Own Business vs. Get a Job, what should I do?

[BHAX]

Alright, Im putting this out there to you people because I, and people around me are to close to me to offer unbiased advice.

I'm a single 26 years old a small business owner in Columbus, OH, I've had my company for just over a year now and have remained afloat. I work in telecommunications, sales/service/installation of business telephone systems.

I've had some hungry times during the past year, but as of recently I've been getting more regular business. Still meager, but business nonetheless.

So just recently I am contacted by a headhunter, I go through the interview and now they have offered me a position. No big salary just $38k yr.

I really enjoy the freedom of self-employment but being broke sucks. And I am tempted to throw in the towel on my business just as I'm starting to get some regular clients.

Short term, I know that I'll enjoy having money and just having to do installations and calls. However, on the long term I am worried that I will fell unfulfilled in a couple years and yearn for what could have been.

What should I do? And why am I asking a forum? hehe It's a rock and a hard place? Which is better?

Thanks!

 

[Rougy]

I'll always encourage a person to stay in business for themselves, especially someone so young.

This corporate world is getting worse and worse by the year.

-----
The death of dogma is the birth of reason.

 

[sleipnir214]

You're 26. If you're that young and single, you have all the room in the world to take risks.

Take an honest look at your prospects staying in business for yourself before you decide.

Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[unixtechie]

I have worked for a Fortune 400 company, a medium size company and now for a Federal Gov't contractor. Believe me, corporate life is NOT fun.

sleipinir is correct; and if in 2 or 3 years you decide to "throw in the towel" you can always turn to the corporate world and endure the agony and pain of senseless, innane headaches and deal with the backstabbing people with their own agendas.

 

[cian]

Bhax
go with what makes you happy, whether that's working 9-5 for steady cash or whether it's the freedom and challenge of running your own biz. It's entirely up to you, whatever gives you happiness.

I hate being broke (salary sucks) but I enjoy working 8-5 with weekends free & 30 days holidays per year. Also, I don't have the motivation to run my own business so sticking with the corporate bull is fine for me...for now.

...but i have a family which changes everything!





- É -

http://www.ssi-developer.net/

 

[pmonett]

I believe you have a unique opportunity. Sure, there are difficulties, but nothing is easy now.
Hang on in there. In a few years time, if your company works out all right, you will not regret all the hard work you did.
And don't forget : as head of your own company, you have the luxury of being able to define the level of bull you are willing to accept. You are not a drone, forced to speak the corporate speak and jockey with other wolves to see who gets the best leftovers.
You are the head of your own heap. Small for now, but time and effort will change that without a doubt.

Honestly, don't let go now when things are starting to work out. I had an opportunity two years ago to build a dream team and start a company with two very competent people I respect and who respect me. But I did not take the chance because I have a family and my priority is to spend quality time at home, not in 9 P.M. office meetings.
You have the chance of making something work, of building something from the ground up and actually making a difference. Don't throw it away like that.
Besides, beware of "office shock". You are your own manager, you take your decisions based on what is best for you AND for your clients, right ? Must have happy customers, right ?
A corporation takes decisions based on rules, made up by people jockying for power and/or prestige. Common sense is deserting the corporate world. You can tell yourself that you'll just be doing installations and not worrying about anything else, but can you really imagine the extent of the stupidity of corporate administration ? You have to have lived it to realize that you should never underestimate the power of the dark side of a paper-pusher.
Going from your own boss to being just another drone ? If you are already making a profit, if you have enough to eat and can stay warm for the winter, I think it would be a bad mistake.

Pascal.

 

[Grenage]

It's a tough call to make I must imagine. I know it sounds a bit cheesy but in your heart you've probably already made up your mind, you just have to listen to it.

As sleipnir214 says, you are young and single and can afford to take the risks. You know your own business but you dont really know the company you could work for.

 

[Rougy]

cian,

You must be European, because Americans do NOT get 30 days paid holiday per year. Many of us are lucky if we get one freaking week vacation, and I think there are about...six paid holidays per year.

And salary does suck, because it's just another way for the company to make you work 50 to 60 hours for 40 hours worth of pay.

You can learn a lot from a corporation, true, but it is getting pretty bad. Instead of gaining value with each passing year, they tend to make you feel expendible and overpaid...in short, desperate.

-----
The death of dogma is the birth of reason.

 

[benlinkknilneb]

Stick with it BHAX.

I'm on board with Rougy; if you have the resources to keep a small business up and running, by all means do it because the corporate world is getting uglier and uglier. cian's situation is much better than what you'll find elsewhere. Personally, I'm hourly, but I'm also an intern. If I were salaried, I would automatically (office politics) be expected to work 50-55 hours a week. I like my job, but that's ridiculous to me. I think our company gives salaried people 2 weeks' vacation, plus 6-7 paid holidays... which is better than many, but still pretty pathetic. I've recently been looking for a way to start my own business.

The only reason that would change my thinking on this is that you can't make enough $$$ to survive. As long as you can make it on your own, do it!

Ben

"If thine enemy offend thee, give his child a drum." - Anonymous

 

[unixtechie]

A company has no loyalty to anyone these days. Forty years at the same company went away with the 70's.

You have coworkers who tattle-tale behind your back. You are a new-to-the-company-with-9-years-exp. sys admin and things need to be changed so you make suggestions; then the other sys admins say "do you see everything he wants to do? whatever, I'm not doing it." Then the manager is a micromanager and you cannot do ANYTHING without a blessing. One employee tattles behind your back like a three year old.

