Choose to be in close proximity to people who are empowering, who appeal to your sense of connection to intention, who see the greatness in you, who feel connected to God, who live a life that gives evidence that Spirit has found celebration through them.
-Wayne Dyer

Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
-Harold Thurman Whitman

When I'm trusting and being myself as fully as possible, everything in my life reflects this by falling into place easily, often miraculously.
—Shakti Gawain

Courage is being scared to death — and saddling up anyway.
—John Wayne

Become Self-Employed

Do you dream of starting your own business and becoming self-employed? Do you want to make a difference and help people? Do you want to use all of your talents and skills and reach your potential?

Benefits

Fears and Worries

How do you start your own business?

You either need to start with an idea for a business, or clarity of why a regular job is not the right place for you. Find a notebook and start writing your thoughts down. Why is becoming self-employed important to you? What are your strengths? What is unique about you or your life experiences? Ask others for their insights about you as well.

Let's look at it with both a left-brain, analytical and practical perspective and a right-brain, creative and intuitive perspective. In my opinion you need both to be successful.

Right-brain, creative and intuitive way to begin self-employment

Draw a picture or create a collage showing what your life would be like if you were self-employed. Try not to think while creating it - do that after you are finished to see if you have any insights.

Brainstorm a list of words that describe what you think being self-employed would be like for you.

Get comfortable in a quiet space. Breathe deeply and relax. Put your hand on your heart. Ask your heart if it has a message for you about changing careers (or another question). Put your hand on your gut. Ask your gut the same question. Be alert to how your body feels and any messages that you get. The answers from your intuition will not come in the form of "I should...". Pay attention to the first impression and unexpected insights. Don't let your brain dismiss them until you've had a few days to digest the information.

Prior to meditating, decide what you want to learn and pose it as a question to the Universe. For example:

While meditating, pay attention to any messages that come to you in the way of images, words or feelings. Ask the question again after you meditate to see if you get more insight.

Help from a business coach:

I can help you listen to your intuition to help you decide if self-employment is right for you and which job you would enjoy and be successful with. I can also help you remove the fear about making the transition to self-employment. Set up a free sample session to learn how I can help you.

Left-brain, logical and analytical way to begin self-employment

Write down the pros and cons of becoming self-employed. Is it something you want to do now or in the future? Do you want to save up money first or borrow from a relative or the bank? How much do you need to get started? Do you have the support of your family to do this?

Do you want to start with a part-time business that you do in addition to your regular job? This is a lower risk way to transition to becoming self-employed, and allows you to get your feet wet.

Options for part-time self-employment:

One option for full-time self-employment is to purchase a franchise. There is a higher cost involved, but a higher likelihood of success because the business systems, name recognition and advertising are already in place. I don't recommend franchises for people who like to do things their own way. There are rules to follow in a franchise so that each location is consistent and meets the customer's expectations. There are also territory restrictions, so you will either need to buy an existing franchise in the area you want, or open a new franchise in an approved location.

Government-sponsored self-employment program

The Canadian government encourages unemployed and underemployed people to become self-employed by sponsoring various programs. If you qualify for this program you get:

But:

To check if you qualify for the program, check out the official information. If you might qualify, don't start your business until you decide if the program is right for you.

Help from a business coach:

I can help you investigate self-employment to help you decide if self-employment is right for you and which job you would enjoy and be successful with. I have helped clients with the initial stages of self-employment, including researching, investigating, business plans, file organization, marketing, website creation, and obtaining clients. I help with clarity, focus, organizing, prioritizing, finding resources, and self-confidence. Set up a free sample session to learn how I can improve your chances of success as an entrepreneur.