Control of Your Business

One of the scariest things I ever did was quit my first (and only) “real” job so I could begin my own brand of creative work in the world.

I became – gasp! – self-employed.

I was warned of the risks. I was told I’d lose my benefits. I was told it’s “hard out there” working for yourself.

It’s funny that the assumption so many people base one of their biggest life choices on is that working for yourself is risky. Now – after 16 years of making a living on my own terms – I believe the exact opposite!

So, here are seven of my favorite reasons to NOT have a job.

1. Having a job is way too risky.

When you have a job, someone can take away your income in two words: “You’re fired.” This is happening more and more as companies crumble in the face of global changes in commerce.

If you ask me, there’s nothing secure about that.

When you create your own business, and a client or customer moves on – then guess what? You get to say, “Next!”

2. No Bonus Pay for Messing Up

When you mess up at your job, you get punished, maybe even a pay-cut. Then you have to run around “making nice” to the people who might lay you off or promote someone else who’s younger and “hungry.” (Hungry for what? More time at the office?)

When you face challenges in your business, cheer. You’re getting paid to learn! Every mistake teaches you more about how to succeed.

Instead of getting an MBA – you’re getting a TBF. (Trial by Fire!) TBF’s can really yield a high ROI!

3. Your Ceiling isn’t Adjustable.

For entrepreneurs, there are multiple places you can generate income in their business within the next few months. The possibilities are endless. They should stop thinking in terms of “hours for dollars,” and start thinking of passive income. (Hey, why not get paid while you sleep?)

In a job, you can’t adjust your income based on the value you provide. Instead you have to ask for a raise. Not fun.

4. Pantyhose.

As I write this, I’m working.

I’m wearing a Tarheels baseball cap, a t-shirt, and jeans. I’ve got my feet propped up on the deck railing as birds sing at the feeder.

When I had a job, there was a dress code. And rules about what you could have on your desk. There was limited time for lunch, and no time for creativity. And don’t even get me started on pantyhose!

5. Your money doesn’t go as far.

Did you know that employee income is the most heavily taxed income in the U.S.? As an employee, almost half your salary will go to taxes. You get to spend what’s left on living expenses.

One of my first self-employed discoveries was that my money went MUCH further – because I could invest in myself or get equipment and supplies with pre-tax income. Any good accountant will help you make your dollars expand in your own business.

6. Focusing on your Weaknesses.

Have you ever heard of a “360?”

That’s when your co-workers and supervisors (and anyone else who wants to chip in) analyze your job performance. You learn all about your weaknesses – and you get a review outlining the ways you need to work on them. Often, people leave these “360″ reviews in tears.

In the world of the solo-preneur, we don’t mess with our weaknesses. The motto is Strengthen your Strengths. Hire your Weaknesses. In other words, as you become aware of your weaknesses, you don’t waste your precious energy fixing them.

7. Negative Environment.

Many office environments don’t encourage creative thinking or positive energy. Instead, there’s lots of negativity among employees who feel powerless.

In your own business, you set the tone, and you choose who enters your environment. You become deeply personally responsible for every aspect of your life.

This is often more uncomfortable than sitting back and blaming “The Man,” but it will absolutely free you.

There has NEVER been a better time to have a business. The world is now at your fingertips. If you are self-employed and still find yourself struggling – don’t blame yourself. The “job” paradigm can be a tough one to break. (I’ve been there!)

Christine Kane is the president and founder of Uplevel YOU?, a million-dollar company committed to the success and empowerment of purpose-driven entrepreneurs around the world. Christine has helped thousands of people uplevel their success, wealth and lives through coaching, in-person retreats and innovative programs, where she teaches high-level cutting-edge authentic marketing and business strategies, as well as transformational techniques to uplevel mindsets and money.

For An Entrepreneur To Be successful They Need To Be aware of their Facts

Let me start with the boring stuff. These are essentially the facts an Entrepreneur must know about the business climate and the opportunities this year and for the approaching year.

As of May of 2011, there are about 27 million small business owners in the United States. About 60 to 80% of all new positions come from these business’s. It may be hard to believe, but a business can be started for less than $350.00. Also, in spite of the myth of huge failure rates, a full 69% of small business’s continue to exist through their first 2 years. Where we get in trouble is over the longer term. The number of small companies still in business after 7 years drops down to 31%.

Just a couple of more quick facts and we’ll move on to the more juicy stuff. Small business owners represent over $7.8T in annual US revenues and a new business is often up and running in approximately six working days.

So if you are an entrepreneur planning to begin a business, the water is warm. It’s a great time to stick your toes in. You can get in for a reasonably small amount of cash, do it quickly and participate in over a trillion dollars in annual revenues. Not bad for starting a new business in any time.

Marketing Facts Every Entrepreneur Wants To Be Aware Of

Google and online social media have changed the game for a business owner. For the first time, an entrepreneur can, not only begin their business rapidly, but they also can do it economically as well. While there are several ways to spend funds with internet advertising, there are just as many, if not more ways to do the same thing for little to no money.

For example, there are now over 750 million Facebook users, each, on average spending a little more than fifteen hours a month on this social media site. Around 2.5 million internet sites integrate to Facebook and an amazing 30 billion pieces of content are shared in Facebook each month.

The great part about Facebook is that it is free. So, if you’re willing to learn how to use Facebook to be a successful entrepreneur, you’ve got the ability to tap into a massive market for little or no expense. The same is true for other social media sites like Twitter and YouTube.

YouTube has now become the number 2 search engine in the world. If you’re willing to learn to make YouTube videos that will help you position your company for maximum views, you have the potential to build an impressive business in a comparatively small amount of time.

A few more simple facts about YouTube, they’ve got 490 Million unique users as of February 2011, with 92 billion page views per month. Additionally, YouTube users spend an incredible 2.9 billion hours per month watching unique content. Again, you have to ask yourself, how many hours of content do you need to have people watch to make your business successful?

The Facts Tell The Story

If you are contemplating getting into business yourself there has never been a better time. You’ll find a substantial number of small business’s opening their doors every year. The costs to begin a business are very small and there are numerous ways to grow a business with little or no cash investment.

The key to success with this climate is going to be based on your motivation to learn what it takes to rank in the search engines and how to build relationships inside the framework of social media. Like any business in any other time, learning how to promote your company is definitely going to be a critical part of your success. But there has never been as much upside as there is today with all of the available tools.

For an Entrepreneur, facts should steer you, they have not been more in your favor, then they are right now.