"It is never too late to start something new and to put your energy into something that you've loved your whole life, but you've never had time to focus on."

Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, explore the strategic path to entrepreneurship in midlife with the Corporate Escape Sherpa herself, Tabatha Jones!

After 30 years in corporate tech leadership, Tabatha made her leap at age 50 and now guides women through building profitable businesses before they leave their steady paychecks behind.

"If it's not on your calendar, if it's not something you are focused on doing, it just becomes a someday, which becomes a never, which becomes regret."

Tabatha's approach challenges the typical entrepreneurial narrative. Rather than dramatic leaps of faith, she advocates for methodical preparation while your corporate job finances your dream. She saved three years of expenses before leaving, far beyond the typical 6-12 months, and systematically eliminated debt, paid off her house, and even installed solar panels to reduce future living costs.

Her "Freedom Framework" starts with the crucial question of "why", and she insists on going at least five layers deep.

"When you stay at that surface level why... it's not enough to keep you going," Tabatha explains. From there, entrepreneurs identify their "what" (skills and gifts), "who" (ideal clients), and finally "how" (the business model). In that order!

Chances are, you need a financial reality check as a prerequisite to creating your freedom plan. Tabatha has clients highlight every expense on their credit card statements, hunting for "money leaks" like forgotten subscriptions. One client discovered three gym memberships she'd forgotten about. Another realized her pricing meant she'd need 100 clients monthly just to break even!

Most powerfully, Tabatha reminds us that midlife career changes require different strategies than younger transitions. While thirty-somethings can "dip their toe" in entrepreneurship and return to corporate easily, the job search for midlifers now takes 8-12 months.

Building your business foundation while employed isn't just smart. It's essential!

Key Topics

• The Corporate Escape Sherpa Philosophy (02:17)
• Tabatha's Journey Through 2020 Pandemic Pivot (03:30)
• The Freedom Framework (08:44)
• Why Midlife Transitions Need Different Strategies (09:49)
• Finding Money Leaks and Financial Planning (19:18)
• Client Success Story: Travel Agency Launch (30:37)
• Celebrating Wins and Managing Entrepreneurial Mindset (32:48)
• Stephanie and Kevin's Takeaways (38:10)

Resources:

· Tabatha Jones on LinkedIn

· CorporateEscapeSherpa.com

· Freedom Builder System

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You can find the transcript and more information about this episode at www.takebackretirement.com.

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