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The Self-Employment Survival Guide: Proven Strategies to Succeed as Your Own Boss
Anyone who opts for self-employment quickly learns that succeeding as your own boss is no walk in the park. While professional freedom has many, many joys, it also involves significant risks. If you’re considering self-employment, or you’re already self-employed, The Self-Employment Survival Proven Strategies to Succeed as Your Own Boss alerts you to the challenges involved and provides proven strategies for surmounting these obstacles and succeeding. You’ll also learn what you need to put in place before taking the leap to being your own boss to help assure your success. Working for yourself offers personal freedoms and rewards, but the road can curve or travel uphill at times. Here, Jeanne Yocum shares eight key behaviors that impede success and provides proven solutions for the various obstacles that might cross your path, including unreasonable client demands, slow payers, unexpected client defections, daily schedules, health and financial planning, and the feelings of isolation that can sometimes accompany working on your own. Unlike many books that provide only a rose-colored view of self-employment, this book gives a full, realistic view of what being your own boss is actually like. By learning about the ups and downs that come with being in charge of your own livelihood, you will be better able to handle the demands of self-employment and succeed on your own terms.
- GenresBusinessNonfiction
215 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 8, 2018
22 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 9, 2021
This book contains plenty of good insight and helpful tips for navigating the difficult world of self-employment. I'm glad I read it. That said, there are a few things that annoyed me:
1. The author spends too much time telling the reader that if you can't hack it, maybe self-employment isn't for you. Since I am several years into my career, this wasn't the least bit helpful to me. I assumed this book was for people like me who are already self-employed and want to survive what they are already doing, as the title implies.
2. Some of the information in the book is outdated. It was published three years ago, but it's clear that the author works with technology and work environments much older than that.
3. The author uses every cliche possible, producing some pretty stale writing. For someone who claims to have been a professional writer since the 80s, it's amazing how poor some of the language is. She writes "I felt badly" when she meant "I felt bad." Even Grammarly knows that is wrong.
Despite these issues, there are enough nuggets of useful information in this book to make it worth reading. I got through the audiobook in about a week. Self-employment, especially freelance writing/editing, can be a lonely, bumpy road. It's good to read about others' experiences and at least know that you're not alone out there and that success is possible with hard work and the proper mindset.
1. The author spends too much time telling the reader that if you can't hack it, maybe self-employment isn't for you. Since I am several years into my career, this wasn't the least bit helpful to me. I assumed this book was for people like me who are already self-employed and want to survive what they are already doing, as the title implies.
2. Some of the information in the book is outdated. It was published three years ago, but it's clear that the author works with technology and work environments much older than that.
3. The author uses every cliche possible, producing some pretty stale writing. For someone who claims to have been a professional writer since the 80s, it's amazing how poor some of the language is. She writes "I felt badly" when she meant "I felt bad." Even Grammarly knows that is wrong.
Despite these issues, there are enough nuggets of useful information in this book to make it worth reading. I got through the audiobook in about a week. Self-employment, especially freelance writing/editing, can be a lonely, bumpy road. It's good to read about others' experiences and at least know that you're not alone out there and that success is possible with hard work and the proper mindset.
January 7, 2020
This was the first book I read about starting a business. I think it was a good choice for a beginner because it wasn't too technical. All the concepts were broad and that made them approachable. I liked the wide variety of topics. Very easy read.
I did find the book to be a touch too heavy on the "what" and "why" and light on the "how" for my taste. The book is full of Coping Strategies to deal with many of the perils the author identifies but somehow none of them really felt... concrete. That is to say, she identifies WHAT your strategy should be and WHY it's important but does not give many examples of how to implement that strategy if the business you have in mind isn't similar to hers (public relations). As a person more interested in a production business I sometimes struggled to make advice applicable.
I would recommend the book and do have more confidence in my desire to start and run my own business, but I will also be looking for something a little more nitty-gritty about the actual process of starting a business.
I did find the book to be a touch too heavy on the "what" and "why" and light on the "how" for my taste. The book is full of Coping Strategies to deal with many of the perils the author identifies but somehow none of them really felt... concrete. That is to say, she identifies WHAT your strategy should be and WHY it's important but does not give many examples of how to implement that strategy if the business you have in mind isn't similar to hers (public relations). As a person more interested in a production business I sometimes struggled to make advice applicable.
I would recommend the book and do have more confidence in my desire to start and run my own business, but I will also be looking for something a little more nitty-gritty about the actual process of starting a business.
May 14, 2018
It’s a good book, but also a beginner’s book. The author has the perfect tone for discussing things that could make you feel stressed out, but she’s encouraging and soothing.
This book is really just a high level introduction to issues one needs to think about in depth before starting their own business. Much of it is common sense.
It’s great that she has 3-4 other professionals chime in, but since the chapters are so short, maybe they should also have received writers’ credits.
This book is really just a high level introduction to issues one needs to think about in depth before starting their own business. Much of it is common sense.
It’s great that she has 3-4 other professionals chime in, but since the chapters are so short, maybe they should also have received writers’ credits.
December 25, 2019
Practical book about soloprenuership. Honest, well organized yet warm and encouraging. No action plan... which I appreciate. I know what needs to be done. The gentle reminder was most welcomed and all I need!
Read
November 12, 2020Practical book about solopreneurship. Honest, well organized yet warm and encouraging. No action plan...which I appreciate. I know what needs to be done. The gentle reminder was most welcomed and all I need!
February 9, 2019
Really quick to read, for me it was truly useful except for the taxes and retirement parts - which only apply to Americans.
May 12, 2019
Will not read it again! Instead of giving insides succeed in the self-employment path, it gives you all the time things not to do or how self- employment might not be for you.
January 7, 2020
I liked this book, the writer has a good voice and good examples, but I wish she had a chapter on marketing/sales
September 13, 2021
Definitely more for service-based Remote and Business San for products/goods Bass business. But I still really enjoyed the book, shared great reminders and encouragement
Want to read
May 28, 2018haven't finished, returned to library, pretty good, Nicole and Brandi might like it.
Read
May 11, 2019"Be willing to listen. If a client wants to veer a conversation off into an area totally unrelated to your work, listen. You may be one of the few unbiased people in your client's business life, and sometimes people just need to vent or sometimes they truly are looking for a second opinion. Whatever the case, be there for your clients" (48).
"I know it can be hard to walk away from a paying client, but sometimes it truly is the wisest choice. Perhaps the worst thing that can happen when you continue to work for people who don't respect you and your skills is that you can begin to doubt your own abilities and your own right to set reasonable boundaries. Don't risk becoming a doormat for anyone--this can ruin your self-confidence and your ability to negotiate the types of deals you really deserve" (63).
"I know it can be hard to walk away from a paying client, but sometimes it truly is the wisest choice. Perhaps the worst thing that can happen when you continue to work for people who don't respect you and your skills is that you can begin to doubt your own abilities and your own right to set reasonable boundaries. Don't risk becoming a doormat for anyone--this can ruin your self-confidence and your ability to negotiate the types of deals you really deserve" (63).
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews