On Telecommuting

Also see
How you can become a telecommuter # 2

How you can become a telecommuter #1

How you can become a telecommuter

(6) Become your own boss

I left this option for the very end because this option has most of the risks, but also can bring many rewards. Being your own boss is not just about “bossing around” (yup, only around yourself), it is about making lots of decisions, planning, executing, and so on.

… So you grew not to stand your boss, your job does not motivate you any more, let alone you have to drive every morning tens of miles to be greeted by your boss again and again…

One day you wake up with either “can’t do this any more” or “I have got an awesome idea — am going to build a killer Web 2.0. technology, or am going to sell stuff on EBay, or to prepare tax returns for sufferers before they suffer too much, or am going to become a free lance programmer, or am going to start a cleaning business AND get MY OWN web site, or”… you name it. .

This is all nice and dandy.

Before you declare to your boss, you can not stand him/her any more, I would suggest to consider doing a number of things:

• Go Google what you plan to do and your zip code — see who is out there
  Find them, talk with them, see how it is working out.
  People are often willing to share if nicely asked, and if you happen to bump into a ‘not nice one’, forget about him/her and keep exploring
• Think through business basics — yup, again we have heard it all…
  Oh well, at the very least, take a peace of paper and answer a few “basic” questions”
  Q: Do I need an initial capital?
  Maybe it is to buy a better pc, maybe it is to buy a better mob,
  whatever tools you may need, list them down and price them out, add that all up.
  Q: Do I have that capital or do I need external infusions
  If you have enough, all the luck to you.
  If you need capital, however large or little the sum can be,
  the two way to get it are:
  – debt - loan from a bank, from kind relatives, from a stranger on the street
  – equity - you have a really cool idea and you part of the ownership out to a kind neighbor, to an angel investor who may not have wings, or to a VC (venture capital companies), they often are not holly either.
  There is a third way — you may be able to get a grant, how long that may take and how large the grant may be depends on a lot of variables.
  Q: If it is a loan, how long may it take to pay it back
  Q: If I am shooting for a VC, do I actually know any?
  (A friendly note: VC do not give money to strangers)
• Think about your niche (yes, same old, same old)
  How others are going to know that you are better than A or B, especially if they have already ‘got burned’ with A or B.
  Or, if you are going to sell hm… shoes… or any other stuff on EBay — Go EBay that stuff and see what comes up. most probably there will be hundreds of entries; for starters read EBay’s manual on how you can come to the top of that list — that may give you an idea if you have stamina to sell shoes… .or that other stuff.

• Think who your first clients are going to be
  A good, a first sale are important in your “I am my own boss” business career.
  Think of your neighbors, friends, relatives that might be interested in the product or services you are going to provide (read: you are going to sell). See what their response is.
  If they are naggers, do not get discouraged, keep searching, they just might be envious of or oblivious to your “new idea”.
• Explore what licenses, federal and state registrations, and business insurances you may need to get for your business. There might be a Small Business Association office that may be helpful. In my experience, this type of organizations are less helpful than they sound by their name. Also, do not forget about finding out how much health insurance may cost you unless you are covered by your spouse or very healthy.

If those steps still keep your dream alive, then take a vacation and try what you want to do. Literally, play a role of your own boss for two weeks. Start develop relationships — your potential virtual online customers, or your neighbors, or potential freelance work providers, or start searching for those magic VCs and angels.

If after two weeks it seems like it is working out, and you have what you need or are on your way to what you need, then, ta da... You can show up in your office in jeans or without and declare your independence. I would suggest to show up nicely dressed, give a two week notice, help your boss find your successor and train him or her, and leave with good memories about you. Remember your boss may become your first client.

Now you are on your own. Working in jammies, enjoying life. Well, if it is a cleaning business, then the only thing you will get do in jammies, is taking orders from your site, if, of course you have a site and your clients know how to find it.

