Are you considering going into business for yourself? Aside from the obvious requirements like cash and a great idea, do you have the tools to be an entrepreneur? What qualities do you have that would benefit such an endeavour, and what faults do you possess that you would need to work through?
At first glance, the life of an entrepreneur sounds glamorous and exciting. While it is true that to be your own boss is exhilarating, you will need grit to be truly successful. You are free to build a business that works into the fabric of your life and plays to your strengths. Nonetheless, there will always be challenges. Entrepreneurs are flexible and adaptable. Are you resilient, clever and ambitious? Does a challenge excite you and push you to create your best ideas?
Owning a business is more than just what a good idea and a stack of cash will get you, and entrepreneurs are more than hustlers with a lot of ambition. What does it mean to be ambitious? It is more than the desire for a better life for yourself, and more about having the clarity of mind to pave the way to a better life. Entrepreneurs are hustlers because they know their ideas are good. They know their product or service is better than the competition. They know what they need to do to succeed, and they do it. Do you have ambition with clear purpose and direction?
There are start-ups that invent something completely new – a service that people never knew they needed, or a product that fills a gap in the market. There are also start-ups that take a product or service already available and make it better, more efficient, or cost-effective. Regardless of which business you would like to go into, you will need to be creative with how you compete. More than that, be sure that you are able to separate what you love from what will sell. Just because you enjoy making soap does not mean you can make something that will be able to compete with an already over-saturated market of soap-makers. “Do what you love” and “love what you do” can be separate things. You can love your business because of the freedom it affords you and because it allows you to end each day feeling fulfilled. Are you able to separate the two? Are you creative enough to devise a product or plan that will compete with the rest?
There is a misconception that being your own boss means working less. You are likely to work more, especially at first, so you will need to be able to prioritise your days and compartmentalise your life. There is a new set of challenges that will arise if you choose to work from home as well. The separation of family and social life from your work life will be foggy unless you are able to create a clear division. Even if you live alone, you will need to allow yourself downtown to rest and recharge. Are you organised? Are you able to catalog the facets of your new life and keep them separate?
When you choose to start a business, especially one that serves the public and has employees, you are responsible for all those people. Your products have to be safe and effective. Your employees have to be treated fairly and with respect. You become your business and provide an umbrella of oversight over all its activities. If an employee makes a mistake, if a service visit does not yield proper results, or if a product breaks, you are responsible. Depending on the type of business you choose to go into, this can be as simple as a phone call to fix, or the downsides can be truly grave. Consider this before you proceed. Are you willing to build a company that you can be responsible for? Are you prepared to do the research to organise a proper legal and insurance safety net?
There are so many benefits to being your own boss. You have the chance to take your experience and ideas and build a better version of your work life. You can take pride in what you do and contribute to society in a very direct and purposeful way. You can create a company that treats employees the way you always wish you had been treated. You can place value in what you know to be important, and maybe even improve your own circumstances and those of your customers and employees.
As a successful freelancer in the tech world, you have greater flexibility and more freedom. However, you only get these advantages if you find work and continue to find jobs. Continuous work requires a constant marketing effort. Effective marketing will make you visible to the companies looking for freelancers. Here are three ways to market your skills.
Build Relationships
If you aren’t already a member, join Meetup.com and select 2-3 technology meetups to attend regularly. Choose one meet-up that matches your skills such as a Java Users Group or an iOS group. Building relationships with other developers with similar skills will give you a network of people you can contact when you need work. If you know someone on a hiring team, you have a better chance of getting the job.
Look for a second group that appeals to entrepreneurs. Regular participation will make you visible to hiring managers. If you have the time for a third group, look for casual meetings such as a weekly code and coffee meet-up.
Develop 2 Short Pitches
Prepare for the question “What do you do?” with a 30-second pitch highlighting your technical skills. Write two different pitches that highlight your strongest skills: one for technical contacts and one for business contacts. Your business introduction should use terms familiar to managers. For example, “Android developer” or “DevOps.” Your technical pitch should be more specific such as “Android 4.1 APIs” or “Python 3.0.”
Follow-Up Afterwards
When you meet a new professional contact, send a follow-up text or email within the next 24 hours. It can be straightforward. For example, “Enjoyed talking to you last night. Just checking that I have the right number so that we can catch up soon.” Your goal is to get on the recipient’s contact list. After a week or two, send a follow-up invitation to coffee. Be patient – strong relationships are worth a long-term effort.
Conclusion
Freelance work is abundant in the IT world, but finding it can be tricky. Building a professional network takes time, but it will create the foundation of referrals that you need for a long career.
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