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by psahgal
1829 days ago
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If you've been working at the same company for a while, ask your HR department if they have a policy around a leave of absence or a sabbatical! You can take a few months off to build a prototype of your idea, test it out with some users, and then decide whether to return to your day job or continue with your startup idea full time. This will be much less risky than quitting your high-paying job and going all-in on a startup idea. Many startups fail for a variety of reasons, besides just poor execution. Whatever you plan to do, make sure you have a backup plan. |
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If you have a very good relationship with your manager/director, I think I would start there, something along the lines of "I've got this germ of an idea, and it won't leave me alone. It's in a completely different area, and I've got such a strong urge to explore it... ...but I like this place so much, I don't want to just walk away."
Leave it open like that, see what they say. They might offer the sabbatical idea themselves.
Alternatively, if your co's HR policies are available for all to peruse, check for the aforementioned policy.
Another alternative, based on experiences friends and colleagues of mine have had....
If the owner or GM or insertHeadHonchoTitle here is very entrepreneurial, spend evenings and weekends working on a business plan or 7-10 slide pitch deck, then, when it is ready to go, let them know you are heading out on your own.
I know a few people who did this and, instead of being thanked for their service were offered their first angel investment. Their boss, Terry Matthews, knew he had good people and knew he could make more by funding them than either keeping or just letting them walk away.
Good luck!