Non-compete Agreement

Signing a non-compete agreement will radically change your life. At least it has mine.

As part of the sale of three companies that we operated, the owners – including me – signed non-compete agreements within a geographic region for some time to come. Working through the implications of this, I now either need to pack up my family and move to stay in the same line of business, or get creative when looking at new careers.

So far, I’ve opted for the creative approach, since my family just moved a few months ago. My outlet for this creative job searching so far has been a list of new career options that range from the ridiculous to the sublime. Want to see them? Want to let me know just how crazy I actually am? Here’s your chance for a look inside my head through my future career options:

Education

1. Additional degree: economics or psychology. After all, who wouldn’t want to go back to school for more vocational training without a clear purpose?
2. Composites Technician Training. Did I mention that there are classes to learn to work with carbon fiber? New skills for a potential new job.

Hobbies into Jobs

1. Organize Mormon trail bike tour for 2019. I really do still want to do this one, regardless of the job that I end up pursuing. This would mark 150 years since the closing of the pioneer era and the start of the locomotive era across the United States. It just seems cool to me. However, I have no experience in organizing a bicycle tour, yet.
2. Water Ski podcast. Okay, I’m starting this up whether it is a job or not. I’m just excited to get Weekend Water Skier up and running. This is opening all kinds of amazing doors for me right now.

Consulting

1. Black Ops Consulting. Why not start my own consulting company? Oh yeah, no safety net. It’s an idea anyway. The name? It refers to keeping your operations in the black.
2. Work with Kingsley Consulting. This is the local Mac tech support company. I don’t even now if the owner is hiring. It’s an idea.
3. Bike shop business generation consultant. Except for never having worked at a bike shop, I think that I’m totally qualified for this. I can run a business, and I can ride a bike. Why not put the two together?
4. E-Myth Coach. I am seriously looking into this one. We used the E-Myth process in our business over the last few years, and it would be cool to be able to help other business owners pursue their dreams more successfully.
5. UM Launch Pad. The University of Miami has an entrepreneurial support network called the Launch Pad. They have opened some regional centers, and I could help them to open another. It would be an entrepreneurial step for me as well.

Retail

1. Bike shop job. This would be a great stepping stone to a few other options on this list. I’m not saying that it is forever, but it could be fun for a few years. I do have some bike mechanic skills, and I know bikes well. Anyone looking?
2. Apple Store employee. They are one of the most successful retail outlets ever. They utilize all kinds of amazing systems and resources to move their business forward. Who wouldn’t love to learn all of that while getting paid to help people buy amazing computers. (And for you Apple haters out there, don’t even suggest working at a Microsoft store, they don’t even have one in Salt Lake.)
3. REI employee. One of the highest rated employes year after year. Again, a chance to learn while getting paid.
4. Learn how to open your own bike shop. There is a program to shadow a bike shop owner for a few days. This could fit in with the other cycling-related ideas on this list.
5. Real Estate? I have the tools; could I use them.

Public Service

1. Run for office: state legislature, city or county. Would you vote for my crazy political ideas? Maybe there are some people out there who would. Maybe there are enough to get me into an office. Only one way to know for sure.
2. School district administration. Where could I hide from actual responsibility, using an MBA to guarantee a decent salary, and still get my summers off? That’s right: public education administration.
3. Other public administration. Government jobs, we all want them.

Teacher

1. Ski instructor. Yup, I’m talking about teaching people to snow ski at a local resort. I would have to remember how to ski first. Maybe I could start as a mountain guide volunteer to get my foot in the door.
2. CES instructor – Seminary or Institute. I enjoyed Seminary and Institute, and could try to create a similar great experience for kids. The pay may not be great, but the work environment should be good.
3. Corporate trainer. I like to teach, but don’t know about a class full of kids. Teaching employees new skills could be a good way to work around that fear and use that skill.

Other Crazy Ideas

1. Panhandling bum. I’ve heard that you can make some pretty good money on the right street corner. You do have to endure the heat and cold every day, all day if you want to be successful, however. The money is tax-free, and you are your own boss.
2. House-husband. Let Nicole get a job? She could go back to teaching while I work raising the kids.
3. Groundskeeper for Last Chance Lakes.
4. Property staging. After staging our house to sell, I thought that I could do this for other people to sell their homes more quickly and for a better price. It’s related to real estate, but a different focus.
5. Buy and operate apartments. I just need the operating capital to get started.
6. Custom bicycle builder – steel or carbon. There are classes to learn to build bike frames, and classes to learn to work with carbon fiber. I could become the local custom builder for people with unique bicycle needs. It would probably be a long haul before I really made any money, but it would be an awesome job creating beautiful products.
7. LEGO master builder. I probably am not ready for this, but what self-respecting geek (or even semi-geek) would not love to get paid to play with LEGOs all day long, creating amazing works of art out of small bricks. Ahh…
8. Start a new company. All I need is the idea to change the world and I’m ready to go. Anybody got that idea and want to give it to me? Just asking.

Your thoughts?

What do you think? Is there anything else that I should consider? Is there one of these that I should pursue at the exclusion of all others?

About these ads

Single Post Navigation

← Older Entry

Newer Entry →