During the start-up phase, ex-execs often get caught up in the
millions of details involved in getting their businesses off the
ground. Yet once the venture is up and running, many find the
novelty of being on their own begins to wear thin. Loneliness, says
Darr, is a common grievance among former executives who pursue
entrepreneurial avenues.
"I had to get used to not having the social interplay with
people on a regular basis," says Wanda Schiele, owner of
Celebrate All People, a leadership and diversity consulting firm in
Aurora, Colorado.
Unsatisfied with the technical emphasis her job as project
manager with US West had taken on (and two years short of full
retirement), Schiele accepted a partial buyout package in October
1993, after 23 years with the company. She sank $5,000 into
computer and telecommunications equipment, contacted past clients,
and even did a lot of free jobs to get started. Still, business was
slow. And while she appreciated the free time and the chance to
visit more with her grandchildren, Schiele, 54, missed the frequent
social activity she'd enjoyed as a trainer in a bustling
corporate environment.
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Business has since picked up, but Schiele still makes a
concerted effort to reach out for human contact on a regular
basis-an effort, she says, she didn't have to make when working
in a large corporation. For instance, she frequently meets people
for lunch, attends networking events and rekindles old business
friendships. Says Schiele, "I have learned to search out
people for social interactions in a way I didn't have to
before."
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