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What does it feel like being the Boss of your own company / startup?

by AlexanderSkyHeart
37 replies
Does it still feel like a day job to you?
Do you feel you are working less or more?
Do you have less or more time for your family?


What's your advice for those making the jump from employee to employer?


Love to hear you thoughts

#alexander skyheart #boss #business #company #feel #startup
  • Profile picture of the author linathinfotech
    It feels great like top of the world. Yes, you have more time for your family.

    At the same time, there is not any fixed amount, you will get every month.
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
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    • Profile picture of the author engineerz1
      Originally Posted by linathinfotech View Post

      It feels great like top of the world. Yes, you have more time for your family.

      At the same time, there is not any fixed amount, you will get every month.
      more time ? how? yes it can be possible if you are getting thousands of dollars per months having permanent client etc . otherwise i dont think so you have even one hour daily for family
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  • Profile picture of the author jasondinner
    Originally Posted by AlexanderSkyHeart View Post

    1. Does it still feel like a day job to you?
    2. Do you feel you are working less or more?
    3. Do you have less or more time for your family?
    4. What's your advice for those making the jump from employee to employer?
    1.I'm at home with my family all day so it does not feel like a day job.

    2. I am working less (kinda), but much smarter. Although I'm always grinding because I have very lofty goals that I know I would have never been able to accomplish if I settled for what I was getting at my old job.

    3. I have more time for my family and for myself because I'm just working my business and not both.

    4. Don't make the jump until you have matched (or even better, surpassed) your job income 3-6 months in a row and that the business you have been growing is sustainable, predictable, and scalable. Also, if you love your job, and the pay is good, don't leave until either you can't stand it or your business has grown so big and fast that it is physically impossible to do both.

    Also keep in mind, that depending on where you live, your job picks up a good portion, if not all, of your health insurance. And when you are on your own, you have to pick it all up - which in most cases will cost more because you're not getting the benefit of being part of a "group."

    In my case, by the time I was on my way out, I had already been paying 100% of my insurance through my job (and it was crappy insurance on top of the fact that I had to pay for all of it) so it wasn't much of an adjustment for me. Although the premiums have increased a little since then.
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    • Profile picture of the author AlexanderSkyHeart
      Originally Posted by jasondinner View Post

      1.I'm at home with my family all day so it does not feel like a day job.

      2. I am working less (kinda), but much smarter. Although I'm always grinding because I have very lofty goals that I know I would have never been able to accomplish if I settled for what I was getting at my old job.

      3. I have more time for my family and for myself because I'm just working my business and not both.

      4. Don't make the jump until you have matched (or even better, surpassed) your job income 3-6 months in a row and that the business you have been growing is sustainable, predictable, and scalable. Also, if you love your job, and the pay is good, don't leave until either you can't stand it or your business has grown so big and fast that it is physically impossible to do both.

      Also keep in mind, that depending on where you live, your job picks up a good portion, if not all, of your health insurance. And when you are on your own, you have to pick it all up - which in most cases will cost more because you're not getting the benefit of being part of a "group."

      In my case, by the time I was on my way out, I had already been paying 100% of my insurance through my job (and it was crappy insurance on top of the fact that I had to pay for all of it) so it wasn't much of an adjustment for me. Although the premiums have increased a little since then.


      Thanks for sharing with us Jason. Excellent advice on the 3 points and congrats

      The insurance part will be something new and useful for those who are about to make the shift.
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      Hi there, I am Alexander SkyHeart, pleasure to meet you.
      Do feel free to comment and I'll be thankfully delighted to chat with you on the forum threads. Cheers!
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  • Profile picture of the author kk075
    Staying focused and motivated is certainly a challenge, but there's nothing in the world like carving out your own destiny 100% on your own. It's an amazing feeling that everyone should experience.

