Building a Secure Foundation Before Leaving a 9 to 5 Job

INTRODUCTION
I’m Back

I took last week off to enjoy some much-needed rest and to recharge. My family enjoyed a great week with our best friends at one of our favorite Florida beaches. There is something about sunshine, warmth, and the sound of ocean waves that is great for relaxation.

This week, I had the privilege of sitting down with Harrison Schenck, the driving force behind the “Save Your Sons” brand and an inspiring entrepreneur. We discussed his early days in sports marketing, his successful transition to self-employment, and his dedication to his family.

Harrison’s journey is filled with valuable lessons on taking calculated risks, fostering financial literacy, and balancing work with life. Let’s dive in

THE INTERVIEW
Harrison Schenck

Journey to Entrepreneurship

My guest, Harrison Schenck, shared his compelling story of leaving the conventional 9-to-5 world to pursue entrepreneurship. Harrison earned his Juris Doctorate (JD, law degree) but realized early in law school that he’d likely not enjoy a law career.

Recognizing this, he started a sports marketing career and advanced until the world shut down in March 2020. His company had to lay off 60% of their staff, and with his first son born that May, he was left questioning what he wanted for his future.

Harrison started writing life lessons he wanted his son to learn under the “Save Your Sons” brand, and things took off. Within 5 or 6 months, he had amassed a significant following and began to ask himself how he might monetize.

From June 2021 to September 2022, he doubled the money he made in his 9-to-5 job with his online business. Harrison set clear rules for himself: providing his ability to generate consistent online income, building a financial safety net, and eliminating unnecessary expenses. This planned approach allowed him to derisk his departure from his 9-to-5 to full-time entrepreneurship.

Small Sacrifices, Big Gains

Harrison constantly echoed the importance of making small sacrifices now for larger long-term gains. It’s a concept he aligned with Jeff Bezos’ regret minimization framework. Picture this: a friend decided to sell his house to minimize financial risks and reduce desperation. This bold move mirrored Harrison’s own philosophy that sometimes, you need to simplify and reconfigure your life to hit your long-term goals.

His actionable advice to those afraid to take risks? Reflect on the long career and life ahead. Understand that short-term discomfort can usher in unprecedented growth. Proactive steps today, even those that might sting a bit, can assure a future with fewer regrets.

A Family Man with a Vision

What fueled Harrison’s drive wasn’t just financial ambition—it was his family. Every morning, he’d wake before his children stirred, dedicating those early hours to work. The rule was simple yet profound: never let work interfere with family time. This discipline, coupled with his habits of lifting weights, spending time in the sun, and maintaining a high-protein diet, ensured he remained energized and focused.

Entering the realm of fatherhood brought new dimensions to his life and work ethics. He found motivation in perceived slights and, more importantly, in the faces of his children. Watching them grow, he envisioned a future where they understood the value of hard work, determination, and entrepreneurial spirit.

A Legacy of Entrepreneurship

Harrison’s commitment to teaching his kids about entrepreneurship was clear. He plans to instill his own children with similar values. Entrepreneurship, he believes, is a vital skill set in today’s ever-evolving job landscape.

Among his various ventures, Harrison is spearheading a project called Sherwood, aimed at providing curated, enriching media content for children. In a world inundated with excessive screen time and inappropriate content, Sherwood offers a refuge for parents eager to expose their kids to positive and educative media.

At $8 a month, this subscription service is more than a business; it’s a mission. Harrison wants parents to feel confident about the content their children consume, enriching lives and fostering growth rather than passive consumption.

KEY LESSONS AND TAKEAWAYS
De-Risking Your Leap to Entrepreneurship

1. Financial Safety Net: Before leaving a traditional job, Harrison emphasizes the importance of proving your ability to generate stable income and building a financial cushion.

2. Minimize Desperation: Consider making big decisions, like selling your house, to reduce financial risks and mitigate desperation.

3. Small Sacrifices Now: Adopt the “regret minimization” framework to focus on making sacrifices today for significant future benefits.

4. Simple Daily Habits: Implement simple but effective habits for health and productivity, such as early rising, regular exercise, and mindful eating.

5. Teach Entrepreneurship: Introduce business concepts and entrepreneurial thinking to children early on to equip them with valuable life skills.

6. Financial Education at Home: Stress the importance of teaching kids about financial concepts like the abundance mentality, the power of compounding, and delayed gratification.

7. Strict Time Management: Set hard lines to ensure family time is sacred and work doesn’t interfere.

8. Find Your “Why”: Anchor your professional efforts to a deeper purpose, whether it’s providing for your family or setting a positive example for your children.