Jealous of self employed peeps...

[rphan2]

I sit at my 9-5 daily thinking about how I can start out working for myself. I honestly feel like the 9-5 is not for me. My problem is that I have no special skillset that I can use to start a business and no one around me is a business owner, so can't really learn from anyone. I understand how difficult it is to start a business and all the things that go into it. Can all you self employed guys shed some light on how you started such as ideas, loans, marketing etc? I don't know how much longer I can take working M-F, 40 hrs a week. Always been a goal to work for myself, but never had the right idea or plan..

[IFX]

What type of business are you looking into?

[rphan2]

I honestly don't know what type of business to get into. All I know is that I am truly motivated to work for myself and sick of working a desk job. Where can I find more info on some easier start ups of any kind so I can get some ideas? I don't know anyone with their own business that I can look to for advice currently...

[Templar]

If it was easy, everyone would do it.

If you really have no special skillset, you should start learning, because otherwise you're not going anywhere. Unless you come up with the next best fad (like Facebook or something).

Besides, starting up your own business doesn't mean you'll get to choose your own hours right away. You'll probably work twice as much as you're working now (burning the midnight oil) to get started, and not until years down the road when you're in a steady state operation will you be able to start easing back.

Either way, good luck with your search.

[Mr Tonka]

DVD red box..... j/k

How old are you, where do you live, what kind of education do you have and what work experience do you have?

[DSB335d]

Edited...

[bga23]

Everyone I know who has their own business definitely does not work 9-5 M-F, most work 6 days a week, 12+ hours a day. It is a shitton of work but then again you're working for yourself, not for someone else. Starting a business is a lot of risk, but it is worth it when it pays off. And most of the wealthiest people I know got that way from starting their own business.

[MisterSkiMask]

Originally Posted by rphan2

I sit at my 9-5 daily thinking about how I can start out working for myself. I honestly feel like the 9-5 is not for me. My problem is that I have no special skillset that I can use to start a business and no one around me is a business owner, so can't really learn from anyone. I understand how difficult it is to start a business and all the things that go into it. Can all you self employed guys shed some light on how you started such as ideas, loans, marketing etc? I don't know how much longer I can take working M-F, 40 hrs a week. Always been a goal to work for myself, but never had the right idea or plan..

You think you are going to work less than 40 hours per week if you are self emplyoed

I have found, and others can back me up, that the business will get its hours out of you regardless of what you want to do.

I can’t remember the last time I took a vacation, I only took two days off when my daughter was born. If I try to take a half day on a Friday I usually end up taking some work with me.

People seem to think that when you own a business that you don’t have a boss. That is incorrect, you have many bosses. You can tell them to f*ck off, but then you won’t have a business for long.

Make no mistake, there are benefits, but you don’t just put your name on the wall and then yell at people from your condo in Hawaii.

[Hedges]

I own my own business and i work 60 - 70 hours a week but I do it because i love what i do. If your reason to start a business is because of the hours than stay away from it.

[MediaArtist]

Originally Posted by rphan2

I sit at my 9-5 daily thinking about how I can start out working for myself. I honestly feel like the 9-5 is not for me. My problem is that I have no special skillset that I can use to start a business and no one around me is a business owner, so can't really learn from anyone. I understand how difficult it is to start a business and all the things that go into it. Can all you self employed guys shed some light on how you started such as ideas, loans, marketing etc? I don't know how much longer I can take working M-F, 40 hrs a week. Always been a goal to work for myself, but never had the right idea or plan..

Why do you dislike the 9-5? If it's because you are tired of being micromanaged, long hours, being under appreciated, and your passion is slowly ebbing away, then maybe you should find an exit strategy.

Just expect that your 9-5, at least in the beginning, will likely become a 5am - 9pm. Why? There's no secret to starting a successful business, no magical formula, it's about hard work. But if you are passionate about what you do, and you stick around long enough, it can be incredibly fulfilling.

In the beginning, don't take a huge line of credit if you don't have to, I've seen it cripple people. I self funded by taking contract work/jobs. If you cannot do that, then you may need to get a loan, but realize having a huge note over your head pretty much says you're all in, and cannot f*ck up. If you can take take that kind of pressure, then it is a potential option. Never HELOC your home to fund a business, I've seen it fail 10 out of 10 times. Unless you are selling the potential cure to cancer, then maybe, otherwise no.

