The Choice of Enterprenuership

I have gotten many queries from people who are thinking of taking the plunge into business in the New Year. Self employment is a growing option for many people. It As glamorous as it may seem to throw this word – entrepreneur- around it does have its challenges that can at times seem to permanently place you in a state of abyss. There has got to be a lot more than the financial drive. The financial benefits more often than not tend to be the result of a much more personal raison d’être.

For business people the statement by Henry Ford – “Whether you think you can or you can’t either way you are right” holds true every day. The sacrifices that are made in business are many but it’s the ability to not see them as sacrifices but rather a part of the journey that keeps you going. Having this crystal like direction and purpose means remaining focused and being willing, brave and humble enough to use the full scope of resources (intellectual, time, money, contacts) that you may have to get the work done. You may initially not even have recognized the resources you have. We have lived with fear of failure, rejection, poverty, humiliation and much more for so long. It is these fears that hold us back from becoming all that we can be. Think about it – how much more aggressive would you be at your job or business if you did not have that inherent fear of being rejected? The vision you hold has to be powerful enough for you to put your fears at bay. My own experience has taught me the importance of developing an internal sense of security such that the ups and downs ( and they will be there) of everyday business life that would ordinarily affect you, your mood or your drive start diminishing in terms of impact. Behind that vision, there also has to be a connection with how achieving this goal will improve your personal life.

Self employment does give you control over your time resources but it will go beyond the traditional 8-5. Financially speaking you will need to transform your mindset from the reliance on a regular paycheck to a self reliant one i.e. relying on your own ability to create an income for yourself. The concept of money completely changes. In the employed mindset you “earn to spend” whilst in this new life you ‘spend to earn”. Save up some money to live on for a couple of months as the business will need time to get going and a lot of your initial revenues may be required to be retained in the business.

So is it worth it? As an entrepreneur myself, I say YES. This journey will definitely move you out of your comfort zone but in that process a lot of personal growth will start to take place. You will learn to see ambiguity as a means to look for new opportunities. With the right amount of focus and consistency, the financial and personal rewards will be plentiful. In my book the ability to wake up every morning and create your own experiences is the true definition of freedom.

Waceke Nduati Omanga| waceke@centonomy.com