Who hasn’t fantasized about quitting their job and striking out on their own?
The desire is perhaps especially strong for Americans, since doing it yourself and creating your own successes are so ingrained in our value system. As someone who has worked for many small business owners, I’ve witnessed the drawbacks of running your own business firsthand. The information that follows isn’t meant to discourage you if entrepreneurship is a dream of yours. Rather, it’s designed to serve as a reality check for both those who are thinking of starting their own businesses and those who often feel disillusioned by being someone else’s employee. Myth #1: I’ll earn more money if I start my own business: Are you tired of seeing your company bill your work out to clients at $175 an hour and then pay you a mere $30 an hour? It’s depressing, isn’t it? But if you started your own business, you would no longer have an established, reputable company behind your name. Without that, you might not have access to clients who are willing to pay $175 an hour for your skills. Even if you
