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Bushead · 12-09-2011, 06:33 PM

I free-lanced as a web designer and also did some social media before I started an official business partner with someone else. I've been doing it since June and I have come to the realization I don't like it. Ha.

Since we are a web company, we had very low expenses and very low barrier to entry, so we did not have too much hardship starting to pick up clients and getting some kind of cash flow, but i'll tell you, it is very FEAST OR FAMINE. I would go through cycles of all sorts of lengths where I'd be earning more than i'd ever earned before (I'm 23 so the bar is pretty low) and then going forever without ever seeing another dime.

Also, be prepared to wear all the hats in the business. I know everyone reads that and goes of course, but it's easy to start your own business doing something you love to do but really only spend 20% of your time doing it -- the rest of it is sales, networking, accounting/admin, and other stuff. If I counted up my time of what i actually do, I don't spend a lot of time doing what I like. I think that is probably the biggest problem.

And I second the whole warning about Partnership. It is very difficult to be on the same page and cover the right skill sets to make it work long-term. After only working with my partner for 3 or 4 months, we had to have a huge meeting and we weren't sure if we were going to make it through each other's different way of doing things. Things finally worked out, but I don't really like what I'm doing, so I'm getting into the wellness field!

12-09-2011, 06:33 PM	#8
Bushead Impact Rookie Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 782	Re: Starting a Business I free-lanced as a web designer and also did some social media before I started an official business partner with someone else. I've been doing it since June and I have come to the realization I don't like it. Ha. Since we are a web company, we had very low expenses and very low barrier to entry, so we did not have too much hardship starting to pick up clients and getting some kind of cash flow, but i'll tell you, it is very FEAST OR FAMINE. I would go through cycles of all sorts of lengths where I'd be earning more than i'd ever earned before (I'm 23 so the bar is pretty low) and then going forever without ever seeing another dime. Also, be prepared to wear all the hats in the business. I know everyone reads that and goes of course, but it's easy to start your own business doing something you love to do but really only spend 20% of your time doing it -- the rest of it is sales, networking, accounting/admin, and other stuff. If I counted up my time of what i actually do, I don't spend a lot of time doing what I like. I think that is probably the biggest problem. And I second the whole warning about Partnership. It is very difficult to be on the same page and cover the right skill sets to make it work long-term. After only working with my partner for 3 or 4 months, we had to have a huge meeting and we weren't sure if we were going to make it through each other's different way of doing things. Things finally worked out, but I don't really like what I'm doing, so I'm getting into the wellness field!