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What's Stopping You From Becoming Your Own Boss?

by Brett Backues on January 10, 2012
It sounds wonderful, at first.  You’ll be the boss. You make the rules. You get to work when you want to.  Your small business can be part of the economic recovery that will save the nation.  The sky is the limit. 
You talk with friends who jumped in with both feet and now own a thriving enterprise. They always seem to have a drive that gets them up in the morning.  They seem to have a rush of anticipation.  It all sounds so exciting. 
If you were in charge, every project would be done on time and within budget.  Customers and employees would be happier.  Your company would be featured on the cover of magazines as an American success story.
So what’s stopping you?  
Maybe you’re the type of person who prefers to play it safe. It couldn’t be that you prefer to spend your days staring out the window and just dreaming of a better life. Maybe you actually love that commute.  Besides, you’d miss the subtle glance at the watch from you’re your boss when you drag yourself in at 8:05.  
You may not have anticipated the flip side of being the boss.  You’ll need to write a business plan so your business can qualify for a line of credit from the bank. Once your dream starts to take shape, you’ll need to hire employees, fire employees, pay quarterly taxes, keep accurate records and lots of other minutia that you probably never anticipated.
There are some practical reasons too.  You have a mortgage and your kids will still need to eat.  Your spouse will wants vacation.  There is for the security of a steady paycheck.  Besides, there are no guarantees that your ideas will translate into an overnight sensation. 
There are other reasons that could block your path to Millionaire Acres. Owning your own business will intrude on your daily life seven days per week. You will actually be forced to work longer hours.  Your cell phone will ring every single day, and always at the most inconvenient time. 
And if do not respond immediately, there may not be a next time 
Your business will repeatedly require decisions from you that will make you feel like a fish gasping for air while you flail on the deck of a boat. And you will always second guess yourself with worry.  You’ll have no idea how much money you will make next month or next year.  And you’re your spouse will still want to go on that vacation.  And those darn kids will still need to eat.  
Keep in mind that not everybody is cut out to be the boss. It takes courage, persistence and support from your spouse and understanding from your children. Most importantly, it takes the ability to prioritize. Knowing what’s important at the moment and deciding on what task can wait until later. It’s knowing the strengths you bring to the business, and acknowledging when to get help from an expert.
When a baseball team gets to the World Series, it’s the manager’s job to have his best hitter available to bat in the 9th inning with the bases loaded and the game on the line. 
As the manager of your own team, you’ll need to know which salesman is best suited to close the big deal and who is better suited stay in the office to handle shipping and do inventory. At first, all the jobs—and the responsibility—--may fall into your lap. But it’s the successful business owner who surrounds themselves with the best people available for the best possible outcome.
Entrepreneurship does not always mean doing it alone. 
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