Starting Your Own Business: A Leap Of Faith

How often have you said to yourself, “If only I could be my own boss…”

In a world where job security is practically non-existent and fighting corporate red tape is as much a part of the daily routine as that first cup of coffee, many people dream of starting own businesses.

Working for yourself is part of the new American Dream. The old dream was a new house with a white picket fence and 2.5 kids. Now, people want to love their work and work at what they love doing. They want to be happy.

Happiness comes at a price, though. Working for someone else may be miserable, but there is a steady paycheck, health insurance, and paid vacations. These points kept me in a state of settled complacency for many years. I made plenty of excuses to stay where I was. Being an employee is safe and secure. It’s a daily routine.

Ah, but once you’ve gotten over the fear of the great unknown, possibilities are endless.

So how do you quit your day job and make the leap from working for someone else to working for yourself?

Find Your Passion

Take your passion and figure out how to make money from it. The internet is rife with opportunity – if you do your homework. Now that websites and blogs are more than a simple pastime, all areas of business are hungry for knowledgeable professionals.

Commitment

Running your own business requires dedication you may not have encountered before. In the beginning, expect your workday to be 24 hours, 7 days a week. Prepare yourself to work harder than you ever have before.

The self-employed have constant deadlines and have no buffer between themselves and clients. Business owners must learn to become a salesperson, a negotiator, a marketer, an organizer, an accountant, a quality control supervisor, and a customer service representative.

Save for a Rainy Day

Working for yourself is feast or famine. There will be times when you have more work than you can handle, and other times when you scramble for work. Prepare for fluctuating income. Learn how to manage your finances to cover personal expenses and the business’s expenses.

Take the Plunge

One of the best ways to see if you’re cut out to run your own business is to give it a trial run. Start part-time; work on weekends or in the evenings. If that works well, the choice to leave your employee position to work for yourself becomes a little easier.

Seize Opportunity

Sometimes the choice to become self-employed isn’t yours. If you’re facing a lay-off, why not start a business instead of heading for the unemployment office? If you’re let go, why not start working for yourself instead of looking for a new job?

Troubling times are often blessings in disguise. Recognize opportunity when you see it and grab that opportunity with both hands. Embrace the challenge and start on your road to happiness.

 

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