Why did I try Entrepreneurship?
I’ve had to really think about this question. After all, entrepreneurship is no easy endeavor and it’s a well-catered audience. Hundreds of blogs will tell you how great it was when they started their side hustle, and even better when it became their full-time gig but fewer are honest about what it really takes.
Some of the benefits of working for yourself are obvious; no boss, you set your own hours, you decide who you work with, the list goes on. However, those “benefits” can be a double-edged sword. No boss means you must be a self-starter, setting your own hours means you should manage your time strictly, and deciding who you work with also means you’re managing client demands while maintaining good rapport (sometimes with little help).
When I quit my job and decided I wanted to start my own business, I received very little encouragement. I had no start-up money, my husband would have to support the entire household, and little did I know, I was about to lose a parent to lung cancer in a way that ultimately set my business launch goals back a full year. “Why entrepreneurship” was a question I asked myself repeatedly while dealing with each set-back and discouraging comment. Many times I was given more reasons to get a job than I was to start a business. So why go the hard road?
- You get creative doing what you love
Sometimes entrepreneurship is simply a vehicle to drive what you’re passionate about to the masses. It also forces you to be creative about how you can make your subject, your product, your service, appealing to your audience. Crossing your skills and your passion can take on interesting forms and many have found their true callings by integrating their many passions and skills into one marketable and profitable package.
- Use your skills and interests
Most people have more than one interest. Usually when you enter the work force, you are forced to retire an interest or skill that doesn’t get used for the company you end up working for, sometimes this interest or skill is something you’ve spent a lot of time or money on. As an entrepreneur, I’ve been forced to assess and hone my best marketable skills. I’ve also been forced to recognize which of my skills need to be improved for better business opportunities.
- Freedom to establish your worth
Estimating your worth can be a challenging but encouraging endeavor. You may or may not have the luxury of determining your salary, but entrepreneurship and business ownership should at least afford you the ability to determine how much vacation you deserve and the amount of attention your personal health should get. When you know your worth and you’re working toward those business and personal goals, it’s much easier to value every moment you spend working.
- Tailoring your education
When you work for yourself, every bit of information you get can be valuable for taking your business to the next level. If you’ve already been to college or you’re using your business as your means of education, entrepreneurship offers you the opportunity to tailor your learning to what you need to apply for your business. When you immediately apply what you’re taught, it becomes more than just memorizing information for a test, it’s actual learning.
Networking groups, online forums, and other opportunities to build business relationships can boost your tailored education by putting you in the position to receive one on one training that may benefit you and other networkers. (A bonus of having a fellow entrepreneur as a teacher: they tend to be passionate about what they’re teaching and can make better teachers.)
- You can make a difference
Unfortunately, working for someone else will not give you many opportunities to make a real difference in your company or your community, especially if it’s above your “pay grade.” As a part of starting a business you learn about who it is you really want to help (your audience) and how you can help them (your service, product, mission). Not only can you get involved by solving a problem for your audience, but finding ways to be more involved in your community can create opportunities to make a positive difference with your business. Also, thinking about how to brand yourself will help you find a voice in your industry, potentially making a difference for many people who were looking for someone just like you who understands their struggle.
So there you have it, five reasons why entrepreneurship is not only my preferred means of income, but also the focus of Jabbermax.
There’s plenty of expert advice out there on social media marketing and small business assistance, before checking them out, try Jabbermax’s Social Media Training Wheels guide.
