Running your own business

19 March 2023 · Filed in Contractor

I was asked this week about running a business.

Amazing picture

The three business hats

Contractor or Entrepreneur

Michael Gerber in E-myth says we all have an Entrepreneur inside us, and one day it will grow strong enough, sometimes very briefly, for us to notice it.

To run a business though, you need three roles. There are:

  • The Technician: Knows how to get stuff done, deliver the product or service. Probably what you are doing now.
  • The Manager: Planning, reporting, keeping things on an even keel. Stability, like a rock.
  • The Entrepreneur: The natural leader, the