BE YOUR OWN BOSS

by Ruth Markell
You don't need a job to go to work, and you don't need an employer to be employed self-employed, that is. Here is our guide for giving your job the heave-ho and getting down to business. Are you stuck in a dead-end job with little And while you won't have a company pension hope of advancement or more interesting plan or dental benefits, you will have personal work? Maybe - thanks to a corporate freedom, greater flexibility when it comes to "restructuring" or downsizing - you've just lost balancing work and family life, and a sense of a job and aren't sure where to turn in this bleak ownership over your own destiny. Sound like market. Or perhaps you've decided that more what you're looking for? Read on. time at home - or at least, more flexible work hours - would allow you to give more time to 3 PATHS TO SELF EMPLOYMENT your children, parents or partner. The answer you're looking for might just be selfWorking on Contract 1. employment. That could mean doing the work After 15 years working for a school board as you're now doing for your employer for an occupational therapist, Carol felt she needed yourself - in other words, working on contract a new challenge. Knowing that her provincial to a number of different clients. It could mean government had recently decided to channel becoming a freelancer, using skills and more resources into community based health knowledge you've learned on the job. Or it programs, she decided to leave her job and could mean starting up a completely new small establish a program to provide postbusiness that serves a market you always knew institutional support to psychiatric patients in was there. the local community. After completing this If you're in a traditional sort of job in a year-long contract, she was able to use it as a traditional environment - let's say you're a bank springboard to other, similar, projects. teller, a nurse, a secretary or a dental hygienist - you may not think you can work without someone else to employ you. But you may be Going Freelance with Skills Learned 2. wrong. on the Job Sheila, for example, worked as a bank teller Connie worked in the advertising in a small rural branch. When the branch department of a community newspaper. When closed and she lost her job, she launched a the newspaper went out of business, Connie now-successful small business based on doing could have launched a search for a similar job banking for senior citizens. Or take Pamela, a in what she knew was a shrinking market. nursing instructor at a hospital, who lost her Instead, she decided to use her experience in job when the hospital restructured. Initially, advertising, designing layouts, and printing, to Pamela lost a lot of sleep (who wouldn't?). get freelance work such as printing menus, Then, she got to work networking with developing logos for other small businesses everyone she knew in her field. The result her and designing business ads for local own private consultancy, in which she provides restaurants. Two years later, Connie makes consulting services in nursing instruction to more than $150,000 per year providing a wide five different hospitals. range of print and advertising services to the True, it can feel scary to leave a regular food industry. paycheque behind and launch yourself into selfemployment. But in this turbulent economy, working for yourself can be more secure than having an employer (who's going to slip you a pink slip?).
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Start a New Business 3. 4 . When Kathryn Brattengeier entered motherhood, she brought with her a career in marketing that she soon put to good use. Frustrated by the overwhelming number of kinds, brands, sizes and prices of diapers on the market she got an idea for a brand-new business one that would take the guesswork out of the diaper decision faced by new moms. Accordingly, she launched Diapers Direct, a company that delivers disposable diapers - in bulk and at good prices right to customers doors. Today, her sales have reached $1 million a year.

When it comes to working with other people in a group, I a) like to be the boss and am good at delegating b) like to share my ideas but don't care if I'm in charge or not c) often feel shy about expressing my ideas, and end up playing a "follower" role When I need a boost of confidence, I 5. a) remind myself that I have had many achievements and am master of my own destiny b) get out past projects I was really proud of and revel in them c) solicit feedback on recent work from my boss or a colleague When things get tough, I 6. a) remain positive and act like a winner b) lean on friends I can count on to give me a pep talk c) find myself listening to people who point out the risks and downsides When I'm planning to make a major purchase, or invest in something, I a) list the positives - all the ways in which I'll gain b) list the negatives - all the ways in which I could stand to lose c) don't really stop to think about the positives or negatives

WHAT SORT OF "SELF-BOSS" WOULD I BE?

Before you strike out solo, give some serious consideration to your strengths and weaknesses. Even if you don't have everything it takes, you should have a good idea of where your weaknesses are so that you can work on them - or get somebody to help you in those areas. Try our quiz to test your entrepotential:
7.

When it comes to organizing my 1. time in my current job, I am good at setting priorities and managing a) my time so that things get done b) frequently feel frazzled and disorganized, but always seem to get lots accomplished c) never seem to have enough time to get everything done The kind of work I do best involves 2. a) a lot of creativity and free flow of ideas and energy b.) clearly identified responsibilities, broken into tasks that can be neatly scheduled c) I really don't know

3.

