Self-employment, the new American Dream, for many! There’s nothing more enticing than employment freedom, in every sense of the word. When you’re self-employed you have the:
*Freedom to make your own hours opposed to clocking in a 9-5.
*Freedom to wear whatever you want (casual slacks, a sun-dress, or pajamas) if you’re operating out of the comfort of your own home.
*Freedom to set your own pay rate, you can charge competitively based on your industry, goods and or services.
*Freedom to spend quality time with family, plan vacations, attend soccer games and theatrical performances at your child’s school.
*Freedom to work alone or hire staff of your choosing, no more mean bosses, grumpy or back-biting co-workers. 
Now with this type of freedom comes responsibility and great demands.
Self-discipline is a pre-requisite. You must be able to successfully manage yourself before you can manage someone else. You have to have the ability to ‘stick to the plan’ in order to run your own business. You have to do in-depth research. This is necessary before you advertise and promote yourself before the world. There are numerous resources to help get you started but one of the best techniques is to interview a successful self-employed business owner. Talk to them, ask questions, find out how they got started, what are some of the foundational legalities?
Once you decide that self-employment is definitely for you, begin designing your business plan and organize your idea on paper. Write it down, tweak it, write it down again. And tweak it some more. Do more research, ask more questions, the more solid your foundation is, the greater the possibility your vision will survive!
Remember, being your own boss generates an envied sense of freedom, but it’s a freedom which comes with a great price. However, it’s a price that people like you and me are willing to pay! I wouldn’t trade self-employment for all the money in the world. Literally. 
Love,
Toni
Toni Spearman/Author 