    With that said, I usually receive 2-3 very serious job offers per year...I'm talking about the kind of jobs that I would kill to have only a decade ago. And that may be an even better feeling when I get to say, "Thanks but no thank you," because it's proving my worth and inspiring me to work even harder. Honestly, it's never been about the money for me though...it's all about the freedom.
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  • Profile picture of the author jmh777
    A lot more stress, that's guaranteed.

    More risk as well, but hey: the greater the risk, the greater the reward.
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  • Profile picture of the author Janice Sperry
    Originally Posted by AlexanderSkyHeart View Post


    What's your advice for those making the jump from employee to employer?

    You left out a lot of us in your question. I am not an employee or an employer (outside of the occasional outsourcing).

    You hear all these negative comments about having a job. There is good and bad in having a job. There is also good and bad in being a boss (an employer). I have done both.

    I prefer not being an employee or an employer but a sole proprietor.
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    • Profile picture of the author BeverlyTaylor
      You have great input above.

      I love it. I have been working very hard this last year due to creating a new venture. It's now paying off. In terms of time for my family, I have a lot of flexibility to schedule my work as I wish it.

      Here is wise advice: to be a sole proprietor, you need to make sure three things are handled:
      1. Your product or service (usually easy as this hopefully is your passion)
      2. Marketing
      3. Accounting

      If you are good at all three, great! Most people aren't, so it's essential that you get help in doing what you don't like, don't know or don't have the time to do.

      Lastly, have enough capital so that you aren't also worrying about the wolf at the door. One way to do this is to create your business in your off time, then quit your job when your business is flowing well. This is how I did it 15 years ago.
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      • Profile picture of the author AlexanderSkyHeart
        Great input my friends

        Originally Posted by AntonioSeegars1 View Post

        I greatly enjoy what I do, and I have time to spend with family, but I still consider it to be a job, and I treat it like one.
        Congrats! Puts a smile on my face when I hear of success stories, happy in work and at home.


        Originally Posted by kk075 View Post

        Staying focused and motivated is certainly a challenge, but there's nothing in the world like carving out your own destiny 100% on your own. It's an amazing feeling that everyone should experience.

        With that said, I usually receive 2-3 very serious job offers per year...I'm talking about the kind of jobs that I would kill to have only a decade ago. And that may be an even better feeling when I get to say, "Thanks but no thank you," because it's proving my worth and inspiring me to work even harder. Honestly, it's never been about the money for me though...it's all about the freedom.
        Love your thoughts and philosophy in life
        Your first line is particularly important, staying focused and motivated. Challenging yet amazing at the same time


        Originally Posted by jmh777 View Post

        A lot more stress, that's guaranteed.

        More risk as well, but hey: the greater the risk, the greater the reward.
        haha yes. the stress is no joke but let's have fun doing it while we are at it

        Originally Posted by Janice Sperry View Post

        You left out a lot of us in your question. I am not an employee or an employer (outside of the occasional outsourcing).

        You hear all these negative comments about having a job. There is good and bad in having a job. There is also good and bad in being a boss (an employer). I have done both.

        I prefer not being an employee or an employer but a sole proprietor.
        Hi Janice, good to see you Thanks for pointing out that I left out freelancers (many terms to that) and the likes. Not everyone who has a business employs and many do work for themselves.

        Agree with you on the pros and cons of both sides of the table.

        Freelancing is a hybrid of them, working for oneself on projects. Some call it a project based job, some call it a portal business. As kk mentioned above, the feeling of being in charge of our own destiny can be an amazing feeling to many


        Originally Posted by BeverlyTaylor View Post

        You have great input above.

        I love it. I have been working very hard this last year due to creating a new venture. It's now paying off. In terms of time for my family, I have a lot of flexibility to schedule my work as I wish it.

        Here is wise advice: to be a sole proprietor, you need to make sure three things are handled:
        1. Your product or service (usually easy as this hopefully is your passion)
        2. Marketing
        3. Accounting

        If you are good at all three, great! Most people aren't, so it's essential that you get help in doing what you don't like, don't know or don't have the time to do.

