From corporate to small business: Starting a business in DFW — the honest version

Left my $130K corporate PM job 18 months ago to start a business in DFW. Here's the reality nobody posts about on LinkedIn.

What I started: Marketing consultancy focused on DFW small businesses.

The numbers (Year 1):

• Revenue: $87K
• Expenses: $34K (software, coworking space, insurance, LLC fees)
• Net profit: $53K
• That's a $77K pay cut from corporate. Ouch.

Year 2 (projected):

• Revenue: $140K (based on current pipeline)
• Expenses: $42K
• Net profit: $98K
• Getting closer to corporate salary. But no benefits, no 401K match.

What nobody tells you:

• Self-employment tax: 15.3%. On $53K profit that's $8,100. Gone.
• Health insurance: $480/month for a marketplace plan. $5,760/year.
• No paid vacation. If you don't work, you don't earn.
• The loneliness is real. Coworking space helps.

DFW-specific advantages for small business:

• No state income tax (huge for self-employment)
• Low cost of living means your runway lasts longer
• DFW has 7M+ people — massive local market
• Texas franchise tax threshold is $2.47M — most small businesses pay $0

Resources I used:

• SCORE Dallas — free mentoring from retired executives
• SBA DFW office — free workshops on business planning
• Dallas Entrepreneur Center (DEC) — co-working, networking, pitch events
• Texas Secretary of State — LLC formation ($300)

Sources:

• IRS — self-employment tax guide
• Healthcare.gov — marketplace plan pricing for Texas
• Texas Comptroller — franchise tax information
• SBA — small business resources for DFW
• SCORE — free mentorship program