Since starting our business, Liz and I have worn a variety of hats. Most of them are lovely hats that we enjoy wearing. But the truth is, that as small business owners, we have to choose which hats we wear and which projects we take on, very carefully.
The truth is, there is no four hour work week.
If you are considering starting your own business, remember this. You will need to work hard, often at odd hours. You may need to keep working even while you’re sick. You may need to learn about SEO. While entrepreneurs often have the flexibility to set their own schedules, just as often they do not. This means working when you need to in order to get the job done.
This isn’t always a bad thing. Trust me, I’m not complaining. I can schedule work around school programs that I wouldn’t normally get to see because they occur during the traditional work day. But I also stay up at night and check in on weekends to make sure things get done.
So it’s no surprise when I cringe when relatives say they envy that I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t do whatever he wants, whenever he wants.
No one can do whatever they want, whenever they want unless they have a sizable trust fund and no adult responsibilities.
If you are considering opening a business so you can stay in your pajamas all day, you may be in for a surprise.
Small business owners are dedicated individuals who go the extra mile because they want and need to. If you’re looking to start your own business so that you can have more flexibility, I urge you to work the business in conjunction to your full-time job for a few months. Look into what you can delegate so that things get done correctly and on time.
I don’t mean to sound like I’m encouraging you not to start a business. I absolutely think owning a business is rewarding and empowering. However, we’ve seen some businesses based on strong ideas fail because their founders expected to be able to make their own rules. So this is to say: there is no four hour work week but the week certainly goes by faster when you are doing work you enjoy and are passionate about.
Starting your own business is incredibly rewarding – just make sure you know what you’re getting into before you take that leap.
Amen! This is soooo true! There are so many benefits to running your own business…but I definitely work more and work harder as a business owner. HOWEVER, I get to choose WHEN I work, WHERE I work, what I WEAR when I work, what I can DELEGATE, and so much more! It’s 100% worth it, but you do have to have a certain mindset, work ethic, and be very, very self-motivated…or else the work won’t get done. My motivation is the fact that I want my freedom and never want to work for someone else again. I want to go to a dr. appt. whenever I need to – without having to ask permission. I want to work til the wee hours sometimes and take a nap during the day. But the work always gets done because I am fully dedicated and take this very seriously.
GREAT advice…thanks for posting it!
Man, that part about being able to schedule doctor’s visits cannot be understated. Absolutely agree.