Just remember, ‘Leaders never quit, quitters never lead’. And, if it does not work out, you always have a choice to go back to the “corporate world”.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 29th, 2006 at 2:28 pm and is filed under telecommuter, telecommuting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Also see
How you can become a telecommuter # 2

How you can become a telecommuter #1

How you can become a telecommuter

(6) Become your own boss

I left this option for the very end because this option has most of the risks, but also can bring many rewards. Being your own boss is not just about “bossing around” (yup, only around yourself), it is about making lots of decisions, planning, executing, and so on.

… So you grew not to stand your boss, your job does not motivate you any more, let alone you have to drive every morning tens of miles to be greeted by your boss again and again…

One day you wake up with either “can’t do this any more” or “I have got an awesome idea — am going to build a killer Web 2.0. technology, or am going to sell stuff on EBay, or to prepare tax returns for sufferers before they suffer too much, or am going to become a free lance programmer, or am going to start a cleaning business AND get MY OWN web site, or”… you name it. .

This is all nice and dandy.

Before you declare to your boss, you can not stand him/her any more, I would suggest to consider doing a number of things:

• Go Google what you plan to do and your zip code — see who is out there
  Find them, talk with them, see how it is working out.
  People are often willing to share if nicely asked, and if you happen to bump into a ‘not nice one’, forget about him/her and keep exploring
• Think through business basics — yup, again we have heard it all…
  Oh well, at the very least, take a peace of paper and answer a few “basic” questions”
  Q: Do I need an initial capital?
  Maybe it is to buy a better pc, maybe it is to buy a better mob,
  whatever tools you may need, list them down and price them out, add that all up.
  Q: Do I have that capital or do I need external infusions
  If you have enough, all the luck to you.
  If you need capital, however large or little the sum can be,
  the two way to get it are:
  – debt - loan from a bank, from kind relatives, from a stranger on the street
  – equity - you have a really cool idea and you part of the ownership out to a kind neighbor, to an angel investor who may not have wings, or to a VC (venture capital companies), they often are not holly either.
  There is a third way — you may be able to get a grant, how long that may take and how large the grant may be depends on a lot of variables.
  Q: If it is a loan, how long may it take to pay it back
  Q: If I am shooting for a VC, do I actually know any?
  (A friendly note: VC do not give money to strangers)
• Think about your niche (yes, same old, same old)
  How others are going to know that you are better than A or B, especially if they have already ‘got burned’ with A or B.
  Or, if you are going to sell hm… shoes… or any other stuff on EBay — Go EBay that stuff and see what comes up. most probably there will be hundreds of entries; for starters read EBay’s manual on how you can come to the top of that list — that may give you an idea if you have stamina to sell shoes… .or that other stuff.

• Think who your first clients are going to be
  A good, a first sale are important in your “I am my own boss” business career.
  Think of your neighbors, friends, relatives that might be interested in the product or services you are going to provide (read: you are going to sell). See what their response is.
  If they are naggers, do not get discouraged, keep searching, they just might be envious of or oblivious to your “new idea”.
• Explore what licenses, federal and state registrations, and business insurances you may need to get for your business. There might be a Small Business Association office that may be helpful. In my experience, this type of organizations are less helpful than they sound by their name. Also, do not forget about finding out how much health insurance may cost you unless you are covered by your spouse or very healthy.

If those steps still keep your dream alive, then take a vacation and try what you want to do. Literally, play a role of your own boss for two weeks. Start develop relationships — your potential virtual online customers, or your neighbors, or potential freelance work providers, or start searching for those magic VCs and angels.

If after two weeks it seems like it is working out, and you have what you need or are on your way to what you need, then, ta da... You can show up in your office in jeans or without and declare your independence. I would suggest to show up nicely dressed, give a two week notice, help your boss find your successor and train him or her, and leave with good memories about you. Remember your boss may become your first client.

Now you are on your own. Working in jammies, enjoying life. Well, if it is a cleaning business, then the only thing you will get do in jammies, is taking orders from your site, if, of course you have a site and your clients know how to find it.

Just remember, ‘Leaders never quit, quitters never lead’. And, if it does not work out, you always have a choice to go back to the “corporate world”.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 29th, 2006 at 2:28 pm and is filed under telecommuter, telecommuting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.