Some time ago, my father handed me a book, Who Moved My Cheese, by Dr. Spencer Johnson. It’s a short one; I finished it in just under an hour. The theme is about anticipating, accepting and enjoying change in work and in life. It’s about having the guts to step out of our comfort zones. The tendency to stay in one’s comfort zone, specially within the corporate ladder, is also touched by Robert Kiyosaki in his book Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Mr. Kiyosaki beautifully explains why we have to move out of the rat race, and to do it early. Striking out on one’s own becomes more difficult later in life – with family, loans and other expenses.
Except for a lucky few, an employee cannot own the company he/she is working for. Owning your own business, becoming the boss and having control over your time are some of the reasons to start your own business.
The tips on how to start your a business are as numerous as the people who believe they can dispense with those tips. There are so many books dealing on the secrets of becoming rich, earning millions and becoming a millionaire — fast. I won’t even pretend to give tips. However, here are the things I asked myself when I decided to strike it on my own:
Am I up to the challenge? Am I passionate with what I’m doing? Everyone has preferences when it comes to the choice between working as an employee and engaging in one’s own busniess. Others prefer working in an office, while others are willing to take the risk and pursue their entrepreneurial spirit. There’s a level of security in expecting a fixed salary every 15th and 30th of the month, plus 13th month pay and bonuses. You don’t have this luxury if you have your own business, but the pay-off is also significant if you hit pay dirt. Before starting our, ask yourself if you have the guts to do it on your own.
Of course, there were other questions I asked myself. Do I have the required knowledge and skills? Do I have the network? Am I financially stable? Do I have the entrepreneurial fighting attitude? What’s my back-up plan? These matters are discussed in Pinoy Entrepreneurs (click here).
