Anna wrote in with a common question: how to get started working on your own?
I hear these questions a lot, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Despite the variations, most of them have a common theme. Here’s how Anna put it in her message, which I’m sharing with her permission:
I was recently laid off after working in a middle management position for the past four years. The layoff was sad, but not completely unexpected. The company has been losing money, and while I’d like to think I was irreplaceable, I know the truth is that they simply had to eliminate some positions.
My job was tolerable—I didn’t love it and didn’t hate it. I’m not opposed to going back into the workplace, but the job search is difficult. Many people are looking for work in my field, and some of them are much more experienced than me. I was making a good salary and might have to take a lower one if I was actually able to find a new job.
Besides, what I really want to do is work for myself. I want to find a way to create some kind of small business that pays the bills. I’m not trying to get rich, but I do like the idea of establishing my own security. I don’t know where to start, however. There are lots of things I’m excited about, from writing to making crafts to helping people with their taxes (I know, that’s weird), but I have no clue how to “monetize” these things.
I have a college degree in Psychology. I don’t have any debt except for a student loan that is low-interest and can be deferred for a while. I’m a fast learner and can afford to spend a few months without income while I’m starting up, but not much longer. What should I do?
I’ll share my advice to Anna in a forthcoming post… but first I’m wondering, what would you suggest?
What are the first things she should do to begin creating more self-reliance? Feel free to share your ideas in the comments.
Keep your advice as specific and helpful as possible, and remember: it’s not just Anna who wants to solve this for herself. LOTS of other people are thinking about the same things and looking for ideas.
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Update: Thanks for the great input. We’ll announce the winner in a follow-up post within the next week.
*Free prize! Our biased judges will choose one answer from the comments and award a $50 gift certificate to UnconventionalGuides.com. All answers must be in by Wednesday at 9am PST.
Image: Matthew
February 14, 2012
Brian Storey
Your friends and advisors will tend to tell you that they “love the idea”. Often they are not being honest because they want to support you and your enthusiasm. It is easier and more comfortable for them to agree with your idea. Get some professional help in determining the path, or, in this case, your ideas can be judged by people who care about your future, but don’t know you. We can be honest with you with no fear of offending.
February 14, 2012
Josie
1. Answer two questions: what do you want, and what do you have to give? Use as much rich detail as possible. Get more info by doing self-discovery exercises.
2. Use this info to choose what you want to sell. Consider combining your skills to form a unique new business, such as tax prep for other full-time crafters/writers, or writing about how to create fictional characters with realistic psychological profiles.
3. Research all resources available to you. Are there programs in your area to assist new small businesses? Grants for specific education? Do you know anyone in a similar business who would be willing to give or barter advice?
4. Find places to sell your product or service. This might be a craft site like etsy.com, ravelry.com or craftsy.com. Articles can be posted on a pay-per-page-view site like Suite101.com or sold at Smashwords.com. If you have a collection of articles, they could be sold together as an eBook.
5. Set a clear goal. Start with something generic (I want to make a full-time living) and then fill in the details to create a plan.
6. Launch! One of the fastest ways to learn is to try something and get feedback.
February 14, 2012
Amber
Start with who you are. Think about who you are, and what really matters to you. and what kind of life you want to build. Start with one thing, then build up to the next.
Good luck!
February 14, 2012
Lorrie Kueffer
Chris, THANKS for the opporunity to comment. Lots of good suggestions above. My husband and I are leaving our jobs to have the freedom and independence we want, and transitioning into new lines of income. I won’t repeat what I’ve read so many people say, all very good advice. I would also like to add that there are some wonderful network marketing opportunities that are worth looking into and are very helpful to others. I have become a Juice Plus rep, a natural transition for me becoming vegan for the last several years. I love the product and the company, and it’s value to people’s health. One other thing I’d like to mention is to simplify, simplify, simplify…the fewer expenses you have, the easier you can live financially, and still live a very abundant fabulous life.
February 14, 2012
michael
Anna, do not panic, keep calm. Breathe and Smile. Make somebody else smile. Write out a gratitude list…….. EVERYTHING you are Thankful for. From this foundation you will be inspired. Best Wishes for the future.
February 14, 2012
Sylvia
My suggestion is to find an inspiring mentor who understands how to guide you in discovering what totally makes your spirit yell, “Hell YES!”
My motivational muse is Amber Rae. Like Anna, I had many passions I wanted to explore. I didn’t know where to begin. Working with someone who fully grasps how to unleash your full potential and give YOUR dreams direction is liberating! I’ve gained new perspective on my vision and am uncovering emotional blocks that I wasn’t even aware were guiding my decisions.
