My First Why
Twelve years ago, I was a pretty happy IT worker. I not only enjoyed working with technology, but also loved helping people. So helping people with their technology problems was a great job for me.
But I was really interested in getting into more cybersecurity, so when my company introduced a new security role, I was excited.
The Catch
I went through all of the steps to officially apply for the position and awaited for my interview. I even asked the Head of HR several times to see when it would be scheduled.
Then, the CIO asked me into his office. He explained to me how they couldn't consider me for the new position. "We need you where you are."
That might sound good, but the entire IT staff was well under the low end of wages for their positions. At least the people who had been there for more than a year. And all we ever heard was how they were trying to get management to approve an increase for us.
My head was already filling with angry thoughts as he started down the "You're really valuable and we don't want to lose you" part of the discussion. He promised about a future 'management' position that I would be "perfect" for.
But then he said the phrase that almost caused me to blow my stack. "It would cost us too much to replace you."
I didn't hear anything else after that. The conversation ended and as I walked back to my office, I figured there was a 50/50 chance I didn't leave right then and there.
I was able to contain my anger long enough to get a new job. After I gave my notice, the CIO scheduled a meeting where the department would discuss all of my duties and who would take on each task.
He sat there in the meeting, staring at the page - 2 columns, front and back - finally realizing what was really happening.
But it didn't get better
I would love to tell you that my next job was a perfect place to work for with great pay, caring managers, and lots of upward mobility.
But this blog wouldn't exist if that was the case.
The owners were step-brothers. Both had owned one-man IT shops, supporting the IT for a handful of businesses. They merged together and hired a couple of men to man the phones and take care of simple things.
But each the owners were still stuck doing the tech for their main clients. They needed some help at a higher level who could take some of the load off and fill in for them so they could take vacations. That was supposed to be me.
Unfortunately, everything I needed to do my job was trapped in their heads. I really couldn't do anything unless they were around to provide the needed details. The clients that knew them well didn't like being handed off to the new guy, and I don't blame them. I couldn't help them anywhere near as well as the owners could.
Six weeks in, they took me into the conference room before I went home sick. They explained that I wasn't meeting their expectations. All I could think was, "There were expectations? Would have been nice to know what they were." They sent me home and said they would call me in a few days with a final decision.
They called me to "officially" fire me several days later by voicemail, while I was interviewing for another company.
No More
And that was when I decided I needed to find a way to not be dependent on bad companies or bad managers to make a living. I needed something else.
My next job started out part-time, but I had a lot of free time. I was paid to be in the office three days a week in case clients called with tech issues. There were two clients at the time, so there was a lot of free time.
I started looking for things online, and I found some free courses at Alison.com and learned about making money online through affiliate marketing. Even just $1000 a month would make a huge difference.
So I spent my free time learning about building websites, WordPress, autoresponders, and all the tech side of running an online business.
I knew this would be my path to financial freedom.
Randall Hall
I have spent over 30 years in the IT industry doing, but now I am helping people learn to take charge of their retirement with an online business.
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Helping people take charge of their retirement with an online income.