By Mary Friese
It’s time to take a hard look at career assumptions. Who is your boss? Many people in our society are raised to believe that the best way to become financially secure is to get a job and earn “regular” income. The idea of safety, stability, and security fed by the receipt of a regular paycheck seems sensible.
But really, it is more a scenario of sacrificing freedom, empowerment, and control in exchange for taking orders dutifully. If you are competent, you may have the ability to switch jobs, but you could also get laid off in spite of your grand abilities. Further, when you want to increase your income, it is at the discretion of a boss regardless of the amount of hours or energy you put into your job, or how many jobs you try on for size.
As an employee, you willfully put yourself into a subservient position, one that really isn’t all that secure when you realize at any given time someone in a superior position at the company can say a few words and turn off all of your income.
So how can you have true job security when you have no control? This is the reason why many people choose to quit their jobs and become entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurship: The Excitement of Starting Your Own Business
It is true that leaving your job behind and becoming an entrepreneur is a major life decision that comes with some risks, but when you run your own business, you relieve yourself from the ever-present threat of getting laid off. Also, when you are in business for yourself, there is a more direct financial benefit for your tenacity—the hours and energy you put into your business benefits you.
A Gallup poll found that eight out of ten entrepreneurs are satisfied with their decision of becoming business owners and would do it again. However, experienced, successful entrepreneurs won’t mince words when it comes to the hard work involved in becoming a business owner; they can attest to the fact that your concerted efforts will repay you in ways simply “having a job” cannot.
When you run your own business, you will need to take on day-to-day challenges with a combination of determination, ambition, and grit. Since the buck stops with you, it’s up to you to make your clients happy, and it is up to you to market your products and services in order for your business to remain profitable.
You will need grit because you will be tested every day, frequently being pushed beyond your comfort zone. However, without strong support, you may find entrepreneurship overwhelming. This is why many entrepreneurs seek to find a perfect balance between independence and mentorship, and many people invest in franchises.
The Franchise Option
If you’re weighing the benefits of starting an independent business versus operating a franchise, ask yourself: Have I ever managed employees? Do I have experience relative to the industry? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the competition?
If you find you don’t have answers to these questions, perhaps it’s worth looking into investing in a franchise opportunity. A well-established franchisor can provide the answers to many of your startup questions with the added benefit of providing full ongoing support once you are in business.
Buying a franchise is investing in your own ability to increase your income without having to negotiate with a superior. No one outranks you when you’re the boss, and you can decide how much you get paid based on the grit, determination, drive you put into the business. Owning your own business is hard work. However, working for yourself is much different than working for somebody else. You’ll work harder for yourself than you will for someone else.
One of the crown jewels of franchising is the chance to receive ongoing support for the life of your franchise. Why turn down training for you and your employees in exchange for going solo? A franchisor becomes your silent partner and will get behind you with the full force of its brand, which should include national buying power to bring down costs with vendors and give a nice boost to your bottom line, too.
Count on joining a family of fellow franchisees who you will get to know at meetings and conferences, and look to them for mentoring. Representatives of the franchisor at the local level will become familiar faces who will work with you on a continuing basis as you grow your franchise. Note: they should become fixtures in the operation of your business only as you see fit, without micromanaging you. In this way, you are the big boss, but a strong entity has your back.
Finally, if you sign an agreement with a well-known franchise brand with a proven track record of enthusiastic franchisees, you will be doing yourself a favor. You do not need to be a human guinea pig, gambling your own money for a new, trendy franchise.
Working for a Boss vs. Being Your Own Boss
We are conditioned in this society to believe that working hard in school and landing a job with a stable company is the path to security and freedom, but there really can be no security or freedom when we work for someone else.
If you are in the position to choose between becoming an entrepreneur or simply getting a job, consider assuming the role of “boss.” Meet with successful entrepreneurs to find out what’s involved in running a business, and research franchise opportunities to see if there’s a fit there.
Remember, when run your own business, all of your hard efforts will come back to you in the form of a bigger piece of the pie, financially speaking.
About the Author
Post by: Mary Friese
Mary Friese writes enthusiastically about the business services industry with emphasis on topics relevant to current and future digital print, design, and marketing franchise success. She worked in the award-winning training department of Minuteman Press International through the 1990s, departing to raise a family. She has since returned as a writer, in large part because the corporate culture at Minuteman Press is such that it was as natural as returning home. She enjoys interviewing industry leaders and dynamic franchise owners from around the globe in order to compose fact-supported and inspiring stories.
Company: Minuteman Press International, Inc.
Website: www.minutemanpressfranchise.com
Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.
The post Is Entrepreneurship the Key to True Job Security (and Happiness)? appeared first on AllBusiness.com
The post Is Entrepreneurship the Key to True Job Security (and Happiness)? appeared first on AllBusiness.com.