It was 2005, and I was retrenched, I was so confident I could find a job within 2 months, but reality bites, I was a Marketing Specialist with an Internet Data Center company, the problem was, it was too specific and no one really know what Internet Data Center was back then, I was in a wrong market at a wrong time.

What could I do, I sent out thousands of applications went to no less than 100 interviews, but it was really going around the circle, filling in the same application forms even taking assessments, and going through over and over again, it was a frustrating 18 months experience.

I can understand what it feels like during unemployment; as that was ultimately what made me and many people decided to change our career path.

We launched our own business in 2006, it was hard initially, but tell you what, the big difference is expection and the positive attitide. When seeking a job, you would be naturally be more pessmistic as basically you are doing the same thing every day (finding positions on Internet, send out CVs); it’s a routine job, and very disappointed when you found out most of positions advertised were there anyway!

Being a business owner during a start-up phase is different; although equally challenging; you have a much higher expectation and much more passion about what you do, and you will look forward to the new day. The reward is especially different whether big or small, the very first contract you have won, the first sale you have made through your first product, the first customer that walked through your door in the morning.

Starting up a new business, contrary to what many think does not require much (or even any) capital at all, in fact, if you put in the perspective of the time cost; I would say, it is much cheaper than finding  a job. You could spend 3 hours in traffic and waiting time for a 30 minutes interview; or you could spend 3 hours building a new product or send out 100 e-mails to prospective clients.

I am now into my 3rd year of business, we had walked through the tough times of 2008 & 2009 like everyone else, and looking back now, I am glad I have made the decision when I was retrenched, although it was very hard at the beginning; at least I do not need to worry about losing my job everyday now.