Speaking from personal experience, probably one of the most common things I saw were people starting their own businesses.
A friend quit engineering to build high end custom furniture and has done quite well at it. Another started a landscaping company. He makes more money working fewer hours than he ever did in engineering. He now has about 10 crews that do the actual work. He just handles problems, makes sure equipment is repaired/working and everyone gets paid on time.
My opinion, the problem is a cultural thing with US business. Engineering is viewed as a cost to be controlled; sales is viewed as a profit center to be nurtured.
The explanation I heard over and over again was, "No one gets paid until something gets sold". My response was, "Nothing gets sold until something gets built". One is just as valid as the other but lots of America companies spend as much or more on sales and marketing than engineering --- and the results usually speak for themselves.
A friend quit engineering to build high end custom furniture and has done quite well at it. Another started a landscaping company. He makes more money working fewer hours than he ever did in engineering. He now has about 10 crews that do the actual work. He just handles problems, makes sure equipment is repaired/working and everyone gets paid on time.
My opinion, the problem is a cultural thing with US business. Engineering is viewed as a cost to be controlled; sales is viewed as a profit center to be nurtured.
The explanation I heard over and over again was, "No one gets paid until something gets sold". My response was, "Nothing gets sold until something gets built". One is just as valid as the other but lots of America companies spend as much or more on sales and marketing than engineering --- and the results usually speak for themselves.