The Truth About Working For Yourself

When you work for "the man", the prospect of working for yourself seems so glamorous. Making your own hours, calling the shots, getting up when you want, working in your pyjamas - wouldn't that be nice! Working for yourself can be really great and rewarding if the right jobs and clients come along, but there are also a lot of stressful parts to owning your own business. If you are thinking about starting on your own or you have just decided to go out on your own, here are some things that might help prepare you for the adventure you are about to take. I have been working for myself for just about eight years; here is the truth no one tells you about being self-employed.

It can get lonely

While creating your own schedule and working in your PJ's is amazing, working alone can get... well, a little lonely (even for an introvert like me)! I do both freelance graphic design and photography, so I usually have a few different types of jobs going on at once. When I take photography jobs, I get to see and talk to people during shooting time. When it comes to editing, or when I have a design job that chains me to the computer for days, it can be a bit tough without talking to or seeing anyone! Chris can tell you how talkative I become when he gets home from work. If I haven't spoken to anyone all day, I end up talking his ear off! If he is away or on call and I have a busier schedule where I work later into the night by myself, two days might go by where I don't open my mouth. You want to know what happens after that period? I literally forget how to talk and become way more awkward than normal, it SUCKS. 

My solution: Work with other freelancers on jobs and schedule Skype meetings throughout the week with them. Haul your ass out of the office to a coffee shop and work there either alone or with a friend. It's awesome to go with a friend so you can get some convo in, but make sure you both have work to do so it stays productive.

You play all the roles

When you work for yourself, you play all the roles. You do YOUR work, but you also have to be the accountant, the client manager, the secretary, the social media person, the marketing department. I spend half of my work days checking and responding to emails and usually don't get to actually do much work until about lunch time. What really sucks is when one or more of those roles are not a strong point for you. For example, I am really bad at accounting. I suck hard at remembering to send invoices and I am not the most skilled when it comes to math. I am learning though, and even though accounting isn't too difficult, it's still stressful to keep on top of things and make sure you are doing things legit. 

My solution: Use software like Wave to automatically keep entries up to date and dedicate one day a week to accounting. Hire a professional when I am in a pickle.

Be prepared for slow months

You might start off your business with a bang and become super successful right away, but depending on the industry, jobs might come in waves. For example, January and July are typically slow times for me. It's important to realize that if you are not working on a job, you are not bringing in money. If you have expenses to pay then make sure you have some money saved up before you go out on your own, just incase things don't go as planned.

The couch is distracting

If you are going to be working at home, you need to make a schedule and stick to it. Otherwise it is super easy to spend the day sleeping in or hanging on the couch binge watching The Mindy Project or some super awesome vlogs on YouTube. Figure out what time of the day is most productive for you, then build your schedule around that. If you find that you get more done in the afternoons and evenings, then set aside that time for work.  If you decide you want to keep a fairly normal schedule, you need to be able to motivate yourself to get out of bed. Making to-do lists for the day can help.

My Solution: I go for a walk first then start working. I check emails first and try to take regular breaks. I also try and finish by a reasonable time so I can have evenings to myself, but this often isn't the case when you own your own business! 

You need a thick skin

People can be straight up mean! And it sucks, BIG TIME. It makes you question EVERYTHING you are doing. I had a bad experience with one client a few years ago; they sent me a really unprofessional and mean email which basically said that I was a shitty designer. All I could think was "shit, am I a terrible designer? Do all my clients hate me?" But when I stepped back and looked at the bigger picture, I remembered that I had a number of clients who have been around for years who were happy with the work I was doing for them. It's bound to happen at LEAST once, and I have gotten burned a few times. Be prepared, don't take it personally, and move on. Unless everyone is telling you that you suck, then maybe re-evaluate your career (or your clients). 

My solution: Don't take the mean emails personally, always be professional, learn how to read the signs of a bad client before working with them.

Goal setting is more important than you think

I have always been a huge fan of setting goals; for me it's the best way to create growth, track your progress, and plan for future. Otherwise things get put off, especially when work gets busy. Setting goals gives you a purpose, something to work towards. It also keeps you focused when work gets crazy and you lose sight of why you went on your own in the first place.

My Solution: Create a list of easy to accomplish 30 day and 90 day goals. Then write down that big, fearless five or ten year goal and work towards it. It's so satisfying to tick off those smaller goals while working towards the big picture.

Work can be extremely fulfilling

Even though the stresses from late nights, working weekends, playing all the roles, and dealing with arse holes seems unappealing, working for yourself is EXTREMELY fulfilling. For me, it's when I finish up a big job and the client is super happy. I get to step back, look at the work I have done and say "I made that", and that is a cool feeling. It's when one of my best clients recommends me to another business, who turns into another great client, which leads to another great client. In the end of the day, working with great clients who appreciate you and who you connect with will make you feel great about working for yourself. And if you hate all the other stuff, like book keeping, make enough money to hire someone to do it for you. That's successful business.