Your business IS a job. Which one do you want?

These all want more than 4 hours per week. None of them are on a beach.

“You’re not building a real business, you’re just making yourself a job.“

This is one of those comments/insults leveled at those of us who choose to be self-employed.

What they’re usually getting at is the idea of building your business in such a way that it can run without you (while still paying you) or can be sold to someone else (ie: YOU are not critical to the business.)

Here’s a different perspective:

You will have a JOB in your business (at least to start with)

Even if you’re planning to build an empire that pays you while you play on the beach or can be sold to someone somewhere down the road. Before that happens you WILL have to work at a job – or many jobs – in your business.

The question becomes: which job(s) do you want to hold?

Do you want to “do the thing that you do”?

If you choose the self-employment option in order to “do the thing that you do” – coaching, counselling, wellness services, freelancing – then you need to do ALL the jobs.

You’re the boss/CEO, you’re in charge of sales and marketing, you look after administration – and you do the work that you do.

You can hire assistants to do some of this for you, but for the most part, you’ll be doing it yourself.

For many of us, this is part of the appeal.

It’s a path for growth because we get to learn new skills. We get to chart our own course and make our own rules. We get to see our own ideas come to life. We get some variety in our days – and we get to “do our thing.”

We also get to keep most of the money because our overhead is low.

Do you want to spend your time managing and marketing?

If you’re planning to scale up and build a “real business” – your job will focus on management and being the CEO of your company – leading a team that works for you.

And will be all about marketing and sales. Bringing in money either through selling your ideas to people who will invest – or selling your product/service to customers. (SOMEONE will need to take this role in your company – either you or a partner – or a highly paid employee.)

You will spend very little, if any, time on “the thing that you do.” (Celebrity “coaches” don’t do a lot of coaching. They do a lot of team management and a lot of marketing.)

Unless you have a LOT of money to invest, you’ll go through the “small” stage of doing everything yourself before you grow big enough to have a team.

It’s your life and your business. There’s no “wrong” answer.

Just know what you’re getting into and choose the right path for you.