[Porsche-O-Phile]

Go. The best move I ever made was turning down a huge promotion with my previous (400+ person) design firm and deciding to go be the senior guy (other than the owner) with a small, local, 8-man shop. I'm getting MUCH more hands-on here with respect to learning/knowing what it will eventually take to go into private practice on my own - which is my ultimate goal (2-3 years). If I'd stayed at the old place, I'd be a very well-compensated middle management guy in charge of about 10-12 architects and engineers, but that's about as far as I'd ever go with that company (above that level, it's all politics, not ability).

Best move I've made. No regrets, even though the money was better at the other place. Get outside your comfort zone and in so doing, expand it. I'm much less intimidated by the thought of hanging my own shingle outside a door somewhere and having it be just me, a desk and a phone. That's the reality of what it takes to open a practice - and I'm MUCH better prepared for it.