Who here has their own small business?

[SoCalifornia]

For years, my wife and I have peddled the idea of getting our own business off the ground.  We feel that working for ourselves would be the only way of truly feeling happiness in personal fulfillment and growth. We're both tired of kicking the same can around, up and down the street.  Feel free to insert all of the reasons someone would want to do their passions for a living.

The strength of it comes and goes as life grows and changes, but it's always there. The fact is, I believe we just always hit a road block by not knowing really how to start.  We don't really have ''connections'' and certainly aren't surrounded by like-minded people who drive themselves to be successful.  But, among this forum I find like-minded views- which brings me to this question.At what point did you finally realize the idea and what pushed you to get it off the ground?  Would you mind sharing some of the initial steps you took to get the ball rolling?  Share your story in general?  It would be appreciated more than you could possibly know.

[Remedios]

 @SoCalifornia  I dont have a business and never will, but it's certainly a dream worth chasing 

I just wanted to say good luck whenever you're ready to execute your ideas and turn them into reality! 

[Anonymous]

Owning your own business is really a mixed bag. Be careful of viewing personal fullfillment and growth with rose colored glasses - it changes pretty quickly when you're broke and stalking the mail for checks every day. Also be prepared to work ALL THE TIME. It seriously never ends and is particularly frustrating when the money isn't coming in.

My longterm ex has pretty much always had his own businesses sans a few years that he went to work for someone else after the industry of business #1 went extinct in the early 2000s. This entailed a bankruptcy for him and a few pretty rough years before uprooting his life and moving out of state for a job opportunity.  Later came business #2 which didn't really bring any money in for the first couple of years while we lived on my credit cards. (My BK was primarily due to my own circumstances, but this certainly didn't help matters.)

Generally it worked pretty well with me having a regular job and a paycheck we could count on (and health insurance!) since his income could at times be erratic. I went to work with him for a little over a year, and all was dandy until a client we had on a $6k/month retainer jumped ship. (insert broke mailbox stalking reference from above.) 

I'd highly recommend one of you keep your day jobs until this really gets off the ground.

He probably makes half of what he could make in the workforce, is constantly on payment plans for taxes (hello lack of employer SS/Medicare contributions and payroll withholding) and pays a fortune for crappy health insurance. And never truly has a day off.

Disclaimer aside, he got business #2 off of the ground when we moved to NYC from FL during the last recession. Executive level Marketing jobs were basically nonexistent, so the thought occurred to him to just see if he could get a client or two on his own. It was extremely slow starting out as I mentioned above, but eventually that # of clients grew and he had enough work to make it sustainable.

I think the main thing is simply to take action and to not get too hung up on overanalyzing what that action is. How can you get that first client, make that first sale, ANY step you can take towards what you want to do.

And like the community here, I'd be relatively certain there are similar ones online for entreprenuers. 

[pinkandgrey]

If you have a good plan, and you talk to EVERYONE about it, I think you'll make it. Of course it will be work, but I can't imagine feeling more successful than when you start and maintain a successful business. 

Good luck!!

[SoCalifornia]

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@Remedios wrote:

 @SoCalifornia  I dont have a business and never will, but it's certainly a dream worth chasing 

I just wanted to say good luck whenever you're ready to execute your ideas and turn them into reality! 

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Thanks Remmy.  I've had the same business for 25 years now and I'm frustrated and fed-up that I've never converted it into reality.  I appreciate your vote of confidence!

[SoCalifornia]

@SteelerNYC Definitely a lot of insight.  I'm very thankful.  And yes, in order to get it in motion, we would nurse it from a ''side job'' of sorts.  The idea is to let it grow and once it seems sustainable, clip our cords one at a time.  This has been an idea 20+ years in consideration, not something I've taken lightly.  I realize taking the initial step is the beginning to the journey, but it's often the most difficult. 

And thanks @P&G.  My wheels are turning.