When someone at work asks me to do a job that has just come up - one with an immediate deadline, I a) do it, and do it well- in fact, I love the adrenaline rush b) explain that it won't be possible - my time this afternoon is already spoken for c) get flustered and panicky
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When I have tried to promote myself -say at places where I've been employed, I kept an eye out for opportunities to let a) superiors know of my accomplishments, and to network with influential colleagues b) often felt that I was running twice as fast as others to get to the same place in the pack c) never felt quite sure how to do it

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3. Get acquainted with your province's consumer protection laws (these fall under the jurisdiction of your consumer and commercial relations or consumer and corporate affairs ministry and federal advertising regulations (the territory of Industry Canada's Market Practices branch) WINNING STRATEGIES WORKING ON YOUR OWN FOR

A FEW WORDS TO THE WISE

1. Remember that it takes time to get started. Contrary to what those guys on infomercials

No matter what your new business is, certain guidelines apply to contractors and small business people. Generally, people who are successful working on their own: Know their priorities, and apply them to their work every day Plan ahead Stay organized Keep commitments. Satisfying customers on time and on budget - is what makes or breaks any business Stay up-to-date on their markets. What do Is anybody else your customers want? supplying it? Besides knowing your Network. customers, you also need to know your competition, be aware of potential suppliers of goods and services you need, and stay abreast of trends and innovations in your field. The best ways to do this are to join industry or professional organizations and to subscribe to industry newsletters and trade publications related to your field. You might also find it useful to join organizations of women entrepreneurs - for example, Women Entrepreneurs of Canada or the Canadian Association of Women Executives and Entrepreneurs - which have regular meetings, offer seminars, and provide networking opportunities. Check your white pages for chapters in your city.

say, you can't become a millionaire overnight 2. Don't overbook yourself People just getting started are often tempted to take on every single job that walks through the door. But if you take on more than you can do, you won't be able to deliver. You'll end up working, panic-stricken, around the clock, and your business will suffer in the end. Isn't that just what this self-employment thing isn't all about. 3. Get help if you need it Not everybody's a born accountant - so find a good one for yourself. Don't have time to file and keep your office organized? Try the services of a temporary secretary a few hours a week. If you have insurance or legal contracts make sure you consult an insurance agent or lawyer.
4. Learn as much as you can about running a small business Obviously, we can't tell you

everything you need to know on these pages. Try a community college course on starting a small business. Check out government programs aimed at supporting home-based businesses. Have a look at a few good books. Home inc.: The Canadian Home-Based Business Guide, by Douglas and Diana Lynn Gray (McGraw-Hill Ryerson, $22.95)
1,001 businesses You Can Start at Home, by Daryl Hall (John Wiley & Sons, $20.95) How to Start, Run, and Stay In Business, by Gregory and Patricia Kishel (John Wiley & Sons, $18.50)

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SCORING If you answered "a)" to six or more of the above questions, you are a well-organized selfstarter. You know yourself - and the kind of work you like to do - thoroughly, and have many of the qualities that make for successful entrepreneurship: leadership skills, selfconfidence, and the ability to set goals and stay on track. One thing you should be aware of, though, is that self-employment often means unexpected curveballs from clients and suppliers; you may have to learn a little more flexibility. If you answered six or more of the above questions with "b)", you also could be successful on your own, particularly with perseverance. You may have a tendency to put limits on yourself; to wander off focus, or to be rather vague in setting your goals - and these are tendencies you may have to work on if you really want to build your business. On the other hand, you may be more interested in the freewheeling lifestyle self-employment can offer than you are in becoming rich, and since you should be able to make a living, there's no reason why you shouldn't have fun at the same time. If you had six or more "c)" answers, it doesn't necessarily follow that you shouldn't try striking out solo - just that before you do, you may want to give some more thought to your goals, work styles and habits, and management skills. GETTING STARTED ON YOUR OWN Successful self-employment never "just happens." It takes careful planning, goalsetting and strategizing. Here are a few basic steps toward getting established:

field. In that case, make a list of networking contacts and plan how you'll approach them (with a letter? a phone call? an invitation to lunch?). If you will need to sell to many people you don't now know, decide how you'll reach them - for example through flyers, notices in company newsletters or community newspapers, posters, or other advertising. 3. Who is my competition? Who else is offering a product or service similar to yours, and how can yours be better or offer more to customers? 4. For what price should I sell my service or product? This will be determined by what it costs you to make your service available, the price others are selling similar services for, and the price you believe customers will pay. 5. Are there any organizations I should join or publications to which I should subscribe that are related to my business? These are essential to helping you stay on top of trends and buying habits in your business, and to networking with potential customers and suppliers. Draw up a financial plan 1. First, estimate your start-up costs - do you need to buy a computer and/or fax machine? A separate phone line? Will you need special insurance? 2. Next, estimate ongoing expenses (for supplies, travel, long-distance phone calls, etc.) 3. Calculate - as closely as you can - how many projects you will have to take on or how much product you will have to sell, to meet your expenses. Remember that you may not make much for the first few months, so 4. Determine the point at which you plan (or hope) to break even 5. Establish good credit rating so that you will qualify for a loan if you need one

Develop a marketing plan While this may sound complicated, it really involves answering just a few simple questions: 1. Who are my customers? In other words, who do you expect will buy your service or product? 2. How will I connect with those customers? For some kinds of freelance or contract work you may already know many potential customers from having worked in the action2 1 \yourown.doc

Living with the law 1. Make sure you understand any federal, provincial and municipal regulations and tax structures relating to your business 2. Investigate (at your city hall or town office) whether your work requires any special permits or licences, and whether it is governed by any standardized codes of ethics
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