Ross Kingsland: when should you give up the day job?
Leaving your day job to start your own business can be
exhilarating – but it can also be one of the most terrifying experiences
of an entrepreneurs’ life. Virgin StartUp mentor Ross Kingsland talks about his decision to take the plunge and go it alone.
“I never wanted to be an entrepreneur. In fact, my parents had warned
me against it. “Get a good job with a pension” was their advice when I
left university. However, I didn’t realise that entrepreneurship was in
my DNA.
My father had been an average entrepreneur, going from running a
lifestyle magazine of the rich and famous in swinging London to managing
a young Tom Jones. But his financial success had always been under the
employ of someone else.
He was always looking for the next opportunity; I remember him
sitting me down at the age of eight and retelling his favourite story,
of the impressive negotiation to construct a palace in Saudi Arabia for
kings and princes. He was making suggestions to the royal clients in
order to improve their palace and make it the ultimate possession. I was
enthralled as he was a great story-teller and knew how to bring the
characters and situations to life, even though I was too young to
understand the meaning behind the story.
After university I was headhunted by a leading management consultancy
and was handsomely rewarded for the very long hours and travel that I
put in. But the more money I earned, the less personal life I had.
While working at the consultancy I began studying psychology and, in
particular, the science of inspiration that I could use to influence
others on an unconscious level. I was fascinated by the politics in
organisations that my colleagues were involved in and what psychological
games they would play on an unconscious level.
Developing a system in secret, I tested it out on my colleagues,
staff and directors as well as in the field. Refining the system took
over 7 years. I knew that I had developed something truly unique that
was very effective.
My “product” was ready, but I wasn’t an entrepreneur yet.
One thing held me back – fear. The security of a regular paycheque,
and a very generous one at that, was enough to keep me from striking out
on my own.
I made up excuses like “We’re in the middle of the worst recession in
living memory, no one starts a business now” and “No-one will want to
learn a system where you can get anyone to do what you want” and “People
will criticise and hate me irrationally because they believe that I
could use it against them”.
These negative thoughts caged me for a further six months until a
chance meeting with an old friend. Igor and I had gone to university
together, but he had been headhunted by a London law firm and we had
slowly drifted apart.
Both of us were in our university city and literally bumped into each
other. Sitting down and catching up, he filled me in on his newfound
success as an entrepreneur. I asked him question after question, until
he finally asked me one that changed my life:
“Do you want a life that revolves around your work, or a business that revolves around your life?”
In that moment my old friend had become my mentor, and had unlocked
my desire to follow in the footsteps of my father and become an
entrepreneur.
That weekend, I wrote a business plan, arranged the finances of my
business using investors and my own savings, registered the business,
and set up an online presence. I was like a man possessed.
Inception Business Solutions was born. A new consultancy that
specialised in strategic communications, working with corporates,
governments and individuals to influence anyone they wanted. It was a
big claim, but I needed to differentiate myself in a saturated market
with big established brands dominating. “Fortune favours the brave” –
and Inception Business Solutions would incorporate this into its vision.
Walking into work the following Monday, everything was different. I
suddenly knew that I had to leave. My mind was racing with what I needed
to do next, what contacts and businesses I could approach.
That very afternoon I handed in my notice, and there was an empty desk soon after.
The next few months were hard. In fact, they were very, very hard.
There were times when I doubted myself and the path I had taken.
Fortunately, Igor, who was now an equity partner, helped to guide me
through obstacles that were seemingly insurmountable, and through to
even greater success.
Word started to spread as Inception Business Solutions gained an
underground following. Working with small teams and individuals within
companies, I was humbled by how well my system was received. It could
easily be adapted to different situations – from marketing campaigns, to
sales and negotiating, to managerial and leadership situations.
Today Inception Business Solutions has trainers across the world and
we have had the privilege to work with some outstanding companies and
individuals. Our greatest achievement is empowering others who have
embraced the system and are now shining examples of what is possible
when others say “that’s impossible”.
And for that, I am indebted to my father who showed me that you can
have everything you want, by helping others get everything they want.”
Ross Kingsland is a communication strategist for clients such as
Lamborghini and KPMG. After jumping off the corporate ladder to start
his own consultancy he went on to advise many international corporate
brands, entrepreneurs and government departments. He is the CEO of Inception Business Solutions and Founder of Neuro Responsive Inception,
a revolutionary science-based influencing model that is taught to
selected clients. His first book, When Lightning Strikes, will be
published in June 2015. He currently lives in the UK with his wife and
cheeky son.
Author: Virgin Startup
