Becoming self employed is a dream many people have, but it seems unrealistic or daunting to most. What are the pros and cons of becoming your own boss?

Pros

• You don’t have to answer to anyone, or follow anyone else’s rules. The buck stops with you.

• You can set your own schedule, hours, and place of work.

• If you are successful, the benefits come directly to you.

• You have creative freedom.

• You can build and develop your business in line with your goals and ideals.

• If something isn’t working for you, you can change it.

• You can learn a huge amount and develop various skills in facing the challenges of becoming self employed.

• There is no ‘glass ceiling’ to limit you- the sky is the limit in how far you can rise.

• You can choose who you work with, or whether to work with others or work alone.

• If you don’t wish to do business with someone, you don’t have to.

• You can implement all your ideas without somebody telling you they are unrealistic.

• You can choose your own career path much more freely than by working for a company.

Cons

• You have to make choices and decisions on a regular basis (scary at times, but a great learning experience).

• You don’t have the security of a paycheck (also scary, but great way to develop trust, skills, and confidence in your ability to create abundance).

• You need to be self-motivated. There is nobody telling you to clock-on, or cracking the whip if you slack off.

• Need to arrange a location- whether at home or in a shop or office.

• Working from home can mean distractions caused by family or your surroundings.

• Becoming self employed- especially if you work from home- means that you are never ‘off work.’ It is important to create boundaries so that you can maintain your personal life.

• Certain types of self employment require an investment of capital, but there are other jobs that you can do with little or no start-up cash.

• If you are self employed, you need to arrange your own insurance, and are not covered by workers’ compensation.

While there are clearly many advantages to becoming self employed, there are of course disadvantages. Only you can decide whether self employment is the right career choice for you. I believe that some of the disadvantages are actually tremendous opportunities for personal and professional growth.

For me, there is absolutely no question that the pros of being self employed definitely outweigh the cons. This doesn’t mean though, that I suggest that everyone should decide to become self employed overnight.

There are many ways of becoming self employed, and if you feel that being your own boss is a career goal that you want to aim for, you can start figuring out which type of self employment is right for you.

Deciding to become self employed is a very exciting and liberating choice, and it doesn’t mean you have to immediately leap away from the safety net of paid employment.

Many forms of self employment can be developed gradually, in your spare time. Then when you have developed enough of a foundation in your new career or business, you can start cutting back on your ‘day job.’

If you are planning to become self employed, one big choice that you need to make is whether you are going to have a physical business or not. A physical business is the type of business where you open a shop, a clinic, or a café. This kind of business requires premises, money for start-up costs such as equipment, a commitment of a certain amount of time, and possibly staff.

I have had this kind of business- twice, and I have come to the conclusion that it is not the right business model for me. I don’t like being tied to a certain place, and having to show up there every day at a certain time.

The ideal business model for someone like me is an online, or work from home business. By writing books and running a website, I can work anywhere that I have an Internet connection, or at the very least, pen and paper. I can also work any time. If my kids are napping, I can work. If I want to work for the whole weekend, and then take a break on Monday when the beach is deserted, I can. If I am inspired to stay up and write until 3am, and then sleep the next day…. well, that depends on whether my husband is willing to take care of the kids and let me sleep!

Whether you want to create, advise, train, heal, speak, write, coach, market, or program computers, you can, and you can do it for yourself! It may take time, it will take patience, and it might take several attempts before you find the way that works for you. Becoming self employed may seem like a dream, but if it is something you really want, it can become a reality.

A native of Australia, Amanda Harvey is currently based in Taiwan. Working as a teacher, speaker, and writer, she has spent the last decade living in various countries throughout Europe and Asia. Through her life experiences, Amanda has developed a strong passion for encouraging others to embrace their differences and become empowered to choose their own paths. Amanda is the author of two books. To read more, please visit www.choosing-life-my-way.com/index.html