According to Human Resources Today, 64% of workers all around the world find that their jobs give them a sense of meaning and purpose. And, yet, Gallup indicates that 51% of employees admit to searching for new jobs or watching for openings. If you fall into the 36% whose job does NOT give you a sense of meaning and purpose OR if you have your eye on the door in search of better opportunities, you might want to consider starting your OWN business. While that may seem a daunting endeavor, there’s a reason why 66% of Americans dream of starting their own business – with more than half of those folks pointing a finger at the opportunity to be their own boss as the most alluring reason. Statistics aside, here are a number of Top 5 Benefits of Becoming Your Own Boss…
- Location, Location, Location: One of the perks of becoming your own boss is that you often get to select your workplace. Whether you choose a room in your own home or a highly visible location at the heart of your community within a short drive from home, you can cut your former commute time way down – leaving far more time for productivity!
- Let Your Imagination Run Wild: Another awesome aspect to becoming your own boss is that you get to use your creativity to the fullest – from marketing your new venture to growing your product line to finding a niche and differentiating yourself from the competition. It can be a refreshing change from the bureaucracy found in many corporations. Encourage new ideas from your staff, as well. This gives them a sense of worth and ownership in the company – YOUR company.
- Find that Rare Work-Life Balance: If you surround yourself with the right people and train them properly, you should be able to reap the rewards of a work-life balance. By choosing an industry/concept you love, there should be a slight blurring of the lines where your work life is just as enjoyable as your “outside of work” life. However, in order to remain a great boss to others, it’s vital that you break away from time to time and return recharged, refreshed and ready to rock until the next vacation or long weekend. But don’t be selfish! Endeavor to create a company culture where your employees also get to enjoy a work-life balance so they will remain loyal and perform at their optimal levels. Lastly, with the ability to determine your own personal earning potential based off of your company’s success as your own boss, you very well may have the opportunity to finally afford the life you WANT!
- Excellent Opportunity to Run a Value-Driven Company: How incredible would it be if you could run a company that was reflective of the values that you hold dear? You CAN! If your community is important to you, find unique ways to give back to the community that supports your business. Partner with a local charity, adopt-a-road near your office and schedule regular cleanups, host community events at your workplace – there’s no limit to the ways you can express your values through your company’s actions. Tread lightly when it comes to religion and politics, as you never want to alienate a segment of your target audience. Beliefs are one thing and values are another.
- Enjoy a Heightened Sense of Motivation: When you’re “punching a timecard” for someone else – particularly a larger, more bureaucratic company – it’s all too easy to become detached, unmotivated and somewhat robotic. When you’re your own boss and your investment, reputation and future are on the line, you tend to be far more ambitious. Be careful to ensure that your ambition comes from a positive place – such as the opportunity to serve those within your community, to make a difference in people’s lives and/or to employ and enlighten others – and not from a place of fear (as in losing your investment, harming your reputation or derailing your future.) When YOU are motivated, it makes it that much easier to motivate others. Surround yourself with a team that you can easily motivate, and that can keep you motivated as well.
Of course, one of the easiest tracks to becoming your own boss is to invest in a franchise with a proven track record of success that aligns with your interests. If you’ve ever dreamed of opening your own eatery or you have a good head for business and a great love of food, a restaurant franchise may prove an ideal fit for you. Launched in 1980 in Jacksonville, Florida, Woody’s BBQ has developed a recipe for success for the franchisees in its growing system. Armed with a menu filled with barbecue staples and comfort food recipes that have stood the test of time, our franchise locations are all owner-operated and community based to ensure success. We’ll help you find the perfect location, we encourage innovative ideas, we support finding that work-life balance, established this company with a strong set of core values and are here to motivate you whenever you have trouble motivating yourself. To learn more about becoming a Woody’s Bar-B-Q franchisee and download our Franchise Brochure, please visit https://woodys.com/franchise/.
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/238085/state-american-workplace-report-2017.aspx
https://www.theupsstore.com/insidesmallbusiness
KB 5/15/19