        Lastly, have enough capital so that you aren't also worrying about the wolf at the door. One way to do this is to create your business in your off time, then quit your job when your business is flowing well. This is how I did it 15 years ago.
        Thank you Beverly, your input is awesome too

        Very good points 1 2 3. Not all are good at all three (esp number 3!)

        That's the advisable route for most, part time business while in a day job to build it up first and go full in once the numbers are right and confident enough to make the full switch.

        Congrats on your success and we thank you very much sharing your real life experience with us!

        Have a great day everyone! Fantastic to have your inputs above.
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        Hi there, I am Alexander SkyHeart, pleasure to meet you.
        Do feel free to comment and I'll be thankfully delighted to chat with you on the forum threads. Cheers!
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  • Profile picture of the author GarlandBergeron
    Not having a boss breathing down your neck and constantly reminding you that you are at his mercy provides inexplicable feeling that you must experience!
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  • Profile picture of the author John Moore
    I try to treat it like any other job in order to be effective and productive. Since I love what I do I currently have less time for my family/friends but in the long run it's all worth it!
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  • Profile picture of the author ZanyZebra
    Originally Posted by AlexanderSkyHeart View Post

    Does it still feel like a day job to you?
    Do you feel you are working less or more?
    Do you have less or more time for your family?


    What's your advice for those making the jump from employee to employer?


    Love to hear you thoughts

    That's an interesting question. Usually I get asked HOW i've done it, not how it FEELS.

    1. No, it doesn't feel like a day job. I've had a day job. As an entrepreneur i've also had my own offline business before my online success. To me my online business doesn't feel like anything i've done before. This is probably because I really enjoy what I do. It's highly interesting to me.

    Confucius wrote that those who love their work never have to work a day in their life. That's how i feel (most days).

    2. I'm working more. But It doesn't feel like it. Why is that?.. see Confucius quote above.

    3. I now have more time for my family, despite working more. How come? This is due to the fact that I almost always work from home now, instead of doing a lot of international business travel (i was a corporate strategy consultant before). I also divide my time up, during the day, to be with my family more and change it as I see fit.

    4. My advice on making the jump to employer is don't give up your employment until you are making enough online to pay the basic bills and have at least a 6 month buffer if things go wrong. Then make the leap.

    The leap itself is always a leap of faith. It is never a leap of certainty. It feels like it too.

    I have been lucky enough to build a substantial ecommerce business. It was a (calculated) leap of faith.

    Good luck with your ventures and thanks for the interesting question.
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  • Profile picture of the author HostMyBytes
    It's liberating but in a different kind of way. There is no one to answer to, which is true, but you are responsible for your own company and ensuring its success. If there is not enough money at the end of the week/month/year, it's on you, and no one else. In this aspect, it is very different.

    In the beginning you will be working 24/7 just trying to get your business off the ground and successful. Only once you have some sort of base of clientele and sales funnels will you be able to relax a little bit.
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  • Profile picture of the author winnermarketing
    POWERFULL and FREE!!! **** my previous boss!!!!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author AlexanderSkyHeart
    Thanks Warriors! Some great answers here. Much appreciated!

    From the many answers here, it seems that the key message here is "Liberation" . Some call it freedom of choice.

    Wonderful feeling earned by tremendous hard work and insight.

    Kudos to you all bros and sis!
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    Hi there, I am Alexander SkyHeart, pleasure to meet you.
    Do feel free to comment and I'll be thankfully delighted to chat with you on the forum threads. Cheers!
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  • Profile picture of the author carlo_sim
    Does it still feel like a day job to you?

    No. I feel that my company is already a part of my life...

    Do you feel you are working less or more?

    I always feel that I am working 24/7....

    I visualize almost every hour... and think of my business every single hour...

    I don't feel like working as well.. since i feel that my business is part of my life...


    Do you have less or more time for your family?

    I make it a point to have a family day.... family is always important

    Even if I treat my business as a part of my life.. I always put family on top of my list


    What's your advice for those making the jump from employee to employer?

