Hello, I'm Evan Davis and thank you for downloading this program. In this edition of the bottom line,

we're looking at what happens when you give up the day job to start your own business.

Hello and welcome to the program. If you have been bitten by the entrepreneurial spirits,

if you've sat at your desk dreaming of handing in your notice to start your own business,

if you think you have a craft that you can sell, if you hate the nine to five job, the treadmill, the routine,

submitting to the orders of others at work, then listen on.

Today we're looking at those who pursued the aspiration of going it alone.

You've probably heard of the stories of people living their dream,

but the fantasy and reality often conflict, as we are now going to hear.

We're not here to propagandise on behalf of the dreamers.

Quitting the rat race has its advantages,

but it also comes with its own burdens.

And I'm with four guests who've all experienced going its alone with very different outcomes.

So let me introduce those guests, meet them all.

My first guest is Paula Fry.

Paula, what was your experience?

So I was over 15 years in the city, in banking and I left to start my own vintage fashion and consignment shop and now I'm back in the city.

I've sold my business and I'm back in corporate life.

Okay, full circle on that one.

My second guest, Deirdre Critchley, Deirdre, your story.

Well, I too worked in investment banking and had a long career there. I left in 2007 to set up

my own jam-making business called Jammy Cow, which unfortunately coincided with the worst recession

...