Working for someone vs working for yourself?

Are you on the edge of deciding what is best for the rest of your future? Want to make the jump into your own business but do not want to risk everything? Do not worry, you are not alone.

In fact, most people have thought of an amazing idea that they could take to the next level on their own. But, instead, sat back and took the easy road of working for someone, getting paid and going home. And I do not blame them. There are many pros for working for someone and the security of that pay packet each month is up there especially when supporting the family is the key priority. But are we truly happy in our roles? Having a job description can become boring. At first, exciting, but the thought of doing the same job every day for the rest of our lives just is not worth thinking about. At least with your own business you can be as creative as you like without any holdbacks.

What are the factors affecting our decision?

Here are 6 key factors that we may consider when taking the jump into running our own business.

1. Salary

2. Perks

3. Work/life balance

4. Knowledge of operating a business

5. Job satisfaction

6. Working environment

Salary – Whilst being paid by someone each month is a massive pro and the risk of starting with nothing on your own is a con. Imagine the possibilities when your coaching business is up and running, the amount you get paid can be endless. There is no amount too big. Be a great coach, get your name about and start delivering outstanding PE then you will do great. Whereas, working for someone you will probably get increases per year along with the governments liveable wage and a cheeky bonus (if you are lucky and hit unrealistic targets that your boss has set) but that’s it. I know where I sit on this one.

Perks – Again, working for someone has definitely got its pros here. Holiday pay, maternity and paternity pay and sick pay just to name a few. However, working for yourself might take some planning but you can take as many holidays as you like once you are set up with a managing team below you. Running your own business is about being passionate enough to employ like minded people to start running the business for you. So you can start to see the wonderful work you have put in from a distance. I’m not saying do this tomorrow, but you know, in the future.

Work/life balance – Working for yourself certainly has lots of pros on this one. Being able to take the little ones swimming on a Thursday morning and to be able to ‘self care’ when you like sounds a dream. You can work evenings and weekends should you need to and say yes to absolutely anything you like. Not working a 9-5 is wonderful. However, it can also become hectic. Stay organised, stay on track and stay focused. A diary in this instance is a must and keeping track of what has been completed, as becoming complacent can become a problem and falling off the wagon in pushing your business forward. Spending time on a default diary, to show where you are spending your work/life balance is a really good way of remaining organised and focused and keeping that work/life balance, balanced.

Job satisfaction – I don’t think many of us take a job without a little bit of job satisfaction. But how long does that job satisfaction last? Yes, ok, once we are bored we move on, that’s great, but then

the same thing happens. There are also many of us that love doing the same thing day in day out. Don’t get me wrong, when running a business gets difficult (which it will at times) the dream of stacking shelves appears more often than not. Running your own business, you have to take the rough with the smooth but the smooth outweighs the rough. We all know of the Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing model and when you finally reach that performing stage true job satisfaction shines through.

Working environment – Who has that one person in the office that gives you a headache before you have even started the day? Yup, we all have one. Working for someone else, can come with compromises. Such as working with people that you just don’t get. Imagine being able to recruit your own team, that are like minded and as passionate as you are? Lovely, just lovely. And if they do annoy you, you can just work from home. Perfect. Ultimately, working for yourself you can chose your working environment.

Using the 6 Factors above- create your own pros and cons list for each of them and hopefully they will help you decide.

We run a sports coaching franchise and are looking for people that are wanting to take that leap to run their own business, whilst getting all the support they need using our network of coaches and other business owners.

Join our OSC Franchising Facebook group to find out more.

https://www.facebook.com/OSC-Franchising-107401967771656/?ref=page_internal