I've just remembered this story again today and thought I'd share this self-employment inspiration story with you. I think us lot need as much inspiring as we can get!
Alan Stevenson is my friend Elle's dad, a Danish architect by training and a talented musician. He met his wife, a professional cello player after uni and they both toured for a few years then decided to settle down to have a family. That meant giving up being musicians so they had to find a self-employment idea in a town with little employment opportunities. Although they knew nothing about making cello cases at the time, they started just such a business in suburban Norfolk.
25 years later, they still run the small and stylish case-making company, http://www.stevensoncases.co.uk/. Of course, in the beginning it was tough but they've gone from consumers (of cello cases) to expert makers through hard work and determination. It shows anything is possible, despite the obvious barriers.
Books on self-employment ideas will say there are 2 self-employment idea options -
1. go into something you already have the skills in, within a field you know well, or
2. start in a field you have no experience in at all (provided you do adequate research),
and both options have produced successful and fulfilling self-employment for many. There is no rule nor proof that one can only succeed going into a business they have experience with.
One thing I would add -it would be advantageous to get into a form of self-employment with some links to your professional life, if not your daily life. That way you can take advantage of your connections to generate income. For instance, Stevenson Cases' early clients were made up of their musician friends.
What I'm saying is, to better one's chances of adequate financial return at self-employment, it's best to find some useful connections to your current experience and circumstance. However, don't let that stop you from following your heart about any self-employment idea. You still stand as good a chance as any making it as a successful self-employment person. Otherwise, there are lots of self-employed people out there who don't necessarily earn much money, but enjoy every minute of their self-employed lifestyle.
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Right now I'm carrying out 2 self employment ideas simultaneously; I'm setting up my own architectural practice (a sector I'm experience in, with some connections) and at the same time I'm selling home-baked cakes to delis and cafes (the food and beverage industry - I know very little about it, and have no connections). My objective is to diversify my income at this stage while I'm developing my self-employment ideas and business skills.
Monday, 14 September 2009
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Self employment a reality, (no longer an idea)!
Lots have happened since my last post. I am happy to announce that I've opted for voluntary redundancy at the office and now am on my way to become self-employed! Some might say I'm crazy to leave employment, but I think all the self-employment research and planning I've been doing has given me confidence.
I avoided making a leap of faith that would most likely end in a financial disaster - opening a cupcake cafe in my area. Luckily spoke to some shop owners who gave me insight to the spending patterns in the area - never underestimate the knowledge of local business owners. I'm still pursuing the idea, but this time I'm testing the market first by wholeselling to cafes and delis.
This experience has thought me that I've much to learn about running a business and making self-employment economically viable and sustainable. I first started thinking about self-employment 3 months ago and I don't have anything tangible to show for it but I've learnt lots through research. Someone said that with learning and experience, you learn to preempt mistakes without actually making them.
Fortunately, in a timely fashion, a friend of mine has asked me if I would like to take on managing a private home extension job. I'm starting to think that I might need to find some sort of part time employment to support myself while I grow my cake business idea and my own architectural practice. This should keep my savings for a future business investment.
I avoided making a leap of faith that would most likely end in a financial disaster - opening a cupcake cafe in my area. Luckily spoke to some shop owners who gave me insight to the spending patterns in the area - never underestimate the knowledge of local business owners. I'm still pursuing the idea, but this time I'm testing the market first by wholeselling to cafes and delis.
This experience has thought me that I've much to learn about running a business and making self-employment economically viable and sustainable. I first started thinking about self-employment 3 months ago and I don't have anything tangible to show for it but I've learnt lots through research. Someone said that with learning and experience, you learn to preempt mistakes without actually making them.
Fortunately, in a timely fashion, a friend of mine has asked me if I would like to take on managing a private home extension job. I'm starting to think that I might need to find some sort of part time employment to support myself while I grow my cake business idea and my own architectural practice. This should keep my savings for a future business investment.
Sunday, 30 August 2009
Self Employment Market Research
I nearly made a grave mistake 2 weeks back, on my route to self employment - not doing market research. Some of you might be aware that I'm thinking of a premium cake business venture/idea. I was doing a lot of research on premises but neglected to find out what the market demand for premium cakes was in my area.
Luckily, one day, just by intuition, I walked into a deli and a cafe in my area and asked if the owners would like to sample my cakes and discuss the possibility of selling them in their shops. Boy, did I learn a lot about local demand and pricing from doing just this! This lead to me writing to some wholesalers and asking them for their wholesale price for comparison.