    Do not quit your job right away! If people are telling you it's easy... I am telling you
    it's not!

    Get a mentor! READ A LOT! I mean a lot!

    And....

    TAKE ACTION!

    The information that you get from your mentor.. your courses, etc...

    is useless... without you taking any action!

    When you rise up... Stay Humble!

    Love your family.... love your friends....

    at the end of the day... money will never buy true happiness!

    Always be happy... and keep life simple! Be healthy... Always!
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    • Profile picture of the author AlexanderSkyHeart
      Originally Posted by carlo_sim View Post

      Does it still feel like a day job to you?

      No. I feel that my company is already a part of my life...

      Do you feel you are working less or more?

      I always feel that I am working 24/7....

      I visualize almost every hour... and think of my business every single hour...

      I don't feel like working as well.. since i feel that my business is part of my life...


      Do you have less or more time for your family?

      I make it a point to have a family day.... family is always important

      Even if I treat my business as a part of my life.. I always put family on top of my list


      What's your advice for those making the jump from employee to employer?

      Do not quit your job right away! If people are telling you it's easy... I am telling you
      it's not!

      Get a mentor! READ A LOT! I mean a lot!

      And....

      TAKE ACTION!

      The information that you get from your mentor.. your courses, etc...

      is useless... without you taking any action!

      When you rise up... Stay Humble!

      Love your family.... love your friends....

      at the end of the day... money will never buy true happiness!

      Always be happy... and keep life simple! Be healthy... Always!

      Powerful stuff carlo_sim bro Kudos!
      Signature
      Hi there, I am Alexander SkyHeart, pleasure to meet you.
      Do feel free to comment and I'll be thankfully delighted to chat with you on the forum threads. Cheers!
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      • Profile picture of the author carlo_sim
        Originally Posted by AlexanderSkyHeart View Post

        Powerful stuff carlo_sim bro Kudos!
        Thanks Alexander! If you have facebook let's connect!
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        • Profile picture of the author AlexanderSkyHeart
          Originally Posted by EPoltrack77 View Post

          Fantastic question and one of the better ones although there is no wrong question!

          It's a sense of freedom and control.

          Sure there is a lot to do but that is where planning and being organized comes into play. It's all how you want to run your business. I do what I do because I love it and I love learning so I tend to spend a lot of time but at the same time there isn't a better feeling still to this day when you are either sleeping or out contributing something or even out having fun and seeing you've made money.

          With the internet lifestyle anyways but it all applies to whether it's online or offline.

          Offline business your delegating everything and its the passive that applies. You can delegate the same with your IM business as well.
          Thanks EPoltrack77 for the compliment It's a joy to see your words "I do what I do because I love it and I love learning so I tend to spend a lot of time but at the same time there isn't a better feeling still to this day when you are either sleeping or out contributing something or even out having fun and seeing you've made money." Kudos to you bro and congrats for achieving what many here are aiming for too


          Originally Posted by unknowncat View Post

          I only work when I want, however that's usually when clients or users want me to work. The rest of the time I do sprints to develop my own products. So I like the flexibility.

          It does feel like a day job, but only on the days where it is one. Other days it's much harder than a day job (longer hours, greater scope of challenges). And then some days I decide to not even touch it and take a mini-vacation instead. Again, I'm big on the flexibility.

          There was some conflict with family time though. Working at home with a partner and child has one of the biggest hurtles. It's hard to focus. If you take the jump, make sure to create the time and space needed for extended focus sessions.

          I'm working harder than I would at a day job, though it's much more motivating to be your own boss and the work usually feels like fun. One thing I'll warn, it can be stressful. The success is up to you!
          Sounds like you have got the drive to keep the flow going despite the stress and time hogging events. Nice bro! Yes, it is not easy to focus when there's so much going on throughout the day but we have to focus and keep the flow going to get things done


          Originally Posted by marks2424 View Post

          Well it feels good and bad. It could feel great if you start making money right away and it can feel bad and worry full if you don't. At first you have a ton to do and your head is filled with ideas and after many years you can sometimes wake up thinking what in the world am I going to do today, what am I going to write today. Sure everyone says to make a list of what you are going to do but when you have written all you think you can for your niche then you can run out of things to put on the list.

