Being Your Own Boss

Girlboss but actually being your own boss. Setting your own hours, doing what you love, managing your own time, what could be better?

Research from FreeAgent, conducted on 2000 employed people within the UK, reveals that over half (51.2%) plan to start their own business or become freelancers. For the first time in history, the research has found that more women than men plan to be their own boss in 2021.   Becoming your own boss can be quite daunting, partially if you decide to choose it over your current job. You might not get a steady paycheck like you were used to and you have a lot more work on your hands – unless you hire a team.  
You can start an array of businesses from the comfort of your own home: from freelance writer to baker, from marketing consultant to pet sitter, party planner to personal trainer. The list is endless, especially if you decide to get your own workspace rather than what you have at home. This can also help your mental health, taking breaks when needed due to stress rather than one longer break a day.   Why you might decide to choose being your own boss over a corporate role:  
  • You don’t feel fulfilled in your current job – you feel it is restricting your talents  
  • The dream of owning your own bakery, editing service etc doesn’t disappear overnight.  
  • Climbing the corporate ladder isn’t satisfying you anymore, if it ever did.  
  • You’re tired of conforming to your work persona. You feel as if it’s restricting your own personality.  

But setting up your own business can be A LOT of work! You might be combining your passion and skills with your income, but there are a lot of other skills you might need to learn to make the most out of your endeavor.  

First you need to get your ideas down and create your brand’s identity. A brand identity is the outward expression of a brand, anything from its trademark, name, communications, and overall appearance. To us, a brand identity is the sum total of how your brand looks, feels, and speaks to people.  

Say you want to own a bakery, you need to figure out what you can do to make it stand out from the many other bakeries out there. You might make your logo, colour scheme or posting style unique or appeal to a select group of clients. You also need to put together a writing style for your brand, will you be super formal or informal towards your customers? 

The phrase “money can’t buy you happiness” might not be false in this equation – having enough in your savings to be comfortable can help relieve stress, you never know when a big payout might have to be made. You also need to figure out if you take the leap and jump from corporate to your own business or if you stay in your 9-5 job until your business kicks off.  Whether you’re working or not, it is important to make sure you can set aside time each week to figure out how to discover new clients – research how you might be able to reach a new customer base and what plans you can put in place in the future. 

Creating a portfolio and starting off with lower prices than you want to in order to gain loyal customers and spread the world about your new business. Discounts always bring about new customers and entice loyal ones to place another order! For your portfolio, make sure you diversify the projects you take on – for example if you wish to be a freelance photographer, make sure that the photos you’ve either taken in your free time or have been commissioned to take vary. Not just nature or wedding photography for example. This can help expand your client base. And remember to keep your portfolio updated as you take on new projects.  

It is very important that you can be in control of your own emotions – being reactive to conflict while representing your brand will have a negative impact on your brand’s growth. You might have to put into place certain measures such as meditation or writing down your true feelings and burning them rather than bringing these emotions forward into how the brand presents itself.  Support from both family and friends as well as mentors and the community can also help regulate your emotions.   Even though becoming your own boss can be extremely daunting, it can also be extremely rewarding. You get to pursue your dream, schedule hours that suit you the best and be in control of your own employment. If you’re considering starting your own business, we say go for it!  

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