Ann Strong’s:
Strong You, Strong Biz

Business mentoring: The freedom of self-employment

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Most of the people closest to me are self-employed.  So, I was caught off-guard this weekend while talking to a non-self-employed friend.  He mentioned how much he wished he had my job – the freedom to do it as I want, when I want.  Then, I remembered he had told me that a few months earlier and I’d barely heard him the first time.

I realized I take the freedom for granted.  Self-employed my entire life, I’m used to doing what I want, when I want, how I want.  I do love that.  And yet, it feels ordinary for me because it is my routine.  Interestingly, he didn’t even mention my favorite freedom – the freedom to do exactly what I’m best at and what I love to do most!  Maybe he doesn’t even know that’s possible.

As I was telling one of my friends about the conversation, she reminded me that most non-self-employed people long for the freedom of self-employment.  Yet most do little or nothing toward making that dream a reality.  

What does it really take?  I decided to explore that further.

Making the dream of the freedom of self-employment a reality

We must:

• Believe it's possible for us
• Be willing to risk jumping into the unknown
• Be willing to learn about the business of self-employment
• Know or learn how to attract clients
• Know or learn how to ask for the sale
• Know our own strengths
• Get help in our areas of weakness
• Have a desire to offer a specific product or service
• Create our own structures and systems
• Create our own success teams
• Practice life-long learning
• Be able to live with uncertainty
• Oversee all departments (even when we are the only person in the business): R & D, Accounting, Production, Marketing, Sales, Service . . .

Wow!  I'm sure I missed a few.  No wonder a person might be intimidated about self-employment!

What did I miss?  What makes it all worth it to you?  I will write more about that later for me!