I followed Chris’ blog for a 1 1/2 years before I finally took the leap. 4 months ago I packed up whatever I could fit into my Nissan Juke to leave my blingy South Florida life behind and move to Boulder – the scariest, most thrilling decision I’ve ever made.
Months of personal reflection had awoken me to the fact that everything I called “Family” and “Home” no longer fit me. If I was going to be totally honest with myself, it never had. And so, I decided to stop living life on the surface and dive in.
There have certainly been tough moments since “the big jump” but my heart has never been happier. Today, I am living my life on MY terms. And it FREAKIN’ ROCKS!
February 14, 2012
Manan
Do what Steve Jobs did..find something you fall in love with,become passionate about it and follow it through and through…In life,you can focus on one thing at a time..so try anything that you find interesting and worth spending more time on …it has to be trial and error.How can you expext to stumble across your passion in first go(very few have found).. And then,there has to be creativity..you cannot sell people what is already out there in the world.. It has to be different.And that usually happens when you have spend some time researching about it..but if you love your job,you end up inventing new stuffs around..now thats exciting.. Its like study hacks motto:be so good at something that its too hard for the world to ignore.And I do not understand..if you want money,never say I dont want to be that rich..Have the right attitude.Listen to think and grow rich by Napoleon Hill audiobok everyday..spend fifteen to twenty minutes at night thinking about ideas and ask yourself how am I to spend the next three months..try getting as many answers as possible..I ll tell you something..This Chris is writing blog because he know the trick of his trade..he is focussed on travelling for a couple of years..Now what did he do first?travel or create a blog to attract like minded people?He first asked himself what he really wanted to do..he travelled.Because of his passion for travelling,now he earns a living out of it..its what he chose for himseldlater things connected and money poured in…so mOral:you cannot cOnnect the dots now..but if you think ten or twenty years from now,then life will make more sense…
February 14, 2012
MelodyO
Here’s my advice coming from someone who has been successfully self employed for 15 years and now has a heart-shaped cube of ice where my heart used to be. :0P
I know people are going to tell you to follow your heart. I’m really, really not. Anybody can take a hobby and try to make a business out of it. Very few can make a living at it. It can be done, but your passion for that hobby better be white-hot, because you’re going to have to work harder and longer than everybody else to make a go of it. Maybe do the tax return thing AND the craft thing, as multiple income streams are always of the good. Having said that, here’s my advice after you decide what you’re going to do:
- The internet is your friend, plus a cheap date. Use it to sell, and use it to network. Network your ass off! You’ll be assless, but you won’t be sorry.
- If you make crafts, don’t make the crafts you think of while you’re in the shower. Figure out what sells well already and make your own version of that (don’t steal the ideas, steal the categories). Don’t reinvent the wheel, especially if it’s crocheted.
- Don’t give up! Be the one who makes it. /
February 14, 2012
Alain
Self employed for 20+ years. First thing you need is to be ABSOLUTELY comfortable with uncertainty. Regardless of what you decide to do, being self employed you will rarely know where the next few checks are coming from. You need to be real honest with yourself that you can deal with this. In twenty years of self employment [successful 6 figure hospitality consulting/lobbying] I rarely could tell where my money was coming from 90 days out. I simply did the work, persisted and it all worked out but the anxiety never left. Your partner, children, family, friends, bankers etc are usually not that accepting.
If you want to be self employed because you hate looking for a job you probably are not cut out for self employment because every single client, every single piece of work is another “job search” – over and over again.
If you want to test the waters with little or no risk try volunteering. “Social entrepreneurship” is not the latest or greatest but the barriers to entry are low even if there is no remuneration. Good luck.
February 14, 2012
Kanwal Sarai
The first and most important step is to take some time and determine what is your passion, what are your natural talents and abilities.
What comes easy to you that others would find hard to do?
What do you enjoy doing?
Going out on your own is hard work at first. Running your own business is definitely more than a 9-5 job. If you use your natural talents and abilities, the work won’t feel like “work”.
The next step is to research if there is a demand for your product/service. Can you make money?
Based on what you described, I think you will have to return to the workforce (at least for a little awhile), but you can certainly start your business venture right now and then continue to work on it on the side. I know you mentioned you “can afford to spend a few months without income”. But as with any start-up you will probably make $0 in the first 12-24 months (or maybe even longer). I’m not trying to scare you, but rather prepare you for reality.
The only way you can avoid a 9-5 job is to have funding either from:
- your own savings
- family/friends
- or a spouse
Going out on your own is exciting and energizing if you love what you do, so figure that out and go for it!
