How do I fire my boss?

OK, so you're tired of working for someone else. Your job's all right, but you really want to do something you really want to do. We'll focus this particular article on some basic assumptions: You already have a job of some kind. You know what you'd like to do. You need to know how to get started.
First of all, stay in your current job. This is probably the hardest thing to do when the opportunities seem to be slipping by so quickly. BUT, when you're starting a business, haste really does make waste. If you can, cut back on your work hours just a little bit, then USE THAT TIME WISELY!! If you can't cut hours, then use your lunch break, commute time, breaks, vacation time, and any other possible minutes you can squeeze out of your day to plan, research, study, network, and build the base you will need to create a successful enterprise.
WARNING: You will need to expend a lot of time and effort in the initial phase of starting a business, even one that requires very little dollar investment. You must ask yourself if you are willing to make that kind of sacrifice for at least several months.

Second, you must be familiar with the business you want to get into. If you've never worked in the printing industry, don't expect to become successful as a printer. However, if you have a knack for writing, you can learn what it takes to do technical writing, for instance. A mechanic could get into the parts business, or a creative cook could start a catering business. Just make sure you're doing something for which you have some kind of related knowledge base or skill. If you don't have that experience yet, you may need to take classes or work with someone in that field, and study, study, study. This will make the road to your own business longer, but much more reliable.

Third, PLAN, PLAN, PLAN. Then plan some more. A successful business must have a solid foundation or it will fail. Eighty percent of new businesses fail within the first five years. Build a solid business plan. Set goals and know how you will reach them. Research your proposed business idea. Scope out the competition. Analyze your own strengths and weaknesses. Develop a financial plan and a marketing plan. Then project a worst-case scenario. Know where you're going, how you will get there, how much it will cost, how long it will take, and what you will do if it falls apart.

Fourth, don't fall for get rich quick schemes. Most of them are really "you pay me and I'll get rich at your expense" scams. I am embarrassed to tell you that I have gotten into too many of these myself and gained nothing (except to be able to warn you to learn from my mistakes!). Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't true.

Finally, save up enough money to take you through twice the amount of time you think you will need to make it on your own once you leave your job. Keep your job until you have been generating the income you need to live on for several months. If you have employer paid benefits, you will need to include their cost in your projected income level. At some point, you will find that your job is no longer necessary and you can gracefully resign. Whatever happens from that point on is up to you.

In conclusion, if you keep your job until your business is self-supporting, plan thoroughly, keep your wits about you, and keep a financial cushion, you will get out of a job and into a business of your own sooner than you think. So, get started now and I wish you GOOD SUCCESS!