Cautionary Words About Entrepreneurship/Freelancing

Warning: This is a long post but it defines my feelings on where we’re at, so the length is necessary in my mind. I hope that you agree.

I am really sad because one of my best friends is in despair. She’s a smart, strong, and well-educated woman who has a lot of wisdom to offer the world after the hardships that she’s lived through. But she can’t get a break, and keeps having to compromise for the sake of her family. She does it with all of her heart, but I see bits of her die each time she has to do this. She can’t even concentrate on following her dreams, because it’s not “the responsible thing to do”. How did responsibility become the new societal mantra? It’s not for us to decide about an individual’s responsible behavior, unless it diminishes the safety of another human being or this world as a whole. Then it’s our obligation to call out someone’s irresponsible actions. Much of humanity is struggling at the moment, and I can only hope that she draws on her inner strength to get through this latest trial in her life.

She leads me to write a word of caution to those who are thinking of becoming entrepreneurs and freelancers. I don’t profess to know everything. I just know what has worked for me. And I’ve also read a lot of literature on the subject so that I’m better informed about my personal decisions. Well, as a freelancer and aspiring entrepreneur, I’m here to tell you that it’s heart-breaking work. It can literally tear you apart from the inside if you’re not prepared for this ride. Think of the most frightening roller coaster ride and then multiply that fear exponentially. It’ll come close to what all of this feels like. Add in feelings of guilt if you’re spouse is stuck supporting you, and the whole thing becomes unbearable most of the times. Yet still I persevere, because this is my calling.

Our business world is not geared for people who want to be independent. Everything is geared to make you need capitalism, much like your cravings from an addiction. We are all addicted to the ease with which work and money comes to us through our current system. Put out your resume, join agencies, shine in interviews, then work your fingers to the bone to ensure your longevity. Satisfy yourself with continued loss of opportunity and pay. Rinse and repeat in perpetuity with little thought required. I’ve spent too many years following that same path, until now. I didn’t get what I was after, but I did get a lot of things that I didn’t want.

Big Business and Big Money have made it so that any fledgling efforts of individuality must be stopped through whatever insurmountable obstacles they can erect. Even new operations like Solvate, of which I’m part of their freelancers network (like a gun for hire in those old frontier days), are working hard to convince an intransigent corporate world to give this new wave of specialists a chance to succeed. But it seems like Big Business refuses to give up their control. They really don’t understand the lost opportunities, when they refuse to see outside of the box and force another freelancer back into the “work force”.

Note about my dream: It doesn’t have to stay this way if enough of us go out there and build a worldwide community that lends one another a helping hand. We need to recognize that there is so much wasted talent, because others refuse to see their genius. We need to cultivate that talent, so that it incubates new ideas that start pushing the envelope of our societal norm. Nothing that is the norm now deserves to hold that position any longer. They’ve had their time, and it’s time for a new generation of ideas to propagate society away from greed. It won’t be about getting rich quick, but it will be about collaboration on a world-wide scale so that the windows to the world open up in every community. I firmly believe that a lot of our problems can disappear if people just get the opportunity to succeed at their craft.

Angel investors are not all that prevalent. And those that are can’t possibly entertain all of the amazing opportunities that are out there. Big Money and Big Business will only bet on you if you’re a sure thing. There are articles abound that illiterate on the virtues of finding investors. But I would caution you to first talk with any potential investors to make sure that you are both on the same path. Because there are a lot of people who just want to steal your ideas and make the profit themselves. It’s not right, but it’s not illegal (hopefully that will someday change).

But before you even look for investors, look at your plan (business and otherwise) and review the details. Make sure that it lays the groundwork to your vision in the finest of details. Then review it again and see if this vision is something that you’re willing to give everything up for. All of those other successful entrepreneurs did give up everything to reach their dreams. It didn’t happen overnight. Their lives are not easy. There is no successful business solution. Any expert that tells you there is, well, they’re also betting on winning the lottery some day. It’s a game of chance, and it’s one where you have to be prepared for the unexpected.

Most days, you are just hoping that someone will notice you. You have to create an awe-inspiring campaign just to get some attention. But there are a lot of hungry minds out there that want to see change. They’ve got to, because this society can’t be the one that we all want live in together forever. We humans are fickle, so we flow and ebb like a tide of humanity that beckons just out of the reach of the dreamers. This is the fence that entrepreneurs straddle while they pursue their vision.

I am taking my first steps to trying to force a change in our society, because we’re only hurting one another now. I want more than that for all of those talents minds who also want to change status quo, and who have something beautiful to offer. Anyone want to join me?

Here’s a previous article I wrote about entrepreneurs. I hope that it helps.