Thread regarding Xerox Corp. layoffs

I started mine nights and weekends while at XRX. Made the transition painless and although I loved my XRX position, I love this too.

I have often thought about starting a business, but I am very risk-averse. I loved working for my local copier company before Xerox came in and made it a h3llhole. I left on my own accord and couldn't be happier. What Xerox's inference has done is made me realize I'm not a career person. It was just a job and nothing more. Even more so once big X got involved. No one at the top cares, your manager likely doesn't care, so why k–l yourself in the name of some dumb company? My approach going forward will be to find something I enjoy doing, at a place that wants to have me. That's all I really need.

best thing I ever did was leave xerox after 20 years and start my own business. well actually I started my first company while at xerox and waiting for a vrif to come along. 27 years later and life couldn't be better. one word of advice, avoid fellow xerox employees as business associates as most are ill equipped for a world where excuses don't count and being woke means going broke.

Is humanity well served by a thundering herd of ex-xeroid entrepreneurs?

"That dumpster fire is rock bottom so why change is an improvementS"

Couldn't have said it better myself. If you agree, just start any random business sight unseen and you'll outperform, at the very least, this sentence.

In say, if it involves leaving Xerox go for it. That dumpster fire is rock bottom so why change is an improvementS

Owning your own business can be very rewarding but it’s also a big investment of time & money. On average it takes 2-3 years for a business to start turning a profit. So, you need to develop a good business plan that will enable you to weather those first years. Your business plan should include your salary & your benefits (health care, life insurance, retirement savings). You will need to at least consult with a lawyer & an accountant. A lot of people forget about advertising costs which can be important for building awareness.

You will need business insurance & you may need to be bonded. Is this a one man show or will you have any employees? If so, you will need to consider their salary & benefits and how you will handle your payroll obligations (record keeping, taxes etc.) in addition too insuring and potentially binding them. If not, how will you handle your own vacations & sick time?

Once you have your plan, do a SWOT analysis(strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats). Gather information on your competitors & be brutally honest when you evaluate yourself against them. Then, go back & revise your business plan accordingly.

Make sure you research the industry & understand the going rates in your community. Is there untapped demand? How are other businesses in the industry doing? All this needs to go into your SWOT analysis.

In addition to the internet, your local library & unemployment office may offer classes on starting a small business. The Small Business Administration & your local Chamber of Commerce are also good resources. If you have any colleges in your area that offer MBA programs you may be able to get a class there to help with your business plan. If you haven’t already, join trade associations & groups where small business people meet. Ask them about their experience as a business owner & what advice they would have for you.

At the end of all that you should have a better idea of whether owning your own business is right for you. You should also have a good idea of whether or not your plan is viable. If you’re really committed but your first plan isn’t workable keep at it until you’ve got a solid plan & run with it.

Best of luck on whatever you decide!

I say go for it. I’m considering it myself.

I don’t mean this to be rude - but your audience here is either currently disgruntled employees or ex-employees still interested in enough that, I’d argue, they have some baggage about their previous career that won’t yield objective viewpoints. There’s plenty of resources detailing the benefits and (to emphasize, as a warning,) the many, many pitfalls or downsides of owning your own business almost anywhere else online.

If you really are considering this or are even just interested in the conversation, “Random disgruntled worldwide Xerox employees” is not really the place to start.

But as a random disgruntled employee, don’t start your own business it’s a huge trap. Almost everyone obsessed with being their own boss quickly finds out why they aren’t a good boss (though many won’t learn the lesson.)

Make sure its pandemic proof ;)