Business or Employment?

There are many people who goes into building their own business but come out with lots of bruises and cuts. It has become pretty common to see one new shop, nicely renovated with the latest interior design, to be in business for six months before the shop becomes a vacant lot for sale or for rent.

Yet, many who are in employment often dream of being their own boss. This is often fueled, not by knowledge, experience or wisdom, but by the sheer greed of being called a "boss" or as a business owner. It is not easy. Being a business owner is not for those with a weak heart.

My first job was a lecturer for a college after I graduated from the university back in 1999. However, at that time I found that I lacked the knowledge and experience to teach the right things to the students. Hence, with the passion for education, quit my lecturing job and embarked on an unknown journey of doing advertising and events project as a freelance. I did not have that kind of money to start my own business, but freelancing gave me the opportunity to learn as much as possible within the shortest time frame.

I freelanced for 6 years. I learned a lot. There had been days where I did not have enough money even for food, and for a while my only transportation was a bicycle. I took up contract after contract, some are pretty good as occasionally I may take up contracts that also provides for some incentives similar to full-time staff, but at other times there had been some clients who decided that you work for them for the few months free of charge without informing you. It was difficult time.

After that, I thought that I could return to education with my new experience and knowledge, only to find that they prefer scholars with paper certificates. It pained me, because these scholars debate with their theories but they do not have the practical knowledge of the corporate world. What will become of the students? I tried to bring my points to the education sector, but my motivation was watered down when their message to me was: "People want to send children to a college where all the lecturers are PhDs. Colleges are no longer for education, it is all about money."

At that moment, I am thankful that I do not have children.

Back to the story about employment or business. I went around from company to company, but I was used to the freedom I had when I was freelancing. I never did secure myself in an administrative job, but for each company that I did end up in, I was able to bring in good clients for the company due to my past experience. Eventually, I ended up in my current company, a manufacturing company with a history of 50 years in the construction and building materials industry.

Will I do my own business again? I do not know. My boyfriend is a business owner, and he does not (yet) encourage me to be in business. He did not want me to have too much stress in life. He wants to keep me as happy as a puppy (haha!)

If I do, I am a lot wiser now. There are many ways to go about doing a business, and I shall share this in a next blog. This blog is just an introduction.