Working for the man
Posted by Ian Holsman
So recently I have been thinking alot about my career, and what I am doing with my life.
About 2 years ago I (well my wife +I) made a decision to focus more on quality of life than quality of a job, and we left San Francisco to return home to Australia after being there for 6 years.
So recent events have been brought the question back up again, but this time It is slightly different.
Why should I work for someone else?
Why don’t I set up a shingle and go into business for my self, as Marc Fluery said become a ‘professional’ open sourcer.
So what is stopping me?
well.. there is a certain comfort of getting a regular paycheck and the lifestyle one gets from that (house & school payments won’t take stock instead of cash ;()
So.. how do you ‘professionals’ do it?
Do you just have a large buffer, or significant other with a ‘real’ job to tide you through until you flip/get clients?
Or am I just too scared of failure?
Is the answer to just take a deep breath, write a plan, and just Do It?
If I were 20 again with no dependants It would be a different story.. people with nothing to lose have everything to gain.
That’s a good question and I’m surprised none of the independants replied yet.
I guess it depends on 2 fundamental things:
1) initial business network 2) ease to get business contracts in your place
For 2), in France, as there is no such ‘small business act’ it is more difficult to be an independant or a small company (entrepreneurship issues, etc..). If you want to get into major contracts : public or private sector, You always have to get through one of the major IT to find something.
It is convenient for both ends. The IT company is actually able to fill the job position and satisfy the customer quickly and does not have to hire. The independant gets a sales person looking for customers. You pay 10-30%.
That is you are in the exact position with the IT that the IT is with the customer.
It may sound flexible but as you can see it does not really encourage entrepreneurship.
But there is also a small market with companies that are tired with biggies and that want only to deal with very small shops.