Anyway, what I've learnt here is my long experience of being employed has ill-prepared me with skills to go into self-employment without making lots of mistakes. The idea now is to anticipate my mistakes instead of actually doing it and then learning from it after.
Now I've started to talk to business owners whenever but something from a shop, asking them if business was still good in the recession, which one of their products was the most popular etc.
I think I'm concentrating less on the self-employment ideas aspect and putting more effort into the business building ideas at the moment, but will have to come back to self employment matters when I set up my own company in the next few weeks.
Luckily, one day, just by intuition, I walked into a deli and a cafe in my area and asked if the owners would like to sample my cakes and discuss the possibility of selling them in their shops. Boy, did I learn a lot about local demand and pricing from doing just this! This lead to me writing to some wholesalers and asking them for their wholesale price for comparison.
Anyway, what I've learnt here is my long experience of being employed has ill-prepared me with skills to go into self-employment without making lots of mistakes. The idea now is to anticipate my mistakes instead of actually doing it and then learning from it after.
Now I've started to talk to business owners whenever but something from a shop, asking them if business was still good in the recession, which one of their products was the most popular etc.
I think I'm concentrating less on the self-employment ideas aspect and putting more effort into the business building ideas at the moment, but will have to come back to self employment matters when I set up my own company in the next few weeks.
Monday, 27 July 2009
Fancy the idea of becoming an App (Application) designer?
I was taking a break from thinking about self employment and watched BBC Click (it's supposed to be educational and informative). The subject was on applications (mobile etc) and that got me thinking there's definitely a self employment idea there.
The new boom in popularity and demand in applications for mobile phones has thrown up self employment opportunities for those who are IT literate. I read that the person who designed the "Werewolf vs. Vampires" application/widget for Facebook, as a bit of fun sold the application for US$1million about a year later after millions of Facebookers downloaded it.
Applications have reached mainstream. Remember a few months back iPhone withdrew a "Shake the baby to stop him/her crying" application from their phones after numerous complaints?
Interestingly enough, there is evidence to suggest becoming an application designer is not beyond the reach of everyday people (I mean, it's not only for computer geniuses to become rich). According to Click, Standford University has a free online course on how to design your very own iPhone application. Check it out if you think there might be a self employment idea in there for you:
It's called iPhone Application Programming and lasts for 10 weeks.
Good luck!
The new boom in popularity and demand in applications for mobile phones has thrown up self employment opportunities for those who are IT literate. I read that the person who designed the "Werewolf vs. Vampires" application/widget for Facebook, as a bit of fun sold the application for US$1million about a year later after millions of Facebookers downloaded it.
Applications have reached mainstream. Remember a few months back iPhone withdrew a "Shake the baby to stop him/her crying" application from their phones after numerous complaints?
Interestingly enough, there is evidence to suggest becoming an application designer is not beyond the reach of everyday people (I mean, it's not only for computer geniuses to become rich). According to Click, Standford University has a free online course on how to design your very own iPhone application. Check it out if you think there might be a self employment idea in there for you:
It's called iPhone Application Programming and lasts for 10 weeks.
Good luck!
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Your self employment idea might just be right in front of you!
I've talked to lots of people about self employment since I embarked on this 'journey'. Many are in the stage of actively looking for ideas to become self employed and searching for business ideas. The process of coming up with a suitable self employment idea may take months, and sometimes a few years. This depends on how focused you are at finding that idea to make a plan with.
For instance, at a morning seminar for entrepreneurs at a city law firm, I bumped into a recent graduate from INSEAD (the prestigious postgraduate business school in Paris) who was there to look for someone to partner up with. I was surprised that he didn't have any ideas as to what he wanted to do apart from 'IT'.
On another occasion, also a networking event, this time at City Hall, I met a young entrepreneur who used to work for one of the major mobile phone service providers. He's written a software programme that checks business mobile phones for personal calls and calls made after official working hours. When I spoke to him, he'd already negotiated 2 contracts worth about £2000 per month to 2 business owners who had over 1000 staff mobile phones at the event. He's got a very lucrative self employment plan through his experience from working for others.
My point is, it's a good idea to keep you eyes and ears open whether you are at work or at play. Maintain focus on your self employment plan. You never know when a brilliant self employment idea will come around.
I've started a notebook/journal to jot down any ideas I might have, contacts that might be useful or website that have good self employment information.
For instance, at a morning seminar for entrepreneurs at a city law firm, I bumped into a recent graduate from INSEAD (the prestigious postgraduate business school in Paris) who was there to look for someone to partner up with. I was surprised that he didn't have any ideas as to what he wanted to do apart from 'IT'.
