| Although I spend most of my time evangelizing about | | | | huge cash reserve for expenses. |
| the benefits of entrepreneurship, I do want to throw a | | | | #6: No one gives you goals and objectives. Many new |
| little reality out there for those who may look at it only | | | | business owners can get paralyzed trying to figure out |
| through rose-colored glasses. Here are ten reasons | | | | what to get done in which order. Should you develop |
| why you may NOT want to start your own business: | | | | your product? Start talking to prospects? Invest in |
| #10: You can't blame your lame boss for your | | | | infrastructure? Build a website? |
| problems. As much as you might have complained | | | | #5: You can't pass off irate customers to Customer |
| about your boss or "Management" in your corporate | | | | Service. The buck stops with you, and you have to |
| job, you might find yourself missing the person who | | | | deal with all conflict related to your business. |
| takes the heat for big decisions. Whichever success | | | | #4: No paid sick days. For many businesses, if you |
| or failure your company experiences is squarely on | | | | don't work, money doesn't come in. If you wake up |
| your shoulders. | | | | with a stuffy nose and a headache, you can't tap into |
| #9: YOU are all the departments in your business. You | | | | one of your 20 days of paid sick leave and sleep in. |
| must take care of product development, sales, | | | | #3: Self employment tax. Or just taxes in general. |
| marketing, accounting, customer service, information | | | | Instead of delighting at a refund most tax years, as a |
| technology, legal, procurement and shipping. Most of us | | | | self-employed person you have to pay |
| do not have strengths in all these areas, so you must | | | | self-employment tax. You also must keep excellent |
| quickly learn what is necessary to stay within the law | | | | accounting records to make sure you run a clean |
| and in business. | | | | operation and in case that you are audited by the IRS. |
| #8: No free office supplies. Did you really ever think | | | | #2: Self-funded benefits. You must piece together and |
| about how much a paper clip or manila folder costs? | | | | pay for a decent benefit package to ensure you and |
| How about a desk, no-glare monitor or printer toner? | | | | your family are protected against risk. You don't have |
| All of a sudden you will become aware of all the | | | | the volume discount afforded by large corporate |
| "hidden" expenses when you have to do it all yourself. | | | | programs, so often they are more expensive. |
| And no, I don't suggest sneaking out the back door of | | | | #1: No zone-out weeks. Although most of us would |
| your corporate job with a big box of supplies. Bad | | | | never admit it, we have all had weeks (some months!) |
| karma! (I will sheepishly admit to taking a pad or two of | | | | of "zoning out" where we act like we are busy and |
| post-it notes in my time, and I am sure I paid for it | | | | doing important things, but in reality are shopping online, |
| somehow) | | | | or planning a wedding or playing fantasy sports. If you |
| #7: No safety net of a regular paycheck. Even if you | | | | zone out in your own business, nothing gets done and |
| do well in your business, most orders do not come in | | | | no money comes in. Simple as that. |
| an orderly, timely manner as your paycheck does. | | | | If you are still charged up to become an entrepreneur |
| Paying bills can be much more of a juggling act when | | | | after reading this list, you may just have what it takes |
| you first start your business, unless you are sitting on a | | | | to succeed. |