Why go it alone?

Why be self employed?

Not many people know this but my partner and I started our catering company, Saffron Catering in 2011 after running a restaurant that at one point was thriving but hit hard times and ended at rock bottom.  Saffron Catering wasn’t created from a desire to achieve something or an entrepreneurial dream, it was born from necessity, to put food on the family table and fuel in the car. Back then I had no idea what it would look like, but I WANTED to feel a sense of fulfilment and freedom and I NEEDED it to work as at that point in my life, I just knew I had to try.

I hear people talk about risk when you're self employed and as a person im an inherent risk taker perhaps explaining my leap of faith in the first place, but I just don’t see running your own company as taking a risk. Its me that’s in control making it a safer option! I make the decisions, the buck stops with me and thats liberating, invigorating and the best decision I ever made.

I took what I thought were my best qualities, my competitive nature, my self motivation and my drive and ambition and I went head first into a new path. Married to an amazing Chef my decision to start to catering company with him was obvious and together we gambled, stumbled, hustled and built the foundation of a sustainable business. This article isn't HOW we did that, thats for a future conversation, its more about why we did, why take a tougher path, an un-walked road, a mountain climb.

I can work to my schedule, my customers come first and not my boss or my shareholders or the bottom line. I work from anywhere, it’s a digital world where a lap top and a wifi signal gives you an office and sales team at the click of a button. I get to watch my children’s sports day, parents evening and play netball, im free of working hours, sign in sheets and bureaucracy. My potential is limitless, I make the decisions, I write the rule book, my customers’ needs become my objectives and client satisfaction the measure of my success.

I learnt something today at a LinkedIn training event, that will stick with me on my self employed journey and this didn’t exist in my employed life and that’s that I get paid what im worth, figuratively speaking my business is a blank cheque, my earning potential is limitless. Money doesn’t motivate me, it’s a by product of success, my motivation is doing what I love and having the freedom to do it well and to me that’s priceless. I create memories at weddings and events, I give people experiences through food and the talent of my team, I create employment for our incredible employees. I honestly don’t believe it would feel as amazing as it does for me if I was employed by someone else.

My adventure in business is early in its life spam but im absolutely enjoying the journey! Iv been asked a few times that if my business were to fail ‘would I go back’ well I think the answer is clear, it’s a no and partly because I actually don’t think anyone would employ me and partly because iv tasted the freedom of the entrepreneurial dream and I honestly don’t believe there is a way back from that.