I left a job with one of the top CPA and Outsourced CFO firms in the Kansas City area. I loved the firm. I had a steady paycheck, good salary and benefits, great clients, wonderful colleagues, and a work environment that is hard to find in the accounting world. The partners at the firm were my mentors and taught me how to think like a business owner and how to make good business decisions. But, why leave something so good for something that is still unknown?
One word, family.
I didn’t always dream of being a business owner. I didn’t dream of working for myself. I saw too many business owners eating dinner at their desk rather than at home with their family.
However, I did dream about being a good father, husband, neighbor, and friend. I dreamed of coaching my kids’ sports teams. I dreamed of picking my kids up from school or teaching my kids what it means to be a good neighbor. I want to teach them that life sometimes isn’t about accumulation, but it’s about letting go. Even if that something you’re letting go of created so much security for your family.
As I was working in my previous job, I began to wonder if I could create a better life for my family. What if I could structure my work in a way that would allow me to be a more present father to my three kids? What if I could create a business which allowed me to live a middle-class life and focus on the depth of my relationships, rather than the amount in my bank account? What if I could create value for a few select clients using my knowledge I’ve gained over the years without the 50-60 hour workweeks?
Can this be a success? I understand success by how John Wooden defined it by saying “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do your best to become the best you that you are capable of.” That’s all success is to me. My effort towards what I value most in life. Doing my best at what I can control. I will do my work and do it well, then “Let God and Let Go” as they say.