10 Reasons to go solo
Don't put up with your ranting boss. Get on the internet and turn your hobby into a job you love.
There’s no better time to turn your hobby into a thriving business on the web. Anybody who has money to spend in the world is probably attached to a computer. More and more people are buying stuff online as we all turn our backs on greedy big businesses.
TV companies are jumping the shark – making terrible shows and losing money to internet advertising hand over fist. It’s much cheaper to advertise your product on the web than it is on TV and more relevant buyers are seeing the ads. Only people who want to see your ad will click on them so you’re not wasting anyone’s time.
Aye, these are heady days for internet start-ups. If you feel a string desire to sack your boss, then you might find the following tips useful . . .
1. You’re not happy with your job.
If you’re not happy in your job and / or you felt the same way in your previous job, maybe it’s the job and you should stop wasting time. Or . . . you were born a freelancer. Freelancers are free spirits who don’t really like being told what to do. Why put up with this job when you can make your own?
2. Your boss is making money out of you.
There’s nothing worse than a happy boss – one who has just made money selling your hard work. You can do that yourself. The whole point of being in business is to make money. Employee time is bought and then sold at a profit and that profit can smetimes be your loss.
3. Life is too short and work days too long.
You’ve worked for the man long enough. It’s time to work for yourself. You wanna be da man.
4. You’ve always wanted to be a . . . [insert childhood dream here].
Drawing a wage every week isn’t going to get you closer to that dream of being a dancer, or an architect. Maybe bailing work and going back to study is an option. Jump and the parachute will appear.
5. You get paid at least three times as much for every hour you work for yourself.
Maybe more. But when you work for yourself, you get paid by yourself. The down side of freelancing is that when you don’t work – you don’t get paid. Freelancers need to manage their time very efficiently and it’s not always easy to do.
6. The tax benefits with running a business are very attractive.
When you’re on a salary, your boss claims all your work perks – the computer, the car, maybe even your suit. They’e all a business expense. You could be doing that.
7. You can have a sicky or a smoko whenever you want.
Being your own boss means that your time is your own. If you want to go shopping on a Thursday afternoon, you can. But remember that you don’t get paid to go shopping.
8. Superannuation? That’s a rort.
Too many people lost more than half of their retirement income in the last 2 year because of the financial crisis. The only people who seem to have benefited from this crash were fat-cat CEOs who bailed with golden handshakes. The money paid into Super was never meant for you. Someone got away with the pot.
9. You own the means of production.
In your own business you get to buy at trade rates and keep the gear. You write off depreciation on electrical items and you get to play your own swivel chair.
10. He’s crap and you’re better.
Does your boss tend to load up your in-tray just because he’s had a bad day? As if for spite. Does your boss blame you for things which were his or her responsibility? Is your boss mid-divorce and taking his personal issues out on the whole office. Maybe your boss is just another insecure prick enjoying a power trip. You don’t have to put up with bosses in your own business. You will have clients and some can be a pain. But they don’t have your balls in a bear trap. Your relationship with a client (or customer) is a much more equal relationship and both parties stand to gain a lot from their time together.
In Conclusion
Working freelance isn’t for everyone. Setting up a business, finding yor market and then employing people might mean you end up working 60 hours or more per week for the first year. Every now and then, business goes quiet. At least if you don’t like your clients, you can get rid of them and not feel bad about it later.