2 weeks vacation, 3 personal days and 6 holidays. Yippee!!

 

[unixtechie]

Oh and the manager has a pet.

 

[cian]

Rougy
Yep! 24 days & 1 week "skiing holiday" + over time hours.
It's common here to take 4-5 weeks holidays during the summer (not Europe in general just Finland, other countries are much closer to the American way)!

It really sucks in America to be honest. I've been to our company over there and I don't know how people stick it!





- É -

http://www.ssi-developer.net/

 

[alexs0628]

You have to decide what kind of lifestyle you want. I'm an IT Administrator at a smaller company. I only work 37.5 hours per week, I never work evenings or weekends and I've now got 3 weeks vacation plus 11 paid holidays.

So I'm not complaining. I get to see my kids and husband, and I never have to worry about how the business is doing because I'm not the owner or in upper management. I get a decent wage. I could be making more if I worked for a bigger company, but that would mean longer hours, being on call and more headaches. I only work to make enough money so I can enjoy my off time with my family and my hobbies. Work is not my life. And I don't need lots of money to make me happy. I know some people that have their own business and all they do is work. If they don't, it's their livelyhood on the line. I get my bi-weekly paycheck and I'm happy with that. Again, what kind of life do you want to live?

 

[unixtechie]

It is a different situation for all, and I am taking from what alexs0628 has said, is that she is not the major breadwinner for her family. The context that I get from the message, "...I only work to make enough money so I can enjoy my off time with my family and my hobbies..." is that she is working because she wants to.

This is not the same for men who have a family they have to support. I would assume that her husband is making the majority of income, and if she was divorced or a single parent, then the situation would be different.

This is not a flame against women in the workforce, but a woman's work situation, generally, regarding pay, time off, vacation, etc., is not the same as a man's situation.

 

[unixtechie]

I would like to mention also, "And I don't need lots of money to make me happy", that may be true, but again it is different for a man.

Would she be happy if her husband was making $10/hour at Piggly Wiggly stocking shelves, barely able to provide for the children and her? That they were driving a 1986 rusted out Honda Accord? That the children had to rely on the state for health insurance?

Most likely not, so again, men have a greater burden in working.

My opinions.

 

[alexs0628]

Unitechie,

Actually, my husband does stock shelves at the local grocery store. He's the night supevisor. During the day he watches the kids - and he can cook and clean too! Since we have two boys, it's been great that their father can spend so much time with them.

So you see, the woman can be the major bread winner in the family, not just the man. We can afford to live off my income. We only have the mortgage and no other bills. And I don't drive a rusted out 1986 Honda. I paid cash when I bought my new 2003 Mazda last year. I live in a large 4 bedroom house and I take nice vacations. My kids will go to college, and I will retire in comfort. It's all a matter of how you manage your money.

I'm the one with the college education and I'm the one the family relies on for the bulk of the income. And I know plenty of professional women who married a blue collar worker and are in the same position as me. So you guys stepped in a big one when you decided to stereotype men as the only bread winner and women as just the second job holder. ("Foot in mouth" disease strikes again!)

 

[unixtechie]

alexs, I am happy that you are in a desirable position, however, you are not the norm for working families. More often than not men are the major income producers for the family and a woman working provides supplemental income.

What I was implying was that two people earning low wages and trying to support a family is a no win situation and income does matter greatly. And if the original poster had a family to support, and wasn't single, then it would not be the same situation. And as I stated, if he was married to a woman in a position like yours, then he possibly could continue doing that for some time. But also as I have said, more than likely he would have to give up this prospect because men generally are the major providers for families.

There are exceptions (such as you) to this rule but are not the norm.

This is nothing against anyone (man or woman) or their job (janitor (which my Grandpa worked as for a school), stocker, fry cook, whatever). There has to be someone for every job to make the world go 'round.

 

[alexs0628]

Going back to the original poster's question, he does have to decide what kind of lifestyle he wants to live, and that doesn't always mean income. Do you enjoy being your own boss? What level of satisfaction have you gotten out of having your own business? How much would you miss having that kind of control over your life?

Other comments hold true - you are young and you only go around once in this world. You don't have any family commitments right now, so you can dedicate yourself full-time and then some to building a business. And, if you don't, will you live to regret it?

When I was younger, I tried having my own business. I discovered that I didn't want that much work to do or that kind of responsibility. If you do, go for it. Small business owners who truly love what they do thrive much better then they would if they were stuck in a 9 to 5 office job somewhere. Do what makes you happy while you have the chance to do it.

 

[BHAX]

Thanks for all your input. After much consideration, I'm deciding to stick with the business. I mean if it flops, then I can ALWAYS get a job. But I may not be able to have an oppurtunity like this again.

Thanks!

 

[Gatorajc]

alexs0628,

While I could be wrong, I dont think they were saying that a woman cannot be a bread winner, It was more that they thought the job did not pay very well and that there was no way you could support a family on it. In thier defense, it did seem that way even when I read it.

"I only work to make enough money so I can enjoy my off time with my family and my hobbies..."

Just reads like a part time or supplemental income job not a primary breadwinner job. Even though you say that is not so.

Just out of curiosity what part of the country do you live in. I know it cant be anywhere near South Florida, LA, or NY.

Because a "large 4 bedroom house" in these areas start at over $300,000


AJ


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