For the twenty years immediately prior to coming online, I worked as a classroom teacher during the week, and as a residential real estate appraiser and broker during the evenings, weekends, and school vacations. This put me in the unique position of being both an employee of the school district and self-employed in my real estate business. I also believe this helped me to make the transition to working as an entrepreneur on the Internet go much more smoothly. Let’s take a look at these three business models to see how they affect the outcome of your life.
As an employee of the Los Angeles public school system, I had little say in what I did on a daily basis in my job. The district trained me in how to present the instructional materials to the students, and it was my job to deliver them in a way that would result in the outcome they wanted to achieve. When the student’s test scores were increasing, that meant that I was doing my job. I am simplifying the process here, but the idea is that an employee follows directions, and has very little say in the day to day activities of the business.
In my real estate business I made the decisions regarding the clients I would work for, the hours I worked, and the geographic locations I would serve. Over the years I was able to have some large accounts with lenders and mortgage companies, as well as individuals who owned multiple properties. I was an independent contractor, which meant that I could sever my relationship with anyone at any time. Even though I set my own prices, these always had to be in alignment with the range of prices charged by the tens of thousands of other people who offered an almost identical service as I was offering. New clients found me through referrals of current and past clients, as well as through national and local organizations that I belonged to at any given time.
When I came online and began doing business in 2006, I soon realized that being an entrepreneur was very different from anything I had ever been involved in before. The rules of this game are unique in that you must constantly be creating your business and promoting your products and services. Basically this means that nothing happens unless you make it happen. If I want to generate more income I must create new products and services, market existing ones, and keep up with what others are doing within my niche. I love doing this, but it truly is something that I live and breathe throughout each day.
Think about what you want for yourself when it comes to running an online business. You must prepare yourself for what is to come so that you can be as successful as possible.
I love this article because it shares an important point that I think all entrepreneurs should check in with. When you start to work for yourself, you still do have a boss… it is You! If your business is going to be successful then you better be a good boss too. Not an easy going boss who lets you get by with doing a little but a boss who pushes you to be the best you can be and a boss that expects to see improvements and results each and every week.
The key to success is many little things, but the big things include self-discipline and focus. Master those skills and actually implement what you know and are learning and success is just a matter of time.
I can really relate to this article. When I started my HR consulting business 3 years ago, I came straight from the highly regimented Corporate world straight into being my own boss. Quickly I realized I had to be the boss, the marketer, the administrator, the manager, the sales rep and so on and so forth. Wow….talk about a wake up call. Like Connie says, NOTHING happens unless you make it happen. You have to fuel the passion and live and breathe your business everyday, continuously looking for new opportunites and forging new relationships.
Hard Work – you bet! Rewarding – absolutely! 🙂
I am right in the middle of my transition to becoming a full time entrepreneur and I’m so thankful that I acquired the skills of focus and work ethic as Helen described. My father instilled those skills in me and it has paid off in every vocation I’ve ever been a part of.
I’ve found that working for myself is a lot of work but…it doesn’t seem like work at all to me. It’s way too fun to call it work.
For anyone making the transition to online entrepreneur your book is a must have and should be the very first internet marketing book they read. It is comprehensive but simple and definitely has lots of good info for experienced marketers as well as newbies.
I had your book sent “next day air” and read it cover to cover when it arrived. Just what I was looking for! I love the way you hit so many crucial areas of information and then us exactly what we need to know. And not one word more! That is a gift. I look forward to taking classes from you and learning more of what you know.
Again, the book was fantastic!!