If you have a lot of friends and family (especially rich ones), you can crowd fund from them at first. If you don't, then you could potentially do a KickStarter.

The best advertising, or marketing is through word of mouth. I got most of my first initial projects through people who knew me personally. After that, you have to be active in hunting them down, and be an excellent speaker (running a business does sometimes require direct client/vendor/buyer contact). You are your companies best spokesperson. If you're not a people person, or comfortable with speaking with people in general, take some speech or improv classes. If you can't speak comfortably in front of a potential customer about why they should give you money, you won't last long as a business owner.

Internet marketing, ads, social media, can also be effective to, but make sure you are buying units from the right ad supplier. FWIW, I never had great results from ad services like Facebook, Google, Burst, etc. I've always had more success doing my own research about my audience and directly advertising within those communities. Think "sniper rifle" instead of shotgun.

Remember, you're not special. Anything you have come up with, or are trying to market has been thought of by at least a dozen other entrepreneurs. While ideas are great, good execution equals success.

There's a reason the majority of people do 9-5 jobs, it's stable, comfortable, and people give you work to do. A business can often be unstable, uncomfortable, and you have to look for work/create something that people will pay you for.

Always stay grounded, and never get drunk off success, you're only one bad deal, or f*ck up from going down the tubes.

p.s - If you're young, and landed a big project/buyer/etc, I give you permission to use your first big score to buy a nice car, not a super car, think S5, not F430. After that, be frugal, except when it comes to investing into your business, but only if those investments have a reasonable chance of paying dividends.

[RambleJ]

Originally Posted by bga23

Everyone I know who has their own business definitely does not work 9-5 M-F, most work 6 days a week, 12+ hours a day. It is a shitton of work but then again you're working for yourself, not for someone else. Starting a business is a lot of risk, but it is worth it when it pays off. And most of the wealthiest people I know got that way from starting their own business.

This right here! Startin your own business is not working 20 hours a week and doing what you like. You are going to work harder and longer hours with a hell of a lot more risk at fault is something goes wrong.

[Jet335i]

Media - great post. Clearly from someone who can over some valuable advice for OP.

[import36]

Originally Posted by MediaArtist

Why do you dislike the 9-5? If it's because you are tired of being micromanaged, long hours, being under appreciated, and your passion is slowly ebbing away, then maybe you should find an exit strategy.

Just expect that your 9-5, at least in the beginning, will likely become a 5am - 9pm. Why? There's no secret to starting a successful business, no magical formula, it's about hard work. But if you are passionate about what you do, and you stick around long enough, it can be incredibly fulfilling.

In the beginning, don't take a huge line of credit if you don't have to, I've seen it cripple people. I self funded by taking contract work/jobs. If you cannot do that, then you may need to get a loan, but realize having a huge note over your head pretty much says you're all in, and cannot f*ck up. If you can take take that kind of pressure, then it is a potential option. Never HELOC your home to fund a business, I've seen it fail 10 out of 10 times. Unless you are selling the potential cure to cancer, then maybe, otherwise no.

If you have a lot of friends and family (especially rich ones), you can crowd fund from them at first. If you don't, then you could potentially do a KickStarter.

The best advertising, or marketing is through word of mouth. I got most of my first initial projects through people who knew me personally. After that, you have to be active in hunting them down, and be an excellent speaker (running a business does sometimes require direct client/vendor/buyer contact). You are your companies best spokesperson. If you're not a people person, or comfortable with speaking with people in general, take some speech or improv classes. If you can't speak comfortably in front of a potential customer about why they should give you money, you won't last long as a business owner.

Internet marketing, ads, social media, can also be effective to, but make sure you are buying units from the right ad supplier. FWIW, I never had great results from ad services like Facebook, Google, Burst, etc. I've always had more success doing my own research about my audience and directly advertising within those communities. Think "sniper rifle" instead of shotgun.

Remember, you're not special. Anything you have come up with, or are trying to market has been thought of by at least a dozen other entrepreneurs. While ideas are great, good execution equals success.

