Being self-employed can be one of the most challenging, but most rewarding careers to have. It gives you the freedom to decide when and where you will work and the flexibility to set a schedule that allows you to work at times that best fit your needs.
If you’re considering going to business for yourself, I encourage you to do the research and ask all the questions to figure out how to build the concrete foundation – setting up your business like a real business, budget your money and set your goals.
1. No boss – no one to put their thumbs on my head to determine how much I made. I remember when I got a promotion in the hospitality industry because the manager before me had quit, I learned that I made $4 an hour less than she did, even though I assumed the exact same position. Obviously this wasn’t a male vs. female wage, but more of she was in her early thirties and I was 19. I worked harder than she did, I took my job more seriously than she did, I was show up early and stay late but none of that mattered to the higher ups.
2. I didn’t want to climb the corporate ladder. Start in the field, work your way to management, then upper management and then what? I looked at my upper management’s lifestyle, and I did not want anything to do with it. They’re working 10-12 hour shifts and most times it’s from 10am-10pm… Your entire day is locked up between 4 walls. Where’s the freedom in that? It also took many people in management decades to get to their position, to make the money they make. But what if I wanted to make that kind of money in a couple years instead of 20 years?
3. There is still a gender pay gap. Canadian women make $0.84 for every dollar men make according to Glassdoor INC. For example, if a women makes $50,000 salary, the man can do the same job and get paid over $58,000. If you’re a female and listening, there’s a chance you’re not getting paid what you’re worth. It is substantially different for a working women than a man.
We’ll cover what to expect, consider and see if it’s worth it for you!
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