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Be Your Own Boss: The Perks of Working for Yourself

By H. Staples
Learning & Life Columnist

If your dream job includes working at your pace and setting your own schedule, you may want to consider becoming your own boss. The 2004 U.S. census reveals that almost 20 million Americans are self-employed, an increase of 1 million from 2003. In fact, 70 percent of all U.S. businesses fall under the U.S. government's definition of a nonemployer business--one that has no paid employees. The perks of self-employment no doubt have encouraged many people to take the leap.

Self-employment offers a number of job perks that could convince you to launch your own business:

• Independence
• Working in your own space
• Working as much or as little as you like
• No boss to tell you what to do
• No colleagues jockeying for position
• The chance to turn your hobby or passion into money-making venture

A Degree Sets You Free

In addition to the perks associated with self-employment, you will enjoy whichever benefits come with your particular industry. Starting a restaurant? Think free food and wine samples. Opening a retail store? Manufacturers will do what it takes to get your attention for their products.

No matter what your line of work, however, you will need business training. An MBA with a focus on entrepreneurship and small business can give you the skills you need to make your business a success. Luckily, obtaining a degree has never been easier. Now you can enroll in an online MBA program and get your degree the same way you want to do your job--on your own time, at your own pace and at your own place!

As your own boss, you have great freedom of choice. As small business coach Karyn Greenstreet writes in her blog, "Being self-employed is the best lifestyle I know. It has a huge range of rewards, from flexibility to independence to self-responsibility. I'm completely in love with being self-employed and wouldn't exchange it for a corporate job for a million dollars!"

Sources:

• U.S. Census
• Passion For Business Blog, "Self Employment: The Hardest Way to Make Easy Money"
• ABCBiz.com, "Pros and Cons of Being Your Own Boss"

About the Author
H.L. Staples teaches at Syracuse University. Her articles have appeared in The Boston Review, Denver Quarterly, The Georgia Review, and elsewhere.

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