Why I quit my full-time job as a manager?

Working a full-time job is something normal and obvious for some, and something to escape from for others. As I’m leaving my full-time job to focus solely on my own business (selling books on Amazon and blogging), it’s time to address this interesting topic. This will be my personal and subjective post about working full-time and changing my life towards starting my own business in an online form.

My story in a nutshell

In 2013, I moved to Cracow in search of a more interesting life and positive changes. At first, I worked in a second-hand clothing warehouse, then I delivered food by scooter from restaurants in downtown Cracow. Over time, I became a waiter at the same place and worked in this way for 3 years. I knew I didn’t want to do it, but the necessity of earning money obviously forced me to work. The work itself was fine, but I was sure I wanted something more from life. It wasn’t just about higher earnings, but also about a more interesting life. I wanted to do something that interests and excites me.

At first, I read many books on personal development, biographies of famous figures, and business books. Once I believed in myself enough, set my direction, and gained the necessary knowledge from online courses, I started a business on Amazon. I published my first products in the form of books and slowly started earning more. One of my books even became a bestseller on Amazon, and I knew that Amazon and online business were what I wanted to do in the future.

Full-time job and restaurant manager position

The restaurant where I worked was in a very bad state. The manager left, and the new person selected for the position almost led to the closure of the entire business. What surprised me the most, however, was that the restaurant owner wasn’t interested in his business.

But it didn’t particularly bother me, as I was doing my own thing outside of work and was very excited about it. When the situation in the restaurant became very bad, I was asked to take over the manager position. Initially, I didn’t want to apply for this position, as the company was heading towards failure. Moreover, the manager’s job itself is incredibly demanding and time-consuming. However, I agreed and took on the challenge. It was something big and new for me. Unfortunately, my dedication and long hours at work led me to put aside my Amazon business a bit. Although my products were still selling and bringing me passive income, I stopped publishing new books because I simply didn’t have time for it.

Full-time job—is it worth striving for someone else’s benefit?

I worked as a manager for two and a half years. This was a fully independent job, and I managed a medium-sized restaurant right next to the main market square in Cracow. In less than a year, I got the company (restaurant) up and running and even doubled the turnover in some months. I ensured the smooth operation of the joint, the people, and the marketing. The business was thriving. Anyone who has ever worked in the food industry knows how difficult it is and how hard it is to run a restaurant establishment. I put a lot of energy and heart into my work and provided a significant income for the restaurant. I was very proud of this because several people before me failed in this aspect. I believe I have achieved this through regular work and my knowledge related to online marketing and search engine optimization, which I gained while launching my first products on Amazon and taking online courses.

Bucket of cold water

I remember perfectly how, after less than a year of working as a manager, I achieved the best financial results ever achieved in this restaurant. During a conversation with the owner, I heard the words: “If you don’t like it, goodbye. The costs of running the business are high.” It was like a bucket of cold water.

A few months later, during a larger event at our restaurant, the restaurant owner boasted to the guests that I was making a lot of money for him. I was very happy about it and I never felt bad about it that someone from my work earns much more than me, because I tried very hard and received compensation for it. However, I heard a sentence then, which the restaurant owner said to one of the guests in my presence—”I can fire him at any moment”. It was, of course, about me. After that situation, I decided that it was not worth trying anymore. Especially for someone who does not appreciate my work and get about himself by talking down about me or others.

Returning to Amazon and online business

In a way, I have to thank my former boss. Due to his ignorance and arrogance, I have decided to return to my passions and my business on Amazon. Working full-time was already crossed out in my mind. I started publishing a lot of new products and I dedicated every free moment to working on Amazon. I woke up at 6 a.m. and worked before going to work, where I often spent most of the day for 6 days a week. Within a few months, I have produced several hundred simple automatic products. After a few months from the start, I was already selling 1500 copies monthly. It was the beginning of 2018. I have decided not to leave my job yet, as I wanted to build up a larger financial cushion and apply for a mortgage for half the value of the apartment I wanted to buy in Cracow.

During this time, I continued publishing on Amazon and decided to open my own blog to be able to fully fulfill myself. The blog also provided me with an additional source of income. For a long time, I worked full-time, ran a blog, and sold on Amazon—I had 3 sources of income that allowed me to earn more. I also built up a financial cushion that was meant to help me leave my full-time job. At the end of 2018, I decided to definitively quit my job as a restaurant manager and focus on my own business. Ultimately, my full-time job ended at the end of February 2019.

Full-time job—is it worth it?

Below, I present some of my conclusions. Keep in mind that every job is different and everyone wants something different from life. Personally, I believe there is nothing better than complete freedom and responsibility at the same time. I realize that taking full responsibility for your decisions is difficult and many people will remain in full-time employment. Especially if they are comfortable and well off. I felt great discomfort, and that largely forced me to make a change. I know many people who work full-time and are happy with it. I also know people who were forced to leave a ‘secure’ position because one of their superiors had a whim.

To avoid being so negative—working full-time is also a good first step towards saving capital and earning money. If you want to start a business in a particular industry, a very wise move is to work full-time and gain experience in that field. With time, you can learn a lot, save capital, and start your own business.

Below are my subjective advantages and disadvantages of working full-time. Feel free to comment and share your opinion on this matter. Please write about your pros and cons.

Working a full-time job—advantages:

1. You can learn a lot and get paid for it.

It’s a very good option before starting your own business. If you want to open a restaurant, look for a job as a waiter or restaurant manager—you will avoid many mistakes in the future. The manager’s job taught me how to run a company and how to be more resilient to stress. I do not regret the time spent and I am grateful for this lesson. Paid lesson.

2. You will meet a lot of people and make contacts.

Contacts are very important in life and it is definitely worth working for someone at the beginning, as you can meet many interesting people. It’s best to work in the industry in which you later want to run your business. If, for example, I wanted to specialize in finishing apartments, I would dedicate several years to working for someone, and then I would start my own company. I would then know exactly what to do and who to contact.

3. You will earn your first money.

Work will ensure immediate income for you. You go to work and receive a salary. We all have financial needs. While working full-time, it’s worth saving a part of your earnings, as it will allow you to start your own business in the future.

Working a full-time job—disadvantages:

1. Wasting time

In many cases, working for 8 hours a day is very ineffective. As an entrepreneur, you can achieve much more within 8 hours. An employee compensated on a monthly or hourly basis will never be as effective as someone compensated for achieving specific business goals. When running your own business, you decide how much you work, and no one stops you from working smart and earning 10 times more than in a full-time job with the same number of hours worked.

2. Working a regular job kills our natural entrepreneurship

A fixed salary, a narrow range of duties—it kills the entrepreneur instinct that we all have. Even my job as a manager, which required me to practically run the company on my own, made me behave like an employee, not an entrepreneur. After all, I was receiving a fixed salary and the company was not mine. Why should I sacrifice so much? We always approach our own company differently than we do a regular job—that’s a fact. In a job on a contract, you cannot earn significantly more. By running a business, you are able to significantly increase your earnings, scale your business—then your hard work makes sense. Unfortunately, this principle does not apply in the case of this position. Why should you then make an effort? It’s normal that in such a situation our natural entrepreneurship is being killed.

3. Your hands are tied

In a regular job, you cannot make too many decisions. The decision-making process often takes a long time, and many decisions are made for you. You can be transferred, dismissed, or the company may collapse, etc. Job security is very illusory, as we entrust responsibility for our situation to someone else. Is this convenient, but will anyone take care of us as well as we would take care of ourselves?

4. Lack of freedom