Anyone who has an idea of what it means to be self-employed or being one’s own boss knows that that area of expertise doesn’t come easy at all. Not everyone has what it takes to initiate and run successful businesses. However, if you have the drive, diligence and hard work ethic, then the task is nothing but attainable. Striving to be employed and actually thriving at it comes with many benefits that will make you never look back. One of them being the fact that you will have greater control over the decision that will be made, not only affecting the business as a whole, but your family as well. This way, what shall be executed will be what you see fit as the decision maker, as opposed to being an employee where your decision making abilities are restricted to your job description. Additionally, when you are an employer you are able to work around the hours that you set and that you are comfortable with. Nevertheless, if working hours are inconsistent, this will hinder the success of your business. Creating a reasonable balance between work life and leisure is of extreme importance. Another fulfilment that comes with self-employment is having a great sense of satisfaction. When you do a great job at work as an employee, sometimes the most you will get out of your service, other than your salary, is an ‘employee of the month’ award. However, one of the perks about being an employer is that when you consistently perform amazingly, the whole company reaps the benefits. Income is likely to gradually rise, allowing the company to thrive to greater levels. Unless you probably work in the marketing department, public relations or advertising for another company, chances are you would do more networking as the owner of your own business. To be able to effectively promote and operate your business, you will have to network and interact with fellow entrepreneurs and people in the same industry which is beneficial. One can never go wrong with having connections. “Being my own boss motivates me more than being employed. The economic reward I get from my investment is proportional to the effort and resources I put into the venture. This is different from the fixed salary I would earn from my employer no matter how hard I work,” says Ignatius Kabagambe, CEO of Apex Media. On the other hand, some people are just content with being an employee. They certainly don’t plan to start up their own business. “I honestly don’t mind being an employee. As long as I get my deserved salary when it’s due. If I want to start something of mine then I will. But for now I am good with where I am,” Michael Imena, a cashier at Bank of Kigali, says. “After finishing my Bachelor’s degree, I would like to be self-employed. This is because I wouldn’t be bossed around, which the best part of it all is. And I wouldn’t have a fixed salary,” says Stella Sugira, an intern.