          In a sense it is great to not really have to answer to anyone and don't have to go into work and so something you don't like but the good about a job is you don't have to figure out what to do as someone always has work for you to do and sometimes when working for yourself and by yourself you can lose focus and it makes things not so great.
          Great to hear this, definitely there are times when we feel good and bad, great on the potential but worry on the guilt when things don't work out as planned. Cheers bro!


          Originally Posted by Randall Magwood View Post

          No it doesn't feel like a day job. It feels like feeding my dog. I'm only online marketing for about 1 1/2 hours per day. I definitely work less, and I have a tremendous amount of time with my lady. It's beautiful. You'll see when you don't have to wake up early in the morning (in the cold) to go to work... and see a crappy boss who sees you as another Chappie robot.
          Lol. Nice one Randall. Wow on the Chappie robot mention

          Originally Posted by James McAllister View Post

          It's a job and also a lifestyle. I always feel the need to be working. In fact, I feel guilty when I take time off to do other things because there is always more work that needs to be done. It's almost starting to become a problem.

          I've never really worked a traditional job but I work a heck of a lot more than 40 hours a week and I'd imagine this would be the same for most entrepreneurs.

          Ironically I do have way more time for family because I can usually pick and choose when to work, so I can take breaks when everyone else is doing something and not have to worry about dealing with an upset boss.
          Choice is a great advantage and I think you struck a chord with many of us, guilt when we take time off to do other things besides work when there is so much to be done

          Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

          Seriously - that is something you need to change or adapt to. There will ALWAYS be more work that "needs to be done" when you have that "guilty" attitude.

          Don't let the work be in charge of your time - learn to do the work during work time allocated...then let it go and do the other things in your life. It's easy to get carried away with that "need to be working" feeling and can easily translate into loss of quality of family time and personal time.
          Now, that's enlightenment Great share Kay King!

          Originally Posted by James McAllister View Post

          Yeah, deep down inside I know you're absolutely right. I mean I genuinely enjoy the work I do so it hasn't bugged me a lot, but when it's getting in the way of enjoying time off it's clear it's becoming an issue that I need to sort through.

          There's a lot more to life than work and money right?
          Thanks James! Good question to ponder about for some of us

          Originally Posted by nickfortune777 View Post

          At first you have a ton to do and your head is filled with ideas and after many years you can sometimes wake up thinking what in the world am I going to do today, what am I going to write today. Sure everyone says to make a list of what you are going to do but when you have written all you think you can for your niche then you can run out of things to put on the list.
          Plans sometimes don't work out the way we want to doesn't it

          Originally Posted by hannahlist View Post

          I love the freedom.

          I can go hiking whenever I want.

          I can go to the beach if I wish.

          I can work 1 hour or 10 hours or anything in between.

          I have time for family and friends.

          It's amazing.

          It's all about F-R-E-E-D-O-M
          Sounds so tempting already Cheers!

          Originally Posted by nmwf View Post

          Why not pick a hero and read the biography. I started reading Steve Jobs' biography but got so inspired to do my own stuff, I never finished it!
          Jobs is certainly an inspiration!

          Originally Posted by Bigpanda View Post

          Owning your own business is a great feeling and also very stressful at times. It does allow you the choice to free up time for family, and let me add emphasis on the word "choice".

          At times I find myself consumed in my work and tend to neglect spending time with my family, and other times I put a whole week aside to go travel at the drop of a hat. So, at the end of the day the amount of free time is in your control and you should be mindful of how you balance it out. It can get stressful at times, especially when you have time sensitive jobs that have deadlines approaching.

