Pros & Cons: Starting Your Own Business

I knew starting my own business would most likely be stressful and time consuming. Being the only worker AND owner gives me, not only a full plate, but two filled plates with a desert platter in tow. I may not have to wake up at 6 a.m. and wear work appropriate clothes, but the pressure most people stop feeling when they leave work never completely leaves me.

So far the pros & cons of starting your own business:
I'm starting with cons first because I like to end on a good note!

Cons

• I am constantly running around. When something needs to be done I can't contract out to someone else or ask my employee to handle it--it's my baby and I have to take care of it on my own. If multiple problems arise at once then I have to make a priorities list and work my way through the muddle.
• Time management is a tricky one with my specific business. I am knee-deep in social media sites all day and into the night plus creating/editing client websites. I can't just work an 8-5 and be done with it. Social media and the people who love it don't go to sleep after 5 so either do I. I have been on my computer so much that I start to get headaches from staring at the screen. The more clients I have, the more time consuming it becomes and if I don't manage my time correctly I end up hurting myself rather than helping the clients to the full of my potential. 
• Second opinions are hard to come by when it's only little ole me working. In college and my jobs since I have had another pair of eyes and ears to be able to bounce ideas off of when I hit the occasional brain freeze and innovative rut. Now, I have to just walk away for a bit then come back and use myself as the second opinion. (Not to say my first opinion is always crappy!)
• I don't need to really spell out the fact that I pay for everything I need to use. It's not exactly a con more like a necessary evil.

Pros

• It's my baby. All the cons in the world can't take that one glorious fact away from me. At the beginning and end of the day, all the work I've done is the work I love and the work I decided to make into a career. No one is above me, dictating the direction to go in. It's just me, working my butt off to succeed. When I hear friends and families complain about not liking their jobs, I know that even if I have a few cons to rant about that underneath it all I am in love with my business. 

I suppose this is a bit unbalanced but, even as I was sitting here trying to think of more pros and more cons, I am confident I made the correct choice in saying "Screw you job market!" and pursuing something I love. 

For all of those business owners out there, let me take a moment to pat you on the back! You've realized a need in society and are answering it in your own way. Keeping kicking ass!

(Note: The next post will be about my personal workday schedule of MADNESS!)

Shouldn't I have a real job by now?!

My name is Tyler Anne Snell and I'm starting my own business.
Let me begin by telling you that it is one of the scariest decisions I've made and it definitely was not the first either.

Starting my own business was actually my back-up plan. Kind of backwards, huh? I graduated and was certain I'd have a job in no time. I'd like to say that this was my confidence talking and not the state of the job market.

Let my break down my experience during the months after graduation:
Month 1
No call backs.
I wasn't phased, instead I was almost pleased as I lived in my apartment while my lease ran out, hanging out with my college friends who were taking summer courses.
Month 2
No call backs, but I was applying for two to three jobs a day.
Unexpected (mostly) free trip to New York, where I decided that I like greenery and front and backyards so I began to search for jobs in places where those were attainable features.
Stress Level: Definitely rising.
Month 3
One call back...that didn't work out.
Stress Level: Very frustrated--doubting self.
Month 4
Job offer, but the pay wasn't enough to allow me to move TO the job.
Stress Level: Oh. My. Gosh. Freaking out. Looking for jobs online in my spare time (which was a lot considering I was JOBLESS) and thinking about my life as a failure as I feel asleep each night. I just wanted to burst into companies' offices and yell "I'm awesome! You need me!"
End of Month 4
Then something wonderful happened--I met a woman who said I had drive and the skills to make my own business and to do it well. She even went as far to become my first client.
I am currently her social media consultant where I create and maintain her online presence while connecting her to a larger social network. And, let me tell you--I love it. Since then my clientele has boomed.

So, taking my prior experiences, I decided to make this idea into a business.
My two biggest inspirations?
Crazy Love Studios' owners Chelsea and Travis are a duo of creative genius who in the past year became a trio with a cute little baby girl. They started their wonderful business and are amazing at it. They went for gold and are doing great. Check them out!
Then there's Tara Hunt, a marketing genius that when asked for her resume just says "Google me." She started out small and now is a powerhouse in the industry.
With these people to look up to and a passion for people and social media, I will be starting my own business and blogging updates about the ups and (hopefully few) downs!