There's a reason the majority of people do 9-5 jobs, it's stable, comfortable, and people give you work to do. A business can often be unstable, uncomfortable, and you have to look for work/create something that people will pay you for.

Always stay grounded, and never get drunk off success, you're only one bad deal, or f*ck up from going down the tubes.

p.s - If you're young, and landed a big project/buyer/etc, I give you permission to use your first big score to buy a nice car, not a super car, think S5, not F430. After that, be frugal, except when it comes to investing into your business, but only if those investments have a reasonable chance of paying dividends.

[Hey Ant]

be happy that you have a job, there are a lot of unfortunate people who lost their jobs while still trying to support a family.

[kevinbahnz]

i work 7 days a week. when Im not at work I worry about all the things that can go wrong when i'm not there.

[roastbeef]

i dabbled into vending machines this past year as a side gig, and the money involved is no joke. there is definitely money to be made and it is a very profitable business, as the profit margin is around 45%.
the earnings are almost limitless depending on how hard you want to work.
i'm getting out because i simply don't want to invest any more, and i don't have room for a third vehicle (van) and it was starting to grow beyond what i had time to maintain.
its brainless work though.

[dagolfpro]

I'm a golf instructor and teach full time. Most people are envious of what I do now (so am I at times). But, people don't realize how much I gave up to do what I do for a living. This is my 3rd "career", worked as a stock broker for 5 Years. Got caught up in the Internet boom back in 1999, laid off from 3 jobs in 3 years. Was collecting unemployment for 2 of those 3 years. Went through all my savings and 401k. Started back in golf making $8/hour back in 2002 and did that for 4 years before I started teaching full time. Yeah, people think I have a great job, which I do now. But trust me, most people wouldn't be willing to work $8/hour for 4 years after having a six figure income. I made that choice and never looked back.

Yeah, some weeks I work only 20 hours, and some weeks I work 60-70 hours. But I wouldn't trade my job for anything else!

So OP, ask yourself, are you willing to give up your current job, find something you're really passionate about and make only $8/hour to support yourself right now? If you answered yes, continue reading.

If you really don't like what you're doing. First, find something your passionate about. This is rule #1. PM me and I would be happy to help you out.

[Turbo>NA]

I'm 23 with 2 business. 1 under my name and the other with a partner. I am also a student at a art university. I have not graduated yet and have no degree. I am making great money but not enough. My goal is to make 15-25k$ a month.

Furthermore, I am in the position I am because of my parents background and their business. Without them, I honestly can't see myself where I am today. I appreciate what I have and I am extremely lucky.

That said, to own your business you must have money and contact recourses. This is the advice I am giving because I started my first business at 18. (which I eventually stopped) and started a new one. The situation you are in is not a great one, I am being blunt and honest. If you do not have cash or contact resources, then you need the next possible move which is either you are extremely smart (bachelors or masters, phd.) or you are gifted with talent (artist, computer program skill, photographer, editor, writer, etc..)


Moreover, just because you have an idea and money doesn't also mean you will succeed. People see losses in the early years of opening and some just have bad luck. Money is key because if you do fail, you can do if again and again and again. While building experience on what to do and what not to do. It is extremely important you take your time, do research in the field, invest, and hope for the best.


I have friends who hate their lifes making 10$ an hour and what 5$million cash when they go home. I have friends you have dropped out and now work or have tooken over their family business and making insane money, because of their background experience. I have Friends who have so much debt, I also have friends who constantly come up with new ideas and try to make a business and fall short, some do well but for the most part fail. Because of no experience and contact resource. At the end of the day we all want 100$ million, we want all the cash, power, mansions, and cars.. It's not easy and it's up to the person who is the most motivated and educated. You have to remember to stay alive when starting a business because your first 4 years you might not see profit or growth, but by sticking by your company can explode to the next best thing!



My advice: either you have a very wealthy friend or family member to do business with or start a new business and pray it succeeds. Or enroll to a community college, get your GED for cheap, transfer to a university, pick your degree, earn it. And do your best to make a livig off of it.

Another advice I can give you is do not be discouraged. Don't listen to idiots who say school is a waste of time and money, it's not. People don't graduate and can't find a job. You have to be a stupid mother fuxker to be in that situation. I have yet to make a friend or meet someone who is smart and motivated being unemployed with a degree. It's possible. Heck, a university is another chance to create a new contact resource with fellow students. Their might be an individual just like you waiting for an opportunity.