February 14, 2012
The Creative Beast
WOW! so much great advice is here for the picking and I’ve been gobbling it up since I too am in a similar position as Anna having been laid off and starting to figure out how to be a self-sustaining self employed artist/entrepreneur.
Here is my 2 cents for what it’s worth…
Penny#1 – I have to agree with Helena, Gregory and Travis on the “take time off/ take a vacation/ leave the country” line of advice. Sometimes you really do need to take some time off to put distance between you and the life you previously lived so you can begin to ease into the life you really want and that time might also help to clarify what you want to do with your life that will bring the most joy for YOU
Penny#2 – Though I have been with the same tax man for over 6 years and greatly appreciate him, I’d LOVE to have a tax person who was attuned to creative entrepreneurs, who could make taxes more FUN and less stressful! If you do choose to go this path, PLEASE let me know if I can hire you to do my taxes in the future =-)
Much luck to you Anna!
February 15, 2012
Javier Munoz
Brilliant! Crowdsourcing advice…
February 15, 2012
Carmen Mak
Start with the thing you honestly BELIEVE you can do well and go ahead! However if you are not certain, don’t rush into anything but give deep thoughts about why you want to do it and what you want to get out of it, whether people can benefit from it greatly and what is your ultimate purpose doing it.
Otherwise you may either end up giving up in the middle of the way or defeated by challenges. A clear picture of what you want to do help you with persistence and courage! Good luck to us all!
February 15, 2012
Mavis
There’s so much great advice laid out for you here, and I’ll try not to repeat any of it, except to say, again: live without what you can live without. Cut expenses, cut them now.
One of my favorite online resources/mentors is Marie Forleo and she calls herself a “multi-passionate entrepreneur”. I suggest you check out her site for online business advice.
Etsy and/or becoming a tax consultant for creative entrepreneurs sounds like a fantastic idea! But if you wanted to also get writing in there (and why not? I do it and love it), get a-searchin’ on craigslist, too. Will you find paid work there? Maybe/not. But I’m pretty sure you’ll find somebody to write for and the goal here is to get your work published and online, fast. You need to build a portfolio. In the beginning that may mean writing for free. Having even just one piece online will help get you the next gig. Start with a blog and write for yourself first, but get your perfectly spelled, grammatically correct words and sentences out there for people to check out.
Passion and inspiration are great. Discipline and skills are better. Work begets work. I promise this is true.
February 15, 2012
Joseph
Congratulations, Anna! Most people aren’t lucky enough to get laid off!
My advice to find your life work? Imagine that someone very close to you is dying too young from an incurable disease. Really get into the feeling, close your eyes and imagine it. Then think about your life and how you want to spend it. This exercise will put everything in perspective for you more quickly than any other method out there.
Good fortune…
February 15, 2012
Cindy Fortin
Read Barbara Winters book – Making a Living without a Job.
I am excited to come back and read more answers from the other comments here. What a great question.
I am at a half way point. Some income from self-employment but still waiting tables part-time. I need to push to the next stage.
Good luck to everyone who is taking this journey.
February 15, 2012
Charles Franklin
First of all, know who yourself and what you have to offer really well..
Secondly, Create a plan to provide that service better and faster than you did before.
Third, Budget for your plan
Fourth (and Lastly) Grow your business and your services by interacting with educational courses, mentors, and your customers.
Charles Franklin
(Future Administrative/Research Specialist Extraordinaire…)
February 15, 2012
jon r
Find out what puts you in ‘flow’, and find out if it’s marketable. Focusing on flow activities will keep you inspired and enthusiastic, which is essential for you to succeed.
George Bernard Shaw’s words, made famous in a Robert Kennedy speech, are good to personalize, “You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’”
When I ask myself “why not?” it broadens my vision, I’m optimistic and I see exciting possibilities. If I’m negative, it narrows my focus, and I feel stressful, and it becomes impossible for me to think creatively.
Go on a learning binge! Listen to audio programs. Read as much as you can, about your craft, about business, about planning, about success, and about others who have succeeded despite all obstacles. And never, never, stop believing in yourself.
Once you truly decide what you love to do, and feel you have the ability to get the resources needed to launch – follow your plan and don’t look back.
February 15, 2012
Carol Todd
Congrads on making this monumental decision and turning a negative into a positive.
Regardless of the path you take you will need to focus on your new business venture without fear of living in your car of not being able to eat. This means realistically look at your finances and decide how little you need to live for the next year. If you are single you may need to make adjustments that will reduce your expenses. i.e. a smaller apt. or a room mate.
