This week on Cheques and Balances, we're joined by Jason Gerken who shares his inspirational story about starting a business at 50.
“I was 15, I had a motorbike and I had a girlfriend and I needed fuel. That was it, really.
It was great, it was rewarding. I’ve had a series of good bosses and all the way through I’ve felt quite content. I was a commission based worker. Felt like I met all my needs but I always felt like something more.”
“Well I turned 50 and I thought if I don’t do it now, maybe I’m never going to do it. I can’t go through life not being my own boss, so I decided I’m gonna take the plunge because no matter what age you are – I don’t think it’s too late. Also, my daughter works with me as well and I wanted to help provide her and set her up for a head start in business.”
“Find a good accountant first. I think that’s the most important thing – work the numbers. I had a very good client who was an accountant and we crunched numbers to see if we can make this financially work.”
“We had a 4 week hiatus where it was quiet and then bang, away it went and it was just phenomenal. It hasn’t stopped since, It just kept growing and growing. We did some Facebook marketing but didn’t have to spend a fortune on advertising. Actually, we were very lucky, very blessed.”
“Oh, it’s been amazing. I have literally tripled my income in 12 months.”
“We are now turning away on average 8 clients a week. Which is a lot and that is a bit gut wrenching. I’ve thought about expanding but just decided at this point it’s not the right time for us.”
“Do it. You get to wake up and you don’t have to answer to anyone. You make your own decisions, it’s liberating, it’s freedom.”
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