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Be Your Own Boss: A Guide to How to Be Self-Employed
Have you ever thought to yourself, “Wouldn’t it be nice to be my own boss?” You’re not alone. The freedom to set your own schedule and duties offers flexibility and control that you simply can’t achieve as an employee of another company.
The appeal of that freedom has led to a shift in the economy toward freelancing and entrepreneurship. In 2024, freelancers earned a combined $1.5 trillion, and accounted for 28% of skilled workers. Similarly, franchising is boosting the opportunity for ambitious, motivated entrepreneurs. Stats show that there are at least 805,000 franchise units in the United States, with trends suggesting that people from more walks of life than ever are considering a switch to a different way of working.
If you’re one of those people, here’s a quick guide on how to be self-employed and get the most out of being your own boss.
What is Self-Employment?
Self-employment means that you work for yourself. It’s an opportunity to be your own boss and take control of your career trajectory.
Different types of self-employment include:
- Freelancing and consulting, which may include sharing your expertise, creative work such as writing or graphic design, and also digital services such as web design and coding
- Coaching, including life coaching, business coaching, or spiritual coaching
- Owning your own independent business
- Running a franchise, which is a business model where the marketing or branding is done for you, and you’ll get business training and support from experts
When you decide to be your own boss, you can choose whatever niche you’re most passionate about and have expertise in. Or, you could choose something new that offers a profitable career.
» Read: Franchise vs. Independent Business: Making the Right Choice For You
How to Be Self-Employed
So, how do you actually become your own boss?
Step 1: Define Your Niche or Business Idea
You need to know what you want to do before you start doing it, to give your new business venture focus. Offering a wide variety of services from different niches may seem like a way to cover all bases, but it will make it challenging to attract a consistent flow of clients.
Research what customers want in your local area or what gaps there are in the market for digital offerings. Match your skills to those needs and develop an idea you know you can sustain.
Step 2: Create a Business Plan
Most business ideas require some funding to get started. Make sure you understand your finances and where you need to invest to get your plan into action. Consider whether you’ll be working alone or with partners, or if you’ll need to hire other people.
Set goals in place and steps to work toward them.
Step 3: Build Your Skills and Portfolio
You may be lucky enough to have full expertise in the services you want to offer. However, most people will need to upskill themselves in some way. For example, you might need to learn more about finance, sales, marketing, or other aspects of promoting your new endeavor.
Use your new skills to create a portfolio of offerings and continuously improve the level of services you can offer to clients.
Step 4: Start Small and Test the Waters
Take new clients on slowly at first. You can easily become overwhelmed if you try to serve thousands of people all at once. See how your services are received, gain reviews and feedback, and then expand your business idea if the reception is positive. Be open to negative and constructive feedback, as this can help you improve.
Step 5: Get Legal and Financial Advice
Make sure you know your legal and financial responsibilities as a self-employed individual or business owner. For example, in some states you’ll need to pay federal tax only, whereas in others there are state taxes you must pay.
You’ll also need to determine if you’re a sole proprietor, running an LLC, or starting a corporation. Consider getting advice on these financial and legal aspects to avoid penalties.
Step 6: Build Your Brand and Online Presence
Start promoting your business to attract your first cohort of clients. Create a brand that’s cohesive and consistent. If you’re becoming a franchise owner, you’ll be able to follow the franchise guidelines on language, tone of voice, and marketing to help.
Utilize multiple channels, from social media to in-person community hubs. Research your target audience to figure out where they’re most active and what channels are likely to bring you the biggest returns.
Strategies for Success in Self-Employment
Part of learning how to be your own boss is developing a routine and sticking to it. This doesn’t mean that you have to force yourself into a 9–5 work ethos. If you want to work in the afternoons and evenings, that might be a successful routine for you and your clients. But be consistent and available for those clients.
You’ll also need to get comfortable with networking and communication. Meeting others in your line of work can help you gain tips and advice or even build partnerships. Communicating with clients effectively is critical. Remember that people like to connect in different ways, so consider managing several communication channels, including phone, email, web messages, and social media.
Marketing is how you promote your services. Be consistent, stay on brand, and always respond to comments and feedback. Learn techniques like A/B testing to discover which of your marketing efforts are most effective.
Make sure you’re focusing on building and maintaining positive client relationships. Don’t be deterred by a few negative comments, but do respond and see if you can correct any errors. Mistakes will happen, and how you handle those will change your reputation in your marketplace.
You should also consider upskilling yourself regularly to remain competitive and relevant to your clients. The more skilled and knowledgeable you are, the more likely you are to edge ahead of competitors.
Useful Tools and Resources for Self-Employment
Part of learning how to be self-employed means managing every aspect of your business yourself. Thankfully, there are plenty of tools available to help you manage this.
Setting a routine is easier with tools like Asana and Trello. These are project management tools that allow you to log various aspects of jobs or client requests and ensure every box is ticked.
Logging your incomings and outgoings is essential. However, you don’t need to be a spreadsheet wizard. Instead, consider affordable cloud-based tools like QuickBooks that offer financial tools specifically for self-employed individuals.
As a sole proprietor or freelancer, you may struggle to find work in your early days, especially in busy markets. Online platforms can really help. Check out Upwork and Fiverr for freelance work, and LinkedIn for connecting with clients across various industries. LinkedIn also gives you the opportunity to focus on building your brand.
You can also use online tools and platforms to upskill yourself. Educational platforms like Coursera and Udemy often provide affordable courses. Where courses are certified, use those certifications on your business website to add authority to your brand. You may also find specialized workshops relevant to your niche.
Finally, make sure you’re staying connected by getting involved with support groups for local businesses and online forums. Many cities and states have resources for self-employed people, and there are online groups you can join to share advice and experiences.
Want to Be Your Own Boss?
The time is now. Freelancing and franchising are incredible opportunities to be your own boss and take control of your working life. While you’ll still work hard, you’ll see all the returns of your efforts rather than grinding to line someone else’s pockets.
WIN Home Inspection offers franchising opportunities that can give you the freedom to fulfill that dream of “Be my own boss.” WIN franchisees become trusted partners for home buyers and sellers looking for trusted inspection specialists, and the “go-to” experts for homeowners invested in preventative care and maintenance.
Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500® ranks WIN as the best franchise in the home inspection industry. Let’s talk: Fill out the form today and get your questions about becoming a successful home inspector answered.