          I find myself working more as a business owner than I ever did as an employee, its not uncommon for me to be doing a business deal in the middle of a store, or to be checking my email for inquires in wee hours of the morning.

          Bottom line, I am doing my dream job and it's a labor of love as I am doing something that excites me, I look forward to waking up in the morning and driving to the office.

          -BigPanda
          Great to see you again BigPanda! Love your positive thoughts and congrats for a fruitful joyful career / business

          Originally Posted by stevefox88 View Post

          You are the boss. You are free to do anything.
          Yes Sir

          Originally Posted by paulie888 View Post

          I won't mince words here -- it is challenging, frustrating and also incredibly rewarding at the same time.

          While it's nice not to have a boss to answer to, you have added responsibilities that come with running your own business. You do not have a fixed paycheck any more, you have to decide what direction you want to take your business in and you also have to accept responsibility for all the business decisions you make -- there really isn't anyone to blame your mistakes on besides yourself.

          With that said, it's the most rewarding venture I've ever done, and I'm never going to settle for a regular day job ever again. It's thrilling and empowering to be in control of your own destiny, though it's obviously not for every one.
          Have been waiting for an answer like this, thanks so much Paulie888 for highlighting this. So few talk about "added responsibilities", once we hold the rein, the challenge of steering to the right direction begins, lots of confidence needed mostly taught by the hard knocks of life

          Originally Posted by TheFox View Post

          It's above and beyond a day job, with a high likelihood of consuming your entire life

          I've been in business for myself for 15 years (started as a teenager) and I've definitely put more hours into my work than any of my peers.

          Essentially I have more time for my family in the sense that my time is flexible. I have no boss, I have no office. If I want to take a day off, I just do.

          But despite that I still end up with my 60-hour workweeks now and then...

          My advice to you is to consider your work-life balance and adhere to a strict (yet flexible!) schedule.

          If you can, rent co-working space in your nearest city so you'll work around other entrepreneurs and can network and socialize with like-minded individuals.

          When you're home, avoid working and try to be present with your family.

          In essence, studies show that forcing yourself to take time off recharges you and you end up working more effectively. So avoid burnout, and remember to play hard when you work hard.

          Great advice TheFox, a great game plan which many could relate to Thanks!


          Originally Posted by looseink View Post

          It has been easily the most work I have ever done in my life. Money stresses are frequent, the hours are long, the pay is sometimes very low in relation to time spent earning it. Would I do it again? You bet.

          I much rather be an employer than an employee and I think former 'employees' make the best employers as we have been there. Are all former employees good employers? Absolutely not. The ones that are good at it remember where they started. The bad ones have forgotten that part.
          A true entrepreneur indeed who have been on both sides of the field


          Originally Posted by discrat View Post

          Other than 2 years, I have been my own boss since 1998.
          It's a very empowering feeling and at the same time it can be a very helpless feeling every now and then. Especially, when you are a sole proprietor and if you cannot figure out something it can feel lonely


          - Robert Andrew
          Thanks Robert! Great to see you again. Empowering feeling yet at the same time helpless feeling at times, couldn't have said it better. The contradicting feeling inside does battle it out some times and set the butterflies in the stomach flying, seemingly happy, unknowingly worried to those who watch them


          Originally Posted by storejvz View Post

          I am pursuing work MMO, I think I like it and hope that it will help me pay some small bill every month, I make it as fun, devoted to it every day, I do not have I think a family when you find something to do first, probably by passion or other purposes, you should spend more time on it.
          All the best! Every niche has its market.

          Originally Posted by carlo_sim View Post

          Thanks Alexander! If you have facebook let's connect!
          Thanks carlo_sim! Sure, my facebook page for WF is at https://www.facebook.com/AlexanderSkyHeart .

          Have a great day my friends!
          Signature
          Hi there, I am Alexander SkyHeart, pleasure to meet you.
          Do feel free to comment and I'll be thankfully delighted to chat with you on the forum threads. Cheers!
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  • Profile picture of the author EPoltrack77
    Fantastic question and one of the better ones although there is no wrong question!