Be in love with your business no matter what it is. Being self employed is rewarding and stressful. If you don’t like change or uncertainty then hook up with your local employment department and get a day job. If you are adventuress and can take a risk then go for it.
Good luck and best wishes!
A former entrepreneur who likes her day job. LOL
February 15, 2012
Adele
First, sit still and picture your future self. What does she look like, where does she live, what is she doing at that very moment. She will probably be alone but that’s normal. We all see ourselves as alone so ignore that part. Is she writing, teaching, filing… ? Just observe. Afterward, write everything down. Look at your notes and try to figure out what her career is. Then figure out how to do that. Pick that one thing and don’t look back. Dig a deep well, not a million 2-foot holes. And don’t deny your vision. Deep down, you know the you that you long to be. Trust yourself.
February 15, 2012
Sayan Sarkar
This is the perfect time to start your own business! You are eager to learn and have adequate time to work on your own. Also, it’s a down economy, and if you can start and succeed now, just think of the outcome when the economy improves!
Based on your situation, here are my thoughts:
- Start consulting in the field that you previously worked. How? ONLINE OUTREACH. Start a blog and give away quality, free content that is useful for those in your field. While doing this, either develop a ebook/audio/video product for sale, or start freelancing as a consultant. When your blog is well known, the purchases or consulting requests will start rolling in!
- Or build a personal finance practice. Begin a blog/site with quality, free content about how to live and maintain a debt free life. Just think of how many people out there (especially now) are debt-ridden, strapped for cash, and trying to find reliable thoughts and tips on how to better their financial situation. Lead by example!
Best of luck to you!
February 16, 2012
James Harrington
Don’t put pressure on yourself by needing to succeed immediately, unless pressure is what you need. Some people do, for others it is just a hindrance. Whatever you decide to do, devise a plan b where you can still pursue it even if you go back to work. That means it has to be something you love. That way, if it doesn’t work right away – and for most people it doesn’t – you can improve at it and have the option of pursuing it full-time in the future.
February 16, 2012
Tony Fuentes
Congrats on your lay off! It’s the beginning of a new path, for sure!
My vague advice would be to start. The reason you don’t know where to start is because you have more than one option. So just pick one, and start. The path will become clearer as you walk it.
My more specific advice would be to choose tax prep services, specifically for people who are recently unemployed. Since you just got laid off, you can totally sympathize with people who are in the same position and can’t afford to pay full price to do their taxes. Offer your service at a discount and ask for referrals from everyone you work with. Build your book organically and let them know you work with the gainfully employed as well. You can literally find your first clients at the local unemployment office! It’s like someone did all the work for you!
While you’re doing that, start a blog and write about tax prep for the unemployed.
My two cents.
February 16, 2012
Heather
Fortunately, you already have some excellent habits in place (no debt). Kudos! Money tends to run out quickly, so the first thing I would recommend you do is to cut your living expenses to the bone (no cable TV, little to no eating out, no Starbucks), leaving yourself very limited discretionary spending.
Unlike many other folks here, I’m not going to recommend you dig deeply into yourself and follow your heart. You need to create a business that meets your financial needs and rewards you with all the benefits of self-employment. Yes, you can create a business around your skills and interests, but at the end of the day it’s still a business and must be treated as such. You need your work, and you need your hobbies. Do you think Chris writes when he feels like it, or do you think he is disciplined and focused about his work?
You must be analytical if you enjoy doing taxes. I would suggest you spend several intense days brainstorming all the business ideas which interest you. Pick your top three or four and flesh out business plans. Seek mentors, advisors and business people for input and then go for it!
February 18, 2012
betterthanliving
The biggest problem is that you only have a few months before you will need income. Unless you are unbelievably lucky or already well-positioned, you will not be able to generate a good income in that time frame while undertaking a new venture.
I suggest getting a part time job to just pay the bills, but not enough money such that you lose the urgency to push forward. If you have few responsibilities, you can maintain such a lifestyle for a year or more and give yourself the time to find a winning business idea, without having compromise too early due to lack of funds.
From that point, following a lot of the advice already suggested becomes reasonable, such as just trying something and seeing what happens or following your existing network.
The most efficient but possibly least fun business growing strategy is to work directly from what you already know and can do. Anything that requires new expertise or learning may take longer before the real business opportunities can be seen and developed.
February 19, 2012
David Urmann
All the advice here is great. I think the toughest course might be just to focus on one thing and act. Its possible you will get a lot of ideas but spend a few weeks thinking things through and then put one idea into action and do it well. You can make a great living without getting a paycheck.