Beginning in 2007, the United States job market experienced a high level of sustained unemployment which unfortunately continues even today, six years later.  The lack of being able to find work often stimulates the act of creating work which results in a large number of people starting their own business, or in other words, buying themselves a job.

What often motivates the employee to become the employer, or at least an owner, is the realization there is not a job in the current marketplace that will provide the same income and benefits as their previous employer. Since workers need to continue making a living, they begin to consider all options accessible to them.  The buying a job concept is not wrong as long as the new business owner is able to transition from thinking and acting like an employee, to thinking and acting like a business owner.  I often joke that a new business owner trades in the boss they didn’t like, for a really bad boss, the one that looks back at them in the mirror every morning, themselves.  After a while, the old boss might not look so bad after all.

The following are a few things to consider when buying yourself a job:

Buying a job means taking something you know or want to know and buying into it.  Franchises are often filled with people buying jobs.  They may have been unsuccessful in getting a new job. They have some money to invest so they decide to buy a company or a franchise.  There are many wonderful success stories of people buying into a franchise.  However, it is important to remember a franchise is a business and not a hobby or a job you can easily leave.

Having sufficient capitalization will often make the deciding difference between the success and failure of a new business.  The average business requires 1-2 years of capital, without the owner getting paid or being paid very little, to survive.  Without adequate capital, you essentially starve the business by taking out essential funds required to make it through the tumultuous first few years.

A new business often becomes a family affair with a spouse, children, and perhaps siblings becoming involved in the business as well.  Be aware all the standard opportunities and challenges that come with working with family members apply.  Don’t run from the opportunity.  Be realistic about what you are getting into and the potential challenges you will face.

The opportunity to work alongside your spouse can be greatly rewarding.  Being able to dream, create, deliver and earn a living with your spouse who is hopefully your bestfriend, can be a reality.  You may have the opportunity to travel together, solve problems together, to challenge each other to grow and to replicate the best of your skills and talents in your team members and employees.  Together you can create a family like environment that makes everyone want to come to work.

The benefits of buying a job and becoming an Entrepreneur includes being able to do what you love to do and have the flexibility to do it how and when you want to.  As the owner, you have the ability to leverage your time and money to benefit your family, business, and employees.  It is a joy to lead your team through the creation of your dream. Your journey will include a great deal of learning, growing, and experiencing new opportunities and challenges.

If you have made the choice to buy yourself a job, be the best boss you can be to yourself and others. Build a family environment, enjoy your well-earned benefits and, most of all, embrace the journey.

Leader vs. Manager – Which are YOU?  There are many articles and books written
about both topics.  They focus on how to improve and become the best.  Improving
those skills are at the foundation of becoming a better leader and manager.  Before you begin that journey you must really start at the foundation of the leader and that is YOU.   It is very much like a building, if it doesn’t have a strong foundation – one made of rock and not sand, the building will fail at the first sign of a storm.
If the building isn’t square all other parts of the construction are
harder, and creates more work for those trying to build the remaining
building.  I could even start at the design of the building.  The design needs
to be well thought out, well planned, and then well executed.

If this is true of leadership – which I believe it is, then why do we spend so little time on our own personal growth plan?  John Maxwell highlighted a number of these points in a recent leadership certification program in Florida by introducing
the 15 Laws of Personal Growth.

Let me ask you, if you aren’t growing as an individual will your organization grow?  The first law of Leadership is the law of the lid. Your organization won’t grow past your level of leadership.  I recommend one earlier step – and that is a
personal leadership and growth plan.  One of the first laws of Personal Growth is the law of intentionality.  We must have a plan.  Growth doesn’t happen accidentally.  You must add value to yourself.  After all if you don’t add value to yourself then why should others follow you to the next level?  Here are questions for you to consider:

1. Do you have a plan which involves getting out of
   your comfort zone?
2. Do you have a regular plan of learning (books,
   seminars, DVD’s)?
3. Who are you associating with – do you need new
   friends?
4. What are your interests?
5. What physical activity do you include to keep
   yourself physically fit?

The second law is the law of awareness.  Do you know yourself?  What are your gifts and strengths?  Are you capitalizing on those strengths?  Is building on those strengths in your law of intentionality?   This truly takes time.  It is difficult to look internally.  It isn’t always a pretty picture and one that many don’t want to face.

What are you running from?

This is a continuation of our series on Personal Leadership.  Previously we reviewed the first and second law.

The third law is the Law of the Mirror.  This is your self-image.  This happens after the law of awareness.  It is about being honest with yourself and understanding where your self- image is suffering.  Self image is what you tell yourself when no one is around, when no one is listening.  It is often a very loud voice that screams you screwed up – or you rock!  A strong self image will get you further in life that most anything else.  It will get you through the rough times as you will pick yourself up and keep moving.  It will shout louder than the
negatives around you that say it can’t be done – or you can’t do it.  Work on your self image and make it as strong as you can.  I don’t care who you are, you are unique in a positive way.  You have value.  You can share that value with those around you, so start telling yourself this each and every day!

The fourth law is the law of reflection. Each one of us needs to STOP, pause, and reflect on what we are doing, have done and create a plan of what we need to stop doing and what we need to start doing.

One of my favorite YouTube videos is with Bob Newhart http://youtu.be/Ow0lr63y4Mw Watch this video, it will give you perspective.  The law of reflection is about those I am spending time with and asking the question – who do I need to add to my sphere of influence?  Reflect on the experiences you have.  Experience means nothing unless you reflect on it and learn something.  Wisdom is reflection on experiences.  Without reflection wisdom does not show up. The law of Reflection challenges you to Stop, Pause and Reflect.

Here is what I do.

Each week I reflect back on the prior week.  What is working and what isn’t (this doesn’t take long – maybe 15 minutes).  Each month, I reflect back on the month.   Did I use my time wisely, what changes do I need to make in the coming month.  Each quarter I do the same.  Now on an annual basis as a part of my planning I reflect on the prior year.

Here are questions I ask at each juncture:

1. What activities are producing results?
2. Where am I spending time – where should I stop
   spending time?
3. Where am I disciplined - where do I need to
   improve?