Ask the Business Coach Joyce K. Reynolds is an expert Business Coach who works with CEOs, Sr. Execs, entrepreneurs and countless others providing knowledge, solutions, motivation and support that assist her clientele in successfully meeting workplace challenges. Find out more about Joyce's coaching practice. Relocating Question: The company that I work for is closing our Seattle regional office in June. I have been offered a position at the corp. hdqtrs. in Long Beach, CA, "for as long as we need them." This would necessitate selling our home here with a low mortgage and purchasing less of a house and doubling our mortgage. My husband would have to quit his small janitorial business. I am 55 and he is 62. Alternatively, we wanted to retire in NW Arkansas. We have discussed pushing up this dream but we would still need to work for about another 10 years. We could pay cash for a home in Arkansas with no problem and are free of any other debt. There would be some form of relocation package to move to Long Beach but we don't think we want to live there. We understand the unemployment rate in NW Arkansas is 2.something. Neither of us want to live in southern California. What should we do? Carole Answer: You’ve really said it all: ‘Neither of us want to live in southern California.’ It would be very difficult to encourage your move there given this truth along with the practical and economic downsides you’ve already identified. Relocating under the most ideal circumstances is challenging. Doing so when it’s not something you really want could be very self-defeating. I would, therefore, suggest you focus on one of two plans: a/finding a new job in your current location - thus protecting your advantaged housing situation and allowing your husband to continue anchoring your income with his janitorial business until you are ready to move to Arkansas or b/diligently seeking jobs in Arkansas so you can step up your timeframe and make the move earlier. In the latter scenario, you might want to determine if your husband can sell his current business and, perhaps, recreate it or fold into an existing, complementary firm in your targeted new Arkansas home. Keep in mind that even in areas with high unemployment, talented workers are welcome and most often will readily find positions if they hone in on what they do well, what they want to be working at and scouting out opportunities along those lines with careful planning and confidence. In either event, make as good a case as possible for a fair severance package for yourself - perhaps offering to help your company through their transition on a temporary basis that might see you shuttling between Seattle and Southern California for an agreed upon period of time. This approach could help protect your cash flow as you position yourselves for your desired move to Arkansas. As you determine your next step, keep firmly in mind that it seldom benefits anyone to act or live counter to their desires no matter what the monetary benefits might be. In the end, rather than taking an uncomfortable detour to Southern California, you’ll undoubtedly be more energized, happy and successful if you follow your heart and dreams and head for Arkansas. g Also see: • Ask Joyce your workplace questions • More questions • One-on-one business coaching Disclaimer: The information in this column is intended to provide the reader with general ideas or concepts to be used as part of a broader base of knowledge they collect to determine their own best course of action and solutions most suitable for solving their workplace challenges. The information in this column is not guaranteed to be the appropriate solution for each individual.