know how to install and configure Wordpress sites. I am able to brainstorm business ideas for other people like nobody's business. BUT... But... but...
Being a Philomath, I lack the clarity for where to focus my attention for is what is needed in the world today. Are my "corporate" skills valuable in the "real world". Will people pay for a "Fixer", where & how do I find these "jobs"?
This is why I am hear at TFLF. I am seeking clarity, seeking guidance (through the collective experience) of this group. And, finally - looking to give back in any way I can to help a Brother or Sister out with something they are struggling with.
It is my goal, my objective to be on the forum daily. Start my own progress thread, post to it. It is my intention to contribute where and how I can - without seeking anything (other than knowledge) in return.
Time to wake up, and exit the Corporate "Matrix"...to shake off the shackles and finally seek the freedom and independence I crave for me and my family.
Thanks for your time...IF you got thru all of this. This is the first step in my new journey of re-birth.
Dennis
SO, here goes...------------------------------------------------------
Howdy Y'all,
My name is Dennis and for 25 years, I have been a Serial Slowlaner. :-(
But before I go any further, let's start with a bit of my backstory.
At the time of this writing, I am a 51 years old Gen-Xer. I am married to the love of my life, Tracey. She has graced me with 2 handsome boys, Trayden (17) and Devon (15).
I am originally from Fort Worth, TX but we live in the Pacific Northwest within a small suburb about an hour north of Seattle, WA.
For 25+ years, I have done what other "Slow Laners" were "supposed" to do. I went to school, getting both an BS in Business Management and a MBA. I have worked for small companies and some of the world's largest corporations. So, I have learned a little bit of stuff throughout my 51 revolutions around the Sun.
BUT...{cue the omnious, scary music}
I recently became the terrible cliche that someone of my generation fears will happen to them.
I GOT LAID OFF! In fact, both my wife (53) and I got laid off within 45 days of one another. In a proverbial instance, we lost our collective $250k a year income.
Thank you C0VlD-19, Thank you Collapse of the Worldwide Air Travel industry and Thank you to the one of the World's largest Manufacturers of Airplanes for having the worst experience of its corporate existence...(I'm sure you can figure out what I am talking about.)
So, NOW - for the first time in my and our adult lives, we are unemployed; a bit lost - but my and our spirit is not broken.
Why am I here? That's an interest question with an embarrassing answer.
See, I do have some entrepreneurial skills. I built a Web Conferencing business between 2001 and 2008 before Webex, ZOOM, GoToMeeting or the likes of any these companies were "thing". In fact, the biggest thing going at the time was AIM, ICQ and VNC.
There was no concept of webinars, there was no concept of working remotely and there was limited, primate options for virtual learning, etc. etc.
My team of 4 and I built these companies to a meager level of success where I was able to support me and my young family for 7 years. Maybe, we were able to eek out enough to pay each of us about $5k per month back in the day - barely Ramen Profitable.
But, as the needs and responsibilities of my young family grew, I slowly began to lose faith and give up on my dream of freedom.
I succumbed to the pressure of needing steady income, health insurance and the illusion of "safety". I abandoned my entrepreneurial dreams for the "security" of what I now know as the "slow lane".
I spent the next 13-ish years as a Corporate IT Drone doing my part to "build the world's best airliners". I learned how to be a decent Project Manager for IT projects, I got promoted into Management and was able to grow and lead a team of 50+ other Corporate IT Drones.
Unbeknownst to me, I developed a reputation of being a Professional Fixer who takes troubled projects, underperforming workgroups, and rebuild and restore team productivity and help them achieve the overall organization’s objectives. BUT - I never learned how to play Organizational Politics...hence - my current predicament.
But over the past 13 years, I have panged (and grieved) for what I gave up, as I now see (through perfect 20/20 hindsight) that I was probably only a few months away from striking the "vein of gold" that I always sought. I yearned to return but allowed fear of another "failure" to strangle me and my dreams!
And, as such, I wandered like the lost Israelites in the proverbial Internet Desert. I chased mirages and fell victim to false prophets promoting Internet riches. I pissed away my 40s with ABSOLUTELY nothing to friggin' show for it other than lost hours chasing thread after thread on the WarriorForum, and 10s of $1,000s of dollars on a hard-drive full of "entrepreneurial" mumbo-jumbo believing that somehow just having the courses, the books and the videos would automagically bestow magical success and let riches rain down upon me from the from Internet heavens like the player of the Lottery believes they will WIN IT BIG - if they buy just one more ticket.
BUT - ENOUGH!!! is ENOUGH!!! screams a voice inside my head!
There's a point that a Man must man-up, finally get sick and tired of being sick and tired. I believe I have reached this point.
But, my old friends, Self-Doubt and Fear, are whispering for my attention.
This is why I believe I have found my way to this group. I am seeking the company of the kindred spirits of my TFLF Brothers and Sisters. I am looking to make some new friends.
Given my family's current predicament, I starting with $0. So, I am listing and looking to sell some unused and unneeded crap from around the house to raise some "startup funds".
I am currently listening to TMF and will proceed into Unscripted afterwards. I am technologically literate. I know my way around the theory associated with the business fundamentals. I know my way around Web Hosting and I know how to install and configure Wordpress sites. I am able to brainstorm business ideas for other people like nobody's business. BUT... But... but...
Being a Philomath, I lack the clarity for where to focus my attention for is what is needed in the world today. Are my "corporate" skills valuable in the "real world". Will people pay for a "Fixer", where & how do I find these "jobs"?
This is why I am hear at TFLF. I am seeking clarity, seeking guidance (through the collective experience) of this group. And, finally - looking to give back in any way I can to help a Brother or Sister out with something they are struggling with.
It is my goal, my objective to be on the forum daily. Start my own progress thread, post to it. It is my intention to contribute where and how I can - without seeking anything (other than knowledge) in return.
Time to wake up, and exit the Corporate "Matrix"...to shake off the shackles and finally seek the freedom and independence I crave for me and my family.
Thanks for your time...IF you got thru all of this. This is the first step in my new journey of re-birth.
Dennis
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