On another occasion, also a networking event, this time at City Hall, I met a young entrepreneur who used to work for one of the major mobile phone service providers. He's written a software programme that checks business mobile phones for personal calls and calls made after official working hours. When I spoke to him, he'd already negotiated 2 contracts worth about £2000 per month to 2 business owners who had over 1000 staff mobile phones at the event. He's got a very lucrative self employment plan through his experience from working for others.
My point is, it's a good idea to keep you eyes and ears open whether you are at work or at play. Maintain focus on your self employment plan. You never know when a brilliant self employment idea will come around.
I've started a notebook/journal to jot down any ideas I might have, contacts that might be useful or website that have good self employment information.
Friday, 17 July 2009
Found: good self employment ideas site!
It's been a busy 2 weeks for me since I last blogged - I have been attending networking events and seminars on entrepreneurship and self employment.
On a random search, I bumped into a site that has some of the most impressive self employment ideas involving writing I've come across. Why do I say so? Because they are practical, no nonsense and entirely workable self employment ideas! The only thing is, in this case, the ideas are for people with some writing skills.
So, to share self-employment ideas with you, here it is:
http://nichegeek.com/10_unusual_ways_to_make_easy_money_on_the_internet_if_you_love_writing
Idea No. 3 is one of my favourite. It involves taking initiative like getting in contact with people and offering them your skills/service -low risk but highly satisfying as a self employment challenge! Idea No. 6 involves roughly the same process.
I certainly cannot go down the route of becoming a self employed poet, as suggested in Idea No. 10. But for the right person, it could mean turning one's hobby and passion into a self employment opportunity.
I'm quickly turning into a fan of the site, http://www.nichegeek.com/. It's got lots of refreshing, new, self employment and business ideas. The way the information is presented on the site makes it slightly difficult to locate the most recent articles. Click on 'Niche Marketing' (the 4 topics on the top left hand corner are the menu topics) to see more articles on self employment ideas.
I hope you enjoy the information and ideas as much as I do.
On a random search, I bumped into a site that has some of the most impressive self employment ideas involving writing I've come across. Why do I say so? Because they are practical, no nonsense and entirely workable self employment ideas! The only thing is, in this case, the ideas are for people with some writing skills.
So, to share self-employment ideas with you, here it is:
http://nichegeek.com/10_unusual_ways_to_make_easy_money_on_the_internet_if_you_love_writing
Idea No. 3 is one of my favourite. It involves taking initiative like getting in contact with people and offering them your skills/service -low risk but highly satisfying as a self employment challenge! Idea No. 6 involves roughly the same process.
I certainly cannot go down the route of becoming a self employed poet, as suggested in Idea No. 10. But for the right person, it could mean turning one's hobby and passion into a self employment opportunity.
I'm quickly turning into a fan of the site, http://www.nichegeek.com/. It's got lots of refreshing, new, self employment and business ideas. The way the information is presented on the site makes it slightly difficult to locate the most recent articles. Click on 'Niche Marketing' (the 4 topics on the top left hand corner are the menu topics) to see more articles on self employment ideas.
I hope you enjoy the information and ideas as much as I do.
Saturday, 4 July 2009
Self Employment Advice From My Friend - An Actor
I recently got in contact via Facebook with a self employed old friend, who is now a successful actor and household name in Malaysia. Since I want to become self employed, I didn't miss the opportunity to ask him for some advice and ideas about going down the self employment route.
He was really nice, writing me a detailed and thoughtful message about his experience. It's widely accepted that making it as an actor is one of the toughest careers, let alone a self employment idea, but he's made it. He's been in the business for about 7 years.
His advice on self employment is so sound and insightful, I think he should write a blog about his experience making it as an actor!
Basically what he's told me is:
He was really nice, writing me a detailed and thoughtful message about his experience. It's widely accepted that making it as an actor is one of the toughest careers, let alone a self employment idea, but he's made it. He's been in the business for about 7 years.
His advice on self employment is so sound and insightful, I think he should write a blog about his experience making it as an actor!
Basically what he's told me is:
- The first year was unpredictable, really hard and demoralising!
- Get help, but find the right person to support you. In his case, he only found an agent and manager worth sticking with in his fourth year.
- Learn to appreciate and enjoy unpredictability when in a self employed capacity.
- Building relationships are important when you are self employed. You will rely on this for finding work and discovering opportunities.
- Be willing to adapt and change. Self employment involves a lot of learning from mistakes.
I'm beginning to feel hopeful again that this will really work - the self employment part. As for the idea part, I'm of two minds now - shall I go into sustainability consulting or shall I open a cafe?
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