Editor’s Note: Here at Dispatches, we are always looking for ways to help our readers do things. For some of our readers, that means helping navigate the working world, for others, it means assisting in the ever challenging question, “what’s for dinner?” For still others, it means figuring out how to balance family life with everything else. In an effort to aid in all of these endeavors, we have collaborated on this article written specifically for our readers.
We live in an age when there are better opportunities to be your own boss than ever before. Being self-employed can be incredibly rewarding but it often requires a number of sacrifices. If you’re thinking of swapping an 8 to 5 job and going it alone, here are some points to consider before you take the plunge.
Getting used to long hours
Being your own boss may seem like an ideal situation, but you don’t get to the top without devoting a lot of time and energy into making your business a success. Many people enjoy the flexibility afforded by giving up on employment but don’t mistake this for shorter working hours. You may find that you end up working a lot more, especially in the early stages when you’re trying to get your venture off the ground.
Making your ideas profitable
Most people who want to start a business have ideas that they think are brilliant. But what is the next step? It’s not enough to have a good idea. You need to be able to turn this into a viable business concept, which will provide you with profit. Think about what you want to do, and how you can take that next step. If you want to set up an online business that sells clothes, jewelry or crafts, for example, consider looking into options like Shopify e-commerce solutions. You can design and set up your own online shop, create a customized domain name, and start spreading the word as soon as possible. If you’re working on a new product that you want to sell to a mass market, consider organizing a launch event and start approaching potential buyers with prototypes, projected manufacturing and retail costs and detailed information about your target client base.
Finding balance
If you walked into a room filled with the world’s most successful entrepreneurs and started talking about their past and their career history, you’d probably find that most of them had suffered their fair share of rejection. Being your own boss is not all about sitting in a fancy office or attending high-profile networking events. There are times when life will be tough, you’ll get knocked back, and you may question what you’re doing. However, if you keep plugging away, and you have a solid business plan, there’s every chance you’ll get there in the end. Turn negative experiences into a positive, and learn from every mistake you make. It’s very rare to achieve overnight success, so don’t let a few setbacks get you down.
Learning
Even the most successful people don’t usually claim to know everything. As a business owner, it’s important to know your strengths, as well as your weaknesses. You can always learn more, so be open to new experiences and training opportunities, and take tips from those who have been in the same boat on board.