    It's a sense of freedom and control.

    Sure there is a lot to do but that is where planning and being organized comes into play. It's all how you want to run your business. I do what I do because I love it and I love learning so I tend to spend a lot of time but at the same time there isn't a better feeling still to this day when you are either sleeping or out contributing something or even out having fun and seeing you've made money.

    With the internet lifestyle anyways but it all applies to whether it's online or offline.

    Offline business your delegating everything and its the passive that applies. You can delegate the same with your IM business as well.
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    Working to achieve higher results...
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  • Profile picture of the author unknowncat
    I only work when I want, however that's usually when clients or users want me to work. The rest of the time I do sprints to develop my own products. So I like the flexibility.

    It does feel like a day job, but only on the days where it is one. Other days it's much harder than a day job (longer hours, greater scope of challenges). And then some days I decide to not even touch it and take a mini-vacation instead. Again, I'm big on the flexibility.

    There was some conflict with family time though. Working at home with a partner and child has one of the biggest hurtles. It's hard to focus. If you take the jump, make sure to create the time and space needed for extended focus sessions.

    I'm working harder than I would at a day job, though it's much more motivating to be your own boss and the work usually feels like fun. One thing I'll warn, it can be stressful. The success is up to you!
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  • Profile picture of the author marks2424
    Well it feels good and bad. It could feel great if you start making money right away and it can feel bad and worry full if you don't. At first you have a ton to do and your head is filled with ideas and after many years you can sometimes wake up thinking what in the world am I going to do today, what am I going to write today. Sure everyone says to make a list of what you are going to do but when you have written all you think you can for your niche then you can run out of things to put on the list.

    In a sense it is great to not really have to answer to anyone and don't have to go into work and so something you don't like but the good about a job is you don't have to figure out what to do as someone always has work for you to do and sometimes when working for yourself and by yourself you can lose focus and it makes things not so great.
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    Originally Posted by AlexanderSkyHeart View Post

    Does it still feel like a day job to you?
    Do you feel you are working less or more?
    Do you have less or more time for your family?

    What's your advice for those making the jump from employee to employer?

    Love to hear you thoughts

    No it doesn't feel like a day job. It feels like feeding my dog. I'm only online marketing for about 1 1/2 hours per day. I definitely work less, and I have a tremendous amount of time with my lady. It's beautiful. You'll see when you don't have to wake up early in the morning (in the cold) to go to work... and see a crappy boss who sees you as another Chappie robot.
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  • Profile picture of the author James McAllister
    It's a job and also a lifestyle. I always feel the need to be working. In fact, I feel guilty when I take time off to do other things because there is always more work that needs to be done. It's almost starting to become a problem.

    I've never really worked a traditional job but I work a heck of a lot more than 40 hours a week and I'd imagine this would be the same for most entrepreneurs.

    Ironically I do have way more time for family because I can usually pick and choose when to work, so I can take breaks when everyone else is doing something and not have to worry about dealing with an upset boss.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      I always feel the need to be working. In fact, I feel guilty when I take time off to do other things because there is always more work that needs to be done. It's almost starting to become a problem.
      Seriously - that is something you need to change or adapt to. There will ALWAYS be more work that "needs to be done" when you have that "guilty" attitude.

      Don't let the work be in charge of your time - learn to do the work during work time allocated...then let it go and do the other things in your life. It's easy to get carried away with that "need to be working" feeling and can easily translate into loss of quality of family time and personal time.
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      • Profile picture of the author James McAllister
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        Seriously - that is something you need to change or adapt to. There will ALWAYS be more work that "needs to be done" when you have that "guilty" attitude.
        Yeah, deep down inside I know you're absolutely right. I mean I genuinely enjoy the work I do so it hasn't bugged me a lot, but when it's getting in the way of enjoying time off it's clear it's becoming an issue that I need to sort through.

