Five Reasons to Start Your Own Business

 In my last article, I talked about a couple of aspects on the reason why statistically women make about 72% of what their male counterparts make.  One of the solutions that I offered in the post was to ditch the 9-5 and start a business of your own.   We live in the land of opportunity, and there is no reason I can think of that would keep anyone from succeeding in this great nation.

I understand that this is a tough economy.  I have been through job application after application.  I have accepted rejection with a smile.  And then I decided there must be a better way to help my family make ends meet.  It hasn’t always been easy, and God knows I still have ups and downs.  Here are the five reasons I decided to start my own business and work from home.

1)     The cost to work outside the home:  Ahh, the days of DINK.  You know, Double Income No Kids.  My husband and I were reminiscing on the days when we were much younger, had very little debt and two incomes.  The money we saved!!  And then…we had kids.  We have a two year old and a five month old.  Anything less than $10 an hour and I am going to have to pay to go to work.  Let’s take a look at the math.

$10.00 an hour for an entry level administrative assistant’s job.  Full time = 40 hours a week

$10 X 40 = $400.00 Per Week.

$400 X 52 Weeks Per Year = $20,800.00

$20,800.00 X 15% Tax Bracket = $17,680.00

$17,680.00/12 Months =  $1,473.33

$1473.33 – $1,000.00 Daycare = $473.33

$473.33 – $200.00 Gas to Get to Work = $273.33

$273.33/160 Hours Per Month = $1.71 Per Hour

 

Just the cost of taxes, gas and daycare alone is reason to find a better solution.  That being said, I am not implying that it is easy.  Working from home is a great fantastic, but it will require a bit of a juggling act to make it all work.

2)     Time:  I don’t know about you, but as a soldier’s wife, one of my roles in our home is that of a household manager.  My husband recognizes that it is a job with added responsibilities and obligations whether they are volunteered or volun-told.  In the corporate world, I have, on more than one occasion, had to fight to take off work to spend time with my husband on R & R, attended a military school graduation, or go home to visit family.  Having control of my time to attend my family is one of the greatest benefits of self-employment.

3)     Unlimited Income Potential:  Unlike your 9-5 and potential raise that is determined by someone else, your own business is only limited to the vision and work you put into it.

4)     Choosing Work You Actually LOVE:  It may seem cliché, and I am sure you’ve heard it before: if you do something you love to do, you never really work a day in your life.  I heard Judge Judy say that the best advice she gave her children is for them to find something that they are naturally talented and find a way to make money doing it.  There are plenty of jobs that are great.  The work seems tolerable, but if you don’t love it, you’ll burn out quickly.

5)     Lasting Legacy: Can you imagine how awesome it would be to build a business that is profitable?  To, eventually, provide training and job experience opportunities for your children.  Perhaps something even larger; a legacy to pass to your children and grandchildren.

There are so many great reasons to build a business to call your own.  Search your heart and find your own reasons.