Should I start a business? Self employment part 2- freedom of location

Self Employment in the UK part 2

One of the main reasons why I have chosen to move away from employment, into first being self-employed, and secondly into running my own companies (see other posts for info on companies I run) is the freedom self employment and being a business owner allows.

Before I was told where to be, what to do, for 35-45 hours per week. It only gets worse the further up the ladder you go. Your freedom declines with salary increases. This, to me, seemed counter productive. If I wanted to spend my time doing what I wanted to do, the more I worked and the better I got in my role the further I moved from this goal. Granted, some people will be doing what they want to be doing, great! If so, they might not want to move into running a company or being self-employed.

Freedom of location

1. Work where I want
2. Work when I want
3. Choosing customers and suppliers

Working where I want

 Working where I want matters quite a lot to my personal self-esteem. I now choose to work on the beach, or work on the train or work while in bed or, which I find the best, chilling out in coffee shops, before or after meeting up with friends.

Working when I want

This is equally as important. Personally I have productive and non productive parts of the day, I am sure most people do. Indeed Tim Ferriss points out in his Four Hour Work Week book (recommended), that workers often waste a lot of time by coffee machines, or just idling time away. When you work for yourself, you choose when you work, so you can pick the most productive times of day for you.

Choosing Customers and Suppliers

I find this concept great. You cannot choose your boss. But you can choose your customers and suppliers.How great is that.

It is quite important for a businesspersons' self esteem and feeling of self-worth. Picture this. A negative boss, someone who puts you down, stressed you out, maybe even humiliates  you intentionally. Customers and Suppliers are not like that, you have the power to say 'No' to them.
That is quite a good freedom to have, a freedom that most people do not enjoy.

Summary

A business/self-employment can help give you more freedom, but do not believe that is the route to easy street. Working for yourself is not easy, and is not for those who are work-shy. That said, for those that yearn for excitement, freedom of many kinds and more money, the lure of starting out on your own or starting up a company is often to great to ignore.