This is my 2nd time around in the ranks of the self-employed. The first was very successful. I sold the business. In between, I also had the great privilege of managing Monster.com’s self-employment / free agent market. Talk about interesting times. For the last 18 months, I have been working on my 2nd venture. I can tell you from experience, that the ultimate challenge of self-employment is managing yourself.

• How effectively & efficiently you use your time

• Focus

• Determination, persistence and vision

• Self-confidence and how you come across with those you interact with

• Energy

• Knowledge

• Wearing many, many hats

When you think about it, no matter how simple the business model you are pursuing, it is an incredibly complex equation. Most of us fail, apparently. And the latest statistics show that the self-employed earn far less than the employed, on average. I relish the challenge, and the freedom, and the opportunity. But, it isn’t easy, and at times, it seems frightfully impossible. It takes immense faith and persistence to stay the course. And sacrifice. And yet, I recommend it highly - if you have the stomach for it. The rewards can be immense. Bold Career is a good place to get encouragement and practical tools to be successful self-employed. Be certain to subscribe to our free resources or if you would like some help from me, let me know. Good luck!