Post If You\'re Self-Employed
 

(Crossposted in Bus/Fin)

If you're self-employed I'd like to hear a little about what you do. I've always thought I'd end up being self-employed soon after, if not directly after, graduation. A lot of other posters are probably in the same boat. I think it would be helpful for those of us who are interested in eventually being our own boss by hearing from those who actually are.

How'd you end up working for yourself?

What do you do?

Do you enjoy what you do?

Do you have any advice or recommendations? What have you learned?

Any regrets?

Re: Post If You\'re Self-Employed
 

Only temporarily. I'm gonna make it an "ask me about" subject at some point.

My job sucked. I don't want to be a corporate drone forever. So I left my job and started a business with a partner. We've hired someone to run the business full time for us, and I'm helping him get started. But I'm only out temporarily.

It's awesome though. Goal is, if this works, I'll start some other businesses until I can be making enough income off them to never work a corp job again and run the businesses full time.

I of course have a lot of contacts that do their own thing. Got a friend who left his corporate job and didn't want to put together a resume so he just went into small business consultation for himself. Everyone I know that's in biz for themselves loves it.

That said, something like 70% or 80% that start their own business are out of business within five years. We know how tough it is, so we bought a franchise to help teach us the ropes.

- C -

Re: Post If You\'re Self-Employed
 

does it count if your unemployed?

Re: Post If You\'re Self-Employed
 

Kind of self-employed, Im a contractor, and I get leads/asked if I want to go work from a "boss", but I can turn him down, work whenever I want, make my own hours, etc. I do a lot of work just for myself, but about 50% of it comes from helping this guy out. I am going totally self-employed in about 2 months, Im doing the IT and managing end of a call center, and in exchange for a large percentage of the company.

Re: Post If You\'re Self-Employed
 

How'd you end up working for yourself?

I paid off most of my debts while working at PokerStars, saved up a bit of money, and planned out a business while I was still employed. I liked it a lot at Stars, working as a collusion investigator and poker team member, but I always wanted to be self-employed. When I met someone in Seattle that I could partner with that shored up all of my weaknesses, I ran with it.

What do you do?

I can't really talk about it based on non-disclosure agreements I've signed, but the business is related to finance.

Do you enjoy what you do?

Yeah, I do. It's not easy work and it is stressful, but it's rewarding at the end of the day.

Do you have any advice or recommendations? What have you learned?

Don't overhire employees. Don't expand your business just because you think you should grow larger. Focus on making money, getting your feet on the ground, and building up a solid and repeatable income stream before you grow larger.

Re: Post If You\'re Self-Employed
 

[ QUOTE ]
(Crossposted in Bus/Fin)

If you're self-employed I'd like to hear a little about what you do. I've always thought I'd end up being self-employed soon after, if not directly after, graduation. A lot of other posters are probably in the same boat. I think it would be helpful for those of us who are interested in eventually being our own boss by hearing from those who actually are.

How'd you end up working for yourself?

my old boss and i decided to drop our biggest client, and go off on our own. i didn't know if i was going to get a job, or freelance, but i ended up doing pretty good freelancing, so i just stuck with it. that was about 3-4 years ago.

What do you do?

I'm a print graphic designer

Do you enjoy what you do?

i used to love it a lot, but i'm a bit burnt out on it, but it pays the bills, as i'm far too lazy to get into anything else right now

Do you have any advice or recommendations? What have you learned?

make as many contacts as possible. i've gotten very few jobs or contracts through cold calls. almost all my work has come from people i knew already, or word of mouth.

Any regrets?

year and half ago, i moved to ny for 6 months, i don't really regret the move, but i did lose a few clients, which kinda sucked.



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