Captain of your own ship

Owning a business seems like a glamorous concept for most people. You organise your own time and work at your own pace. You do however need to take greater risks in your personal capacity. In other words, you have much more to lose.

 If you are someone that thrives on feeling safe and secure, this is probably not for you.

Being the captain of your own ship means putting your crew (staff) first. In return they bring their expertise to the table for you to grow your empire.

 You need to provide yourself with medical aid and retirement plans, pay and maintain your own vehicles. There is no certainty about your 13th check and no real day off unless you have the financial backing of a large bank account. It takes years to get to a stage where you can relax into your role as business owner.

Most people start their own business to spend more time with the family but soon find out that long hours and hard work are crucial to your overall success. If you do make it however there is nothing in this world that is more rewarding.

The Flipside

Being an employee may put a lot of stress on you as you need to compete with other employees for your place in the sun. You have deadlines and specific rules to follow. If you do not, you are fired. As simple as that.

Being an employee means you have the security of a stable income every month, incentive bonuses, medical aid, pension and in some cases a company vehicle. You can budget.

You have to give up your freedom to make daily decisions, but you have set working hours, so when you are at home you may switch off until you leave for work the next morning.