I have to tackle this one. On a few occasions I have been an entrepreneur. For two years I held a provisional patent that I was unable to complete the research and development on because the promised financing for the construction of the prototype kept falling through. An inventor is an entrepreneur.
As I do my best to contribute to and promote Factoidz.com, and work towards that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, by finding just the right, magical combination of words and ideas and opinions, on just the right topic, that will skyrocket the amount of visits causing a windfall of revenue, I am an entrepreneur.
Factoidz.com is a perfect place for the entrepreneur or the self employed to start building a Web presence. Web presence is crucial. Everyone googles everyone. A pen name or username is important, especially if you are not lucky enough to have a real name, first and last, that only two or three other people have online -Poor John Smith.
Being an entrepreneur is expensive. It should not be attempted by those who can not even afford the time and money required to be self-employed. There is a fuzzy line between being self employed and being an entrepreneur. From 22 years of experience, many successes and also many crash-and-burn failures and restart-ups in many different areas of employment, self employment, and yes, as an entrepreneur, I’ve got this topic right by the short-and-curlies!
I’ve been waiting to write on this topic. I have literally had a job for just about every letter of the alphabet. I’ve been called a friggin’ three ring circus, by many. I’ll own that. Especially when it comes from, as it usually does –so many one-trick-ponies. One person’s “flakey and inconstant” is someone else’s “versatile and adaptive.” Prepare to be labeled with the former many more times than the latter as you explore the many options that don’t require punching a clock. Prepare to be as resourceful, versatile, and adaptive as you ever thought possible.
Not all self employed people are entrepreneurs, but all entrepreneurs are self employed. The caterer, carpenter, barber, freelance writer, pet groomer, day care owner, music instructor, musician, seamstress, non profit director, and so on are usually considered self-employed. Keep the dream of being a successful entrepreneur, but first set a goal to master self employment. The skills you acquire as you earn a living working for yourself will all carry over should you decide to try to take it to the next level.
I found a rather obscure site that seems to be an excellent reference for self employment:
Come back to this link and visit this site. It is owned by Lawrence Jones, PhD, someone who will do a great job at helping you with the first step: Determining the field you should enter based on your personality, preferred environment, motivating interest and so on. The shorter, Factoidz version would go like this:
Ask yourself what you would do if you received exactly the same annual income, including benefits and other fringes, yet like a Rhode Island state worker, you didn’t have to show up anywhere, or do anything. Where would you spend your time, talent, treasure, and energy? My answer: In Vermont, in the woods, on my bulldozer, building a green, natural, eco-home (in good weather). During bad building weather: Reading, blogging, writing, drawing, painting, music…Now take your answer and explore ways that you could earn an income from these activities.
Examine what your capacity truly is when it comes to working for a demanding, stressed-out asshole. If you are currently in that situation and self-employment is the planned escape; you are escaping the frying pan by jumping into the fire. You are about to earn a living by carrying the burdens and suffering the consequences, meeting the demands, and trying to please the biggest sweat-box you have ever worked for: Yourself! 24/7! It doesn’t all go away when you punch out…The clock that is.
What circles do you like to run in? Who do you roll with? Who do you hang with? Do you like a constant change of scenery and company? Do you like a permanent headquarters and loyal, see ‘em every day staff? Are you a loner wanderer or a loner hermit? You may love the activity while you can’t stand the company and environment.
Info about Capitalization, owner draws, S Corps., LLCs, 501Cs, 1099’s, W2s, schedule Cs, payroll, invoicing, insurances, taxes, deductions, expenses, book keeping, accounting, labor law, licensing, registrations, law of contracts, generating leads, sales, purchasing, Internet marketing, OH&P, overhead time and so on will be forthcoming.
Here are some to get you started:
Self Employment: 7 Rookie mistakes
Are health insurance premiums tax deductable for the self employed?
Self Employment: What are overhead and profit?
Self Employment: Figuring your pay and benefit package
Self Employment: Windfalls and pitfalls
Using your home as a work place
Becoming a contractor: Do you need liability insurance?
Starting up in business: Sole trader and what it means
Starting up in business: Sole trader vs. LLP
Health and safety measures for your business
I’m self employed as a private duty nurse: What do I need to know about health insurance?
Self employed and turned down for health insurance
Single mother - Freelance writer - No health insurance
How an MBA can help kick start your business
Let this post on choosing the right field start the best blog and best resource for those aspiring to self employment and entrepreneurism. I will gladly answer or refer to another expert any questions that you may have on the subject. Just post it in the comments, or better yet, utilize the “ask an expert” feature that is also offered on Factoidz.com which is also the best resource for creating a Web presence, as you get help and information and notoriety for free or at most, in trade for the knowledge you have to share as you establish your expertise here at Factoidz.com. You even get paid to share! What’s better than that? If you are new, and just signing up, Please click this link and use my referal code: Affliliate Code 3K1408 -Kevin Leland Thanks!
