What self-employment has taught me

For 30+ years I was an employee, working for different companies (several that were offshored) but today marks 15 years of self-employment, doing insurance billing, credentialing, payment ledger posting, and benefit verification for medical clinics. What I've learned:

Doing your best does NOT mean working yourself to the point of a nervous breakdown.

You're not going to please everyone, so don't feel down if you're fired, learn from the experience and move on.

ABM (Always Be Marketing) You never know when a client is going to retire, change their mind, or give your job to a relative of theirs, so seek to keep more prospects available.

Read: This has been hard for me because it's not natural, but so worth it. Reading about how others struggled to succeed and what they learned, helped me keep going, and taught me some shortcuts along the way.

Dessert comes later. Most successful companies don't start out that way, so be prepared to face some early grim times.

Never underestimate the power of journaling. I've filled more than 150 pages with notes, ideas, strategies and pitfalls in my little cheapo notebook, this has saved me time and energy having this vital storehouse of information in one place, in addition, good ideas don't get lost in the fog of one's day to day work.

DON'T listen to the naysayers! I failed at 2 business ventures before this one succeeded, all the while listening to friends and family advising to "go out and get a real job" if I had heeded their advice, I'd be stuck in another dead-end job and miserable.

Today I'm sitting at home, happily tapping on my keyboard, while my former employer (a construction company) is now employed by me - remodeling my bathroom. Don't give up on your dreams! 🙂

@mchill
Not sure what to debate about here but it's all good advice. Congrats on the success of all your efforts.

@mchill said
For 30+ years I was an employee, working for different companies (several that were offshored) but today marks 15 years of self-employment, doing insurance billing, credentialing, payment ledger posting, and benefit verification for medical clinics. What I've learned:

Doing your best does NOT mean working yourself to the point of a nervous breakdown.

You're not going to ...[text shortened]... truction company) is now employed by me - remodeling my bathroom. Don't give up on your dreams! 🙂

you people really have no life do you?

@mchill

I too was a captive employee for many years, then went freelance. Best decision I ever made, careerwise. Cleared up my gastritis in one week. The administrative overhead was higher, but the freedom to be able to refuse any offer is enormously liberating and well worth the effort to go freelance.

@mchill

Spent my first years as an employee in a union environment, huddled around the smoko table whinging about how the boss was screwing us.

Now self employed contractor; no holiday pay, no sick leave, no overtime rates, no maternity leave, no Co. assistance if I want to terminate a parasitical maggot (abortion)

Work one hour, get paid one hour.

Never regretted the move.

@Mott-The-Hoople
Much better than a dipshyte like you.

@wajoma said
@mchill

Spent my first years as an employee in a union environment, huddled around the smoko table whinging about how the boss was screwing us.

Now self employed contractor; no holiday pay, no sick leave, no overtime rates, no maternity leave, no Co. assistance if I want to terminate a parasitical maggot (abortion)

Work one hour, get paid one hour.

Never regretted the move.

I’m guessing your union colleagues were devastated when the scab left the smoko table.

@kevcvs57 said
I’m guessing your union colleagues were devastated when the scab left the smoko table.

Scabs undercut the union sheep, I went to more money.

@wajoma said
Scabs undercut the union sheep, I went to more money.

They sometimes get more money than the Union is striking for, they are the tool the boss uses to break the strike, obviously once the strike is broken the boss couldn’t give a toss about them.