        There's a lot more to life than work and money right?
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  • Profile picture of the author nickfortune777
    At first you have a ton to do and your head is filled with ideas and after many years you can sometimes wake up thinking what in the world am I going to do today, what am I going to write today. Sure everyone says to make a list of what you are going to do but when you have written all you think you can for your niche then you can run out of things to put on the list.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bigpanda
      Owning your own business is a great feeling and also very stressful at times. It does allow you the choice to free up time for family, and let me add emphasis on the word "choice".

      At times I find myself consumed in my work and tend to neglect spending time with my family, and other times I put a whole week aside to go travel at the drop of a hat. So, at the end of the day the amount of free time is in your control and you should be mindful of how you balance it out. It can get stressful at times, especially when you have time sensitive jobs that have deadlines approaching.

      I find myself working more as a business owner than I ever did as an employee, its not uncommon for me to be doing a business deal in the middle of a store, or to be checking my email for inquires in wee hours of the morning.

      Bottom line, I am doing my dream job and it's a labor of love as I am doing something that excites me, I look forward to waking up in the morning and driving to the office.

      -BigPanda
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  • Profile picture of the author hannahlist
    I love the freedom.

    I can go hiking whenever I want.

    I can go to the beach if I wish.

    I can work 1 hour or 10 hours or anything in between.

    I have time for family and friends.

    It's amazing.

    It's all about F-R-E-E-D-O-M
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  • Profile picture of the author nmwf
    Why not pick a hero and read the biography. I started reading Steve Jobs' biography but got so inspired to do my own stuff, I never finished it!
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  • Profile picture of the author stevefox88
    You are the boss. You are free to do anything.
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  • Profile picture of the author paulie888
    I won't mince words here -- it is challenging, frustrating and also incredibly rewarding at the same time.

    While it's nice not to have a boss to answer to, you have added responsibilities that come with running your own business. You do not have a fixed paycheck any more, you have to decide what direction you want to take your business in and you also have to accept responsibility for all the business decisions you make -- there really isn't anyone to blame your mistakes on besides yourself.

    With that said, it's the most rewarding venture I've ever done, and I'm never going to settle for a regular day job ever again. It's thrilling and empowering to be in control of your own destiny, though it's obviously not for every one.
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  • Profile picture of the author TheFox
    It's above and beyond a day job, with a high likelihood of consuming your entire life

    I've been in business for myself for 15 years (started as a teenager) and I've definitely put more hours into my work than any of my peers.

    Essentially I have more time for my family in the sense that my time is flexible. I have no boss, I have no office. If I want to take a day off, I just do.

    But despite that I still end up with my 60-hour workweeks now and then...

    My advice to you is to consider your work-life balance and adhere to a strict (yet flexible!) schedule.

    If you can, rent co-working space in your nearest city so you'll work around other entrepreneurs and can network and socialize with like-minded individuals.

    When you're home, avoid working and try to be present with your family.

    In essence, studies show that forcing yourself to take time off recharges you and you end up working more effectively. So avoid burnout, and remember to play hard when you work hard.
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  • Profile picture of the author looseink
    It has been easily the most work I have ever done in my life. Money stresses are frequent, the hours are long, the pay is sometimes very low in relation to time spent earning it. Would I do it again? You bet.

    I much rather be an employer than an employee and I think former 'employees' make the best employers as we have been there. Are all former employees good employers? Absolutely not. The ones that are good at it remember where they started. The bad ones have forgotten that part.
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    • Profile picture of the author discrat
      Other than 2 years, I have been my own boss since 1998.
      It's a very empowering feeling and at the same time it can be a very helpless feeling every now and then. Especially, when you are a sole proprietor and if you cannot figure out something it can feel lonely


      - Robert Andrew
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  • Profile picture of the author storejvz
    I am pursuing work MMO, I think I like it and hope that it will help me pay some small bill every month, I make it as fun, devoted to it every day, I do not have I think a family when you find something to do first, probably by passion or other purposes, you should spend more time on it.
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