I Wasn't Brave—I Was Pushed: The Real Story Behind My Leap to Entrepreneurship

People familiar with the SchneiderB Media story know I started my blog in 2010 and spent years building content before transitioning to full-time entrepreneurship. What they don't know is the real reason I finally made the jump.

For years, colleagues and friends asked, "Why don't you go out on your own? Why don't you leave schools and do SchneiderB Media full-time?" I'd been thinking about it for years, but I'm going to be completely transparent here: I was scared. Very, very scared.

The Fear Was Real

My fears weren't abstract or philosophical; they were intensely practical. I'm married with a family. How would I provide for them? How could I replace my steady income? What about health insurance?

Then there were the "golden handcuffs", tuition remission that helped us send our children to school. These practical concerns kept pushing me back, year after year, keeping me in place despite my growing desire for independence.

The Push I Didn't Want

Here's what I haven't shared publicly: People thought I was brave to finally jump to SchneiderB Media full-time, but in complete transparency, it happened because I was essentially fired from school.

Technically, the HR term would be "non-renewal of contract." They simply decided not to renew my position. Change was happening at my previous school, and I was not part of the future.

Three Paths Forward

When faced with this unexpected crossroads, we identified three options:

Option 1: Find another school position. I started down this path but quickly realized we didn't want to relocate. My wife and I grew up in the Pittsburgh area. We'd moved away for a while—I lived in Hudson, Ohio—but had returned home. We felt comfortable and settled in Pittsburgh for numerous reasons and didn't want to move again.

Option 2: Explore school-adjacent opportunities. I had conversations with software companies and marketing firms that serve the education industry, companies where my school experience might translate well. I genuinely appreciated people's time and found these discussions valuable.

Option 3: Take the SchneiderB Media leap. Throughout both other explorations, the question remained in the back of my mind: "What about SchneiderB? Can I do this full-time?"

As you know, the answer was yes, but not because I suddenly became brave.

Acknowledging the Fear

I want to be crystal clear about something: I don't think I was brave. I was incredibly fearful and scared for so many years. It simply took an external push to get me moving, to force me into a position where there was no way to go back to the safety of my previous situation.

If you're thinking about making a similar change, I want to acknowledge that fear because it was mine. The anxiety about providing for your family, replacing your income, and securing benefits—all of it is valid and real.

I don't have an easy answer for overcoming that fear. There's no simple process to follow, no "right way" to make this transition. But I do want to acknowledge that the fear exists, because pretending it doesn't helps no one.

Sometimes, the universe gives you the push you've been too scared to give yourself. That happened to me, and while I wouldn't recommend waiting for circumstances to force your hand, I understand why many of us do that.

The fear is real. The risk is real. But so is the possibility on the other side.

Respectfully Unschooled,
Brendan