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by MediaArtist

Why do you dislike the 9-5? If it's because you are tired of being micromanaged, long hours, being under appreciated, and your passion is slowly ebbing away, then maybe you should find an exit strategy.

Just expect that your 9-5, at least in the beginning, will likely become a 5am - 9pm. Why? There's no secret to starting a successful business, no magical formula, it's about hard work. But if you are passionate about what you do, and you stick around long enough, it can be incredibly fulfilling.

In the beginning, don't take a huge line of credit if you don't have to, I've seen it cripple people. I self funded by taking contract work/jobs. If you cannot do that, then you may need to get a loan, but realize having a huge note over your head pretty much says you're all in, and cannot f*ck up. If you can take take that kind of pressure, then it is a potential option. Never HELOC your home to fund a business, I've seen it fail 10 out of 10 times. Unless you are selling the potential cure to cancer, then maybe, otherwise no.

If you have a lot of friends and family (especially rich ones), you can crowd fund from them at first. If you don't, then you could potentially do a KickStarter.

The best advertising, or marketing is through word of mouth. I got most of my first initial projects through people who knew me personally. After that, you have to be active in hunting them down, and be an excellent speaker (running a business does sometimes require direct client/vendor/buyer contact). You are your companies best spokesperson. If you're not a people person, or comfortable with speaking with people in general, take some speech or improv classes. If you can't speak comfortably in front of a potential customer about why they should give you money, you won't last long as a business owner.

Internet marketing, ads, social media, can also be effective to, but make sure you are buying units from the right ad supplier. FWIW, I never had great results from ad services like Facebook, Google, Burst, etc. I've always had more success doing my own research about my audience and directly advertising within those communities. Think "sniper rifle" instead of shotgun.

Remember, you're not special. Anything you have come up with, or are trying to market has been thought of by at least a dozen other entrepreneurs. While ideas are great, good execution equals success.

There's a reason the majority of people do 9-5 jobs, it's stable, comfortable, and people give you work to do. A business can often be unstable, uncomfortable, and you have to look for work/create something that people will pay you for.

Always stay grounded, and never get drunk off success, you're only one bad deal, or f*ck up from going down the tubes.

p.s - If you're young, and landed a big project/buyer/etc, I give you permission to use your first big score to buy a nice car, not a super car, think S5, not F430. After that, be frugal, except when it comes to investing into your business, but only if those investments have a reasonable chance of paying dividends.

All this being said, there is something to be said for working an honest days work and leaving your work at the office when you go home. I often find myself wondering what kind of life could we have if we were to sell everything we have and move to Costa Rica, St. Lucia, etc....

We get truck deliveries throughout the day at my office and some times i have to unload them when everyone else is busy. The drivers often tell me how many stops they have left. It'll be 2pm and the driver will tell me he's only got 1 more stop and he's done for the day. That's gotta count for something, to know you completed your job for the day and did it well. Reward - go home and not worry about getting paid for the last project or realized you forgot to order some material or schedule an installation....

I look at people working throughout the day along with the people working for my company and have to remind myself that these people go home and just totally forget about work. The whole weekend goes by without a thought of work in their minds. I've always wondered what the big deal was about Friday and the weekend and realized it's because running your own business you don't stop thinking about work at night during the week or over the weekends.

I wish i ran my business from my yacht in the Gulf, but right now i'm too much of an integral part of the business. If i'm lucky, with some more growth and some more economic stability, maybe i can run it with some more PTO.

A good book to check out when thinking about starting your business is the E-Myth. It gets you focused on working ON your business rather than working IN your business. This is difficult for most people because most small business are started because someone is good a what they do and the then build a staff around what it is that they do well.

[Sara]

I love my 9-5 job. Its gets my ass out of bed at a decent hour M-F.

[infinitekidM2C]

gotta work for someone else before you work for yourself...let them pay to train ur ass

[///Mandy]

I am a Mortgage Agent. I am self employed but work under a Mortgage company (I report to), if that makes any sense.
Try looking into this OP. It relates to a product everyone needs and you have the freedom of making your own hours and days to work.