Assessing Self-Employment

My Decision to Pursue Self-Employment

In my previous article, I began documenting my self-employment journey. The application process challenged me to reflect on business ownership. Key decisions loomed. Was entrepreneurship right for me?

Today I’ll discuss how I weighed pursuing my business concept through the Self-Employment Program. My goal is to provide a perspective for others in similar positions by sharing my entrepreneurial assessment and decisions.

The first hurdle was setting realistic expectations. I read articles highlighting struggles like isolation, financial instability, and constant pivoting. I acknowledged how these might impact my well-being and business model.

For example, access to mentorship will prevent disconnect, while personal savings can smooth cash flow volatility. Maintaining diverse revenue streams offers flexibility in uncertainty.

I considered suitability, regarding challenges like loneliness and financial stress. With therapy and support systems, I am confident in my ability to overcome these obstacles.

Why start now? To be honest, this felt like a long time coming. My background cultivating musical appreciation through academia and mentorship positions me uniquely to address gaps in education. I think I can measure early customer interest through self-funded launches. This will enable me to determine demand and scalability.

My strengths and goals are aligned with the advantages of autonomy, control, and positively influencing others through online education. I aim to champion inclusion and underrepresented groups.

While starting independently poses risks, I will mitigate them through measured testing, contract support as needed, and maintain prudent financial oversight. The adaptability I've gained from different careers gives me an advantage in facing uncertainty.

Contingency plans include pivoting offerings per feedback, specialized workshops from partnerships, or leveraging transferable skills in teaching or consulting roles. My determination remains focused on meaningfully impacting communities through this work.

In summary, self-employment allows me to leverage my expertise where opportunities exist. With awareness of challenges and strategies to overcome obstacles, I feel entrepreneurship provides an ideally aligned next step. I welcome insights as I further refine my concept and journey ahead.

This article is a truncated version of my blog post, “Assessing Self-Employment”, originally posted on my website on January 4th, 2024.