You're The Boss! 

It may be that you have never thought about going it alone, that you are comfortable turning up for work and leaving at the end of the day to go home to your life.

Having been out of the workplace for some time now it may be the ideal time to go for it, particularly if you've cut ties with your previous employer.

It may take some time to set up your business,whether it's providing a service, producing a product or buying a franchise; you may have to save up some capital before you start, but you can certainly start planning.

In this section 'You're The Boss!' you can access information on setting up your own business, being self employed, owning a franchise, working from home.

But first, let's look at some of the benefits to becoming your own boss:

Builds Self-Esteem: If you succeed, you did it because of your decisions and your efforts.
Satisfaction: It is a deeply satisfying to hold the reins of your own enterprise and see it grow!
Work from home: Forget about that daily commute, much of your work could be done from home.
Control: You're in control! You decide which jobs you will pursue and take... no one will assign you tasks, deadlines, etc.
Flexibility: Greater freedom to set your own hours, no more negotiating to leave work to do the school run!
Freedom: You're the boss - what do you want to do today?
Boost your income: Over time your creativity and hard work can reap large rewards.
Tax Advantages: Your car, computer, mobile phone etc may now be legitimate business expenses.

But... If working for yourself had no down side, everyone would be doing it! 

Here are some of the negatives related to being self-employed:

Long Hours: During the start-up period and potentially beyond you may find yourself working longer and harder than ever!
Who's the Boss?: You've traded your boss for dozens or even hundreds of bosses... your customers.
No Regular Salary: It could be feast or famine. Most start-ups rarely achieve profit in the short-term...
No Paid Sick Leave: You'll have to consider paying for insurance to cover those "worst-case" scenarios.
No Paid Holidays: Take off for as long as you like, but can you or your business afford it both in terms of time and money?
Paperwork: Not everyone likes paperwork, but as the owner of a small business, the responsibility for getting it done rests with you.
Responsibility: You'll be held responsible for every failure or shortcoming in your business. Customer complaints almost always end up on your desk.
Motivation: As an employee you may be able to get away with an "off" day, week or perhaps longer! If you're the boss, too many "off" days and you may see your business and livelihood unravelling before you!

If you're still reading, it's safe to say you're at least interested in being your own boss. If this is a long-held aspiration, get all the information and tools you'll need to make this a reality. It won't be the easiest thing you've ever done, but it may be the most exciting thing you've undertaken recently.