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Get a Life/Health insurance license and then a series 65 securities license. You can work in any state by just transferring your license or registering as a nonresident. Another option is to market legal plan on an individual basis or as a company benefit. You can be self employed but you can run the business as a job if you want.
There are options but you have to understand the buck stops with you once you hit the self employed world.
In order to be a successful business owner you first need something to sell. Whether its an idea, a service, a commodity etc. You cant just stick a sign out front and collect. Secondly you need execution. You have to have a model, a plan, and funding. Then you need business acumen. I HATE calling around for a roofer/plumber/painter and getting voicemails, unprofessional personas, or owners that think a scheduled time means a 3 hour window. These people lack business acumen. You must understand how to work with customers, how to put together a customer oriented business plan etc. Ive called plumbers before that lost business because they didnt answer their phone. You have to understand the nature of your business and why people are calling you. If you are in the repairs business chances are a significant % of people are just fingering through the yellow pages and will go with the first person that answers the phone. I also called around for a fencing company to come install a new fence, most of them "closed" at 4PM. I get off work at 5 and cant make personal calls like that at work. Guess who got my business, the guy that answered his phone at 6. You have to be customer oriented, as others have said THESE are your boss'.
So to sum it up, you need something to sell, you need an execution plan, and you need acumen. These are the people I know who are successful.
If you are willing to work 80 hours a week and can survive for 5 years without making a profit, then being a small business owner is for you.
I know what I am talking about. LOL
20yrsinBranson
Or start with low-overhead and your own funding, which is what I'm doing. Even with that, it's no small task to start a business, and personal sacrifices have to be made. Absolutely agree that a person goes into it with the understanding that it's not a 9-5 operation. Depending on the job, there are plenty of 10-12 hour days - or longer.
It certainly can be but you need to understand how everything works. So many businesses fail because the owner "has a good idea" but doesn't have a clue about financial or business models nor how to use various financial and non-financial resources to put themselves into a position to succeed. You have to surround yourself with the right people and use the right resources at the right time in order to have a chance. You'd be surprised at the number of people who think that they can just take out a loan, open shop and expect the customers to flood the place. It's possible but not easy.
This.
It is also funny to hear people say things like:
"that guy is so lucky to have money, nice house nice cars, travels etc."
"It must be nice to be rich"
"That guy gets all the breaks"
Most think its luck. Few realize what that person went through to get where they are. Thats because while most are sleeping, that guy was in the office plugging away and sacrificing to get ahead.
The average person has absolutely no idea what it takes to become successful.
It is sad to see our nations leaders demonizing the successful folks in our country simply for political gain because they know uninformed minions will lap it up.
The reality is that going into business for yourself with the intent of having your business pay the bills is generally a poor idea. It's only a valid possibility for people with specific backgrounds in specific industries, and even then, you have about a 50% of failure in the first 5 years alone. Most people do not have the needed background, experience, or resources to even attempt such a thing, and those that do are often not successful.
Finally, there's the danger of market saturation. I've read all too often the suggestion that people looking for work should instead "open a business walking people's dogs or something." That's cute and can work if there a handful of such business in an area, but most of these "small business" ideas are little more than 1 guy paying his neighbor to mow the lawn, and then the other guy turns around and pays his neighbor the same amount to walk his dog. The money just goes back and forth without there ever being enough of it to really pay the bills.
That being said, I do encourage everyone to at least look for ways to monetize hobbies and other things they may do in their free time. While it is very unlikely selling crafts online (or similar) will every pay the bills, businesses such as that can be an easy and nearly free way to make a bit of extra money on the side.
The reality is that going into business for yourself with the intent of having your business pay the bills is generally a poor idea. It's only a valid possibility for people with specific backgrounds in specific industries, and even then, you have about a 50% of failure in the first 5 years alone. Most people do not have the needed background, experience, or resources to even attempt such a thing, and those that do are often not successful.
Finally, there's the danger of market saturation. I've read all too often the suggestion that people looking for work should instead "open a business walking people's dogs or something." That's cute and can work if there a handful of such business in an area, but most of these "small business" ideas are little more than 1 guy paying his neighbor to mow the lawn, and then the other guy turns around and pays his neighbor the same amount to walk his dog. The money just goes back and forth without there ever being enough of it to really pay the bills.
That being said, I do encourage everyone to at least look for ways to monetize hobbies and other things they may do in their free time. While it is very unlikely selling crafts online (or similar) will every pay the bills, businesses such as that can be an easy and nearly free way to make a bit of extra money on the side.
If you are not starting a business to pay your bills than what is the point? Mowing your neighbor's lawn is not a viable business, mowing everybody in your neighborhoods lawn is a very viable business, in fact I know several people that make a very good living doing it.
Of course there are drawbacks, and of course if you are planning to be a dog walker to be a full time business you are going to run into trouble. Part of being a smart business man is knowing what your market will bear for your business, if everybody in town is walking people's dogs than you are in trouble. It is hard to make enough money to pay anybodies bills walking a few dogs a week, or mowing grass for your neighbor, those are more gas or pocket money deals, and are not real businesses for the most part.
To me a real business is something you start with the idea that it will pay your bills, and it is something you want to do more than anything. You also spend the time and energy to learn about the business, put together a real plan on how to make it work, run it like a business, and raise the capital to invest enough in it to actually be a business. Making pocket change is just that a side thing to make a little extra money.
So according to the OP, starting your own business and succeeding is NOW the NEW American dream?
Who knew?
And to think these last 240 some odd years so many didnt know about this.
Many people on C-D think it is the new dream and anyone who cannot do that is being lazy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by iowa4430
This.
It is also funny to hear people say things like:
"that guy is so lucky to have money, nice house nice cars, travels etc."
"It must be nice to be rich"
"That guy gets all the breaks"
Most think its luck. Few realize what that person went through to get where they are. Thats because while most are sleeping, that guy was in the office plugging away and sacrificing to get ahead.
The average person has absolutely no idea what it takes to become successful.
It is sad to see our nations leaders demonizing the successful folks in our country simply for political gain because they know uninformed minions will lap it up.
Sad how things are changing.
To act like there is no luck is doing so with blinders. There is always luck involved whether it is in a company plugging away or owning your own business. Can you create some luck, yes and that is internal luck. However if your company goes down (external luck), unless you see the warning signs and are looking elsewhere as the ship sinks, you are likely to spend a little time looking elsewhere. If your whole industry goes south, your luck will need to be tapped because you will need to switch professions (except in say accounting, finance, human resources and IT.)
If you are interested a bit in jogging the memory about selling ideas then I recommend the author Dan Kennedy.
Zero Resistance Selling, No Rules and NO BS Sales Success are really good.
The framing of selling dictates everything. Make it smaller, lighter, heavier, higher cost, lower cost, eco friendly, labor friendly etc.
Always remember that when someone says "No" they are saying no to the product or idea, not yourself.
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