I went to a truly uplifting event last Saturday called LaidOffCamp Phoenix. Before you ask — No, I haven’t lost my job. I am, however, trying to learn as much as I can about entrepreneurship in case that ever happens… and in case I ever want it to happen.
The LaidOffCamp Phoenix website describes it this way:
“Laid Off Camp Phoenix is an extension of a national effort to help people find work — full-time work, freelance work, volunteer work, or whatever’s next for them. Like other LaidOffCamp events, it is a locally-based, community-supported effort to offer resources and reassurance to job seekers.”
Over 200 people attended LaidOffCamp last weekend. At first, I felt a bit funny going to something called that, but it was a great experience. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting many new people and getting some new ideas. Everybody there was friendly, helpful, and excited about being there. I definitely felt uplifted by the day, even though I was exhausted by the end of it.
Amazingly, the entire thing was free to all participants. The City of Chandler graciously donated facilities. Local businesses donated food and drink. The speakers all spoke for free. Many volunteers kept things running smoothly. Susan Baier coordinated the entire thing and did an awesome job. Many kudos to Susan for a job well done. If you’re on Twitter, search for the #locphx hashtag to see what people are saying about it.
We were treated to a wonderful array of presentations and discussions. There were sessions for job seekers, budding entrepreneurs, and anybody who is wondering what to do next (which is or probably should be most people). I had no trouble finding sessions to attend and had to make some difficult choices between ones happening at the same time.
In addition, several highly qualified people offered their time and energy to help people one on one in a variety of areas, such as with resumes, insurance options, taking photos for avators, and signing up for Twitter and Facebook.
Like many other people, I have dreams of someday being my own boss, of managing my own destiny, and of following my own passions. I feel encouraged by the many examples of other people here doing that, and I am grateful for their willingness to share.
Are you interested in moving out of a corporate job and working for yourself? What are you doing about it? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Robyn
P.S. I realize I have been a total slacker with this blog for the last couple of months. Life has been pretty hectic lately. More about that later.