We all value various things about being a soloist or micro business owner. Here’s what different people love about flying solo.
It’s not all rosy
It’s a complicated relationship we all have with our solo or micro businesses. Sometimes we love them, other times they drive us crazy. They stretch our patience to the limit, force us to find ingenuity, and push our endurance to amazing points. The good and bad are mixed up and are in constant flux. But we face each new day knowing that many challenges and victories will come along.
There’s a lot to love
With so many factors at play, everyone values different aspects of being the boss: freedom, autonomy, the satisfaction of creating something, self- determination, higher income (or the lure of), mastery of business, intellectual challenge, doing something that you love or seizing opportunities.
I asked some of my clients and colleagues what they love most about being a business owner. Here’s what they had to say. Perhaps you can relate?
Linda Pendlebury, Life Relocations
“Flexibility, freedom and a sense of achievement. When your business thrives … it is your hard work that has paid off!”
Sarah Purches, SJP Consulting
“The freedom to be constantly creative and make decisions that suit you. There is no red tape or need for approval. My other favourite thing is flexibility in hours. In summer, if I know it is going to be a really nice day, I prioritise my workload, get all my meetings out of the way and finish my admin in order to enjoy the sunshine and take a break, or simply finish early.”
Want more articles like this? Check out the working alone section.
Benjamin Sale, Other Side Productions
“The pride I feel, primarily through business success, but perhaps more importantly, when the business is able to overcome challenges to achieve that success.”
Sandra Baigel, Voice & Word
“What appeals to me most as a woman in my own small business is the independence and choice I have to fulfill my business purpose, investing my time wisely and enjoying various personal commitments in one lifetime.”
Being in my own business has built my confidence, made me fully accountable for my actions and given me a sense of a larger purpose in my life and work. That helps me put things in perspective so that I approach ‘living my life’ with the broadest possible contribution to work and family. That is deeply satisfying.
So as you sit in the nude on Work in the Nude Day, let’s all celebrate the great liberation that comes from being our own boss. It certainly comes with its trials and tribulations, but that makes the wins so much sweeter. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
What do you love about being a soloist or micro business owner?