My Misconceptions of Self Employment

by smallbizbee · 2 comments

Working for yourself is great, if you can stand the boss! I thought I'd share some common misconceptions I had when I started my own business. These are purely my observations of what I thought life would be like as my own boss versus what it turned out to be.

Have More Free Time

Yes, self employment...my time is mine again. I'll log a few hours of work everyday and then spend the rest of the day in a state of blissful leisure. Uh, yeah not exactly. I work more now than I ever have. Without the parameters of a "normal day" it becomes very easy to work all the time. I know find myself scheduling free time, just to make sure I get some.

No More Sucky Assignments

Once I started a business I thought that was the end of doing anything I didn't want to do. Wrong again! Even when you are running the show there will be things that have to get done that are less than desireable. That's just life, and I'm learning to live with it.

I Make All the Rules

"Hey this will be great", I thought, "I make the rules now and everyone else will have to follow them!". Not so fast. What I found is that I make some of the rules, but there are still plenty of rules I need to adhere by. Customers, suppliers, manufacturers, governing bodies, all have rules and if you don't play by them you won't stay in business long.

Won't Have to Answer to Anyone

Couldn't be farther from the truth. I think I answer to more people now than I ever did in a corporate job. Instead of having a couple bosses, I now have 1000's of people I feel responisble to, and answer to. First and foremost customers, but again supppliers, manufacturers, and business partners are all people I've had to learn to answer to if not all the time, on occasion.

See Friends and Family More

This kind of went along with my thinking that I would have more free time. I thought I'd be able to take that extra day off and spend it with family, or stay up late into the night hanging out with good friends. Not only do I not have as much time to see them...they are all still Mon-Fri 8a-5p individuals. So if I find myself with a free Tuesday afternoon, everybody I know is at work!

Make a Bunch of Money

I make more now that I used to, but I work harder. The nice part of self employment is that relationship between working harder and making more. But without dedication to success and perserveance the money isn't just going to roll in. Expect it to take time.

Everyone Will Be Supportive

I thought everyone would be in love with the idea of me starting a business, I mean I was excited how could they not be. What I found was that most were supportive. Some people thought I was crazy. Others thought I was "throwing it all away". The bottom line is that not all of your friends or family will be supporitve of you idea of business ownership. Do what is right for you, follow your gut and don't be discouraged if your mom threatens to disown you...she'll come back around.

For those of you who own your own business, what missconceptions did you have about what life would be like?

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