As a 23-year-old with a new interior design diploma, your day-to-day activities at the design-consulting desk of a large furnishings outlet have become somewhat predictable. The limited options provided by the corporate product lines have become very familiar and somewhat boring in recent months. Due to your effective customer relations and instructional skills, an outside opportunity has been offered to you that you find quite attractive.

A recent regular client, whose three daughters you helped design and furnish college apartments for, has called to offer an opportunity for you to design his new management consulting office. However, it requires you consider working on your own time or "off-the-books." His needs are not addressed by any service your employer currently offers. Moreover, such a project would allow you some creative scope and might eventually lead to an opportunity for you to create own business.

Should you suggest that your employer expand its current services? Or should you just "go for it" yourself? Given your sense of corporate loyalty and professionalism, what are the implications of being perceived as being in competition with your employer, among other concerns? Would suggesting the company expand its services perhaps lead to eventual advancement for you in the company, and stronger career prospects than going it alone?