The business landscape is rapidly changing and this includes the end of a traditional 9-5 job. In the past, people frowned on those who decided to take on their own business ventures as it was considered risky. Now, the business world has changed all that making it easier than ever to work for yourself and create your own business.
Should you go freelance?
Do You Hate the 9-5 Routine?
One thing all freelancers have in common is the distaste for the traditional 9-6 routine. If you find yourself spending most of your day at work dreaming of a better work/life balance then maybe freelancing is for you.
Once you establish yourself as a freelancer you can decide your own work schedule and make plans to spend more time with friends and family or working on a hobby. Life is much more than just work at your office.
You’re Great at What You Do but You Never Move Up
Thirty years ago if you were good at what you did you could expect to take home a 20-30% bonus each year and doors would have been opened to new opportunities and promotion. Now, there is so much competition that many of us perform brilliantly for our company but we never move up or we do so very gradually.
Going freelance allows you to take your skills and apply them in an environment that directly rewards you. You can grow your own business, work with clients you like, and choose projects you are passionate about.
You Don’t Mind Hard Work
Some people often think freelancers are just sat around not doing much at home, watching TV or out walking the dog. The reality is, freelancers, work hard but they work smart.
Success is not based on long office hours, it’s determined by the work you put in and your quality service or product. When you work for yourself, all your hard work is rewarded directly back to you and not your peers.
Whether you decide to start a flower delivery business or start selling power wheelchair lifts, it’s going to difficult to run your own business. You must persist.
Uncertainty and Instability Don’t Phase You
Initially, when you go full-time freelance you will experience ties when money doesn’t roll in and your next project is nowhere to be found. It’s at this point where you either fail or succeed as a freelancer.
Those that are persistent, work hard and continue to push themselves despite the uncertainty and stability go on to be successful. The initial period is difficult but the long-term rewards are much greater.
You are Multi-Skilled
Freelancers are not just skilled in their primary work, they have skills in all areas of business. Once you become your own boss there is no one else to help you with your accounting, finance, sales, operations, and marketing. It’s on you.
Some people relish in this idea and others fear it. If the prospect of managing all aspects of business excites you then you are suited to freelancing. When you spend an hour a week calculating your revenue for your own business, it hardly feels like work anyway.
