I’m Incorporated. But Mainly a Busy Dad.

Do I have a business now? No, not really.

I may well be registered with Companies House, and officially be a ‘director’ of my own business, but let’s be honest, I’m a director of nothing. I don’t even have a product!

But hey, let’s acknowledge the small steps.

It’s been a super busy month. Much busier than I thought it would be. I’m supposed to be taking a career break. That’s not quite worked out.

I’m still not entirely sure what I’m going to do, but I did make one pretty significant decision this month. I turned a job down.

A good job. One that offered progression in my career and, importantly, security for my family.

But I’ve got this itch. A really big bloody itch that I can’t let pass. And the only way I’m ever going to know where it goes is by following it.

I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty damn scared.

But my wife and kids have been awesome. Especially my wife. She’s deliberately shared no strong opinion on what I should do. She simply says, “Do what makes you happy.”

And turning that job down made me feel… happy-ish!

Other than the potential career suicide, I’ve actually achieved quite a lot this month.

I’ve appointed an R&D team to start working on the recipe. I’ve had lots of good feedback on the idea and, importantly, confirmation that what I want to make is actually feasible.

There are concerns about how all the ingredients will work together, but they believe we can do it. More importantly, they genuinely believe in the proposition and the idea.

It’s super motivating when people who have no connection to me, professionally or personally, back the idea and want to work on it. These moments feel significant. They give me energy and a bit more confidence that maybe we’re heading in the right direction with something.

We’ve also kicked off some consumer research. 

I’m not a massive believer in research for research’s sake, but it’s important that I understand whether consumers actually accept or reject the idea, and what I need to do to improve it.

It feels like another big moment. They could completely reject it.

In which case I’ll be back on the phone to the recruiter with my tail between my legs!

But most importantly, I’m properly present with my family.

I do the school run each way, every day. The house is spotless. Well, my version of spotless. I’ve even started finding things in the house without asking my wife where they are.

Progress.

The weeks feel really big at the moment.

I’m trying not to let them, but they do.

There are moments in your life when the choices you make can have a huge impact on your future. I keep telling myself I have time. No decision I’m making is irreversible. I know that.

But the mind can wander.

And I can’t help thinking about another huge moment in my life, back when I was 25.

I had a good sales job, a fancy company car and a deposit down on my first house. I thought I had what I wanted.

Then things changed pretty quickly.

I got paid off and booted out of the company. Ouch.

The money made it easier, so naturally I jumped straight back into the job hunt. Another sales job. Another company.

“What car does it come with?”

Really, Will? FFS.

Something just didn’t feel right.

So I changed the plan.

I pulled out of buying the house. Stopped the job hunt. And bought a one-way ticket to South America to volunteer.

Again, I was terrified I was throwing my career away. But deep down, I knew I needed to do it. When I actually stopped and asked myself the question, I wasn’t happy.

My family supported me, so I went.

I was supposed to go for three months.

Three years later I came home, with a new career in the travel industry and, rather more importantly, my future wife.

That decision changed the entire direction of my life. And definitely for the better.

I had the best time of my life in Argentina. I said ‘yes’ to as many things as I could, experienced life in a completely different way and fell in love.

That single decision was brave, unconventional and risky.

And I’m so glad I made it.

So I can’t help wondering whether this is another one of those moments.

Will I make the right decision?

I genuinely don’t bloody know.

But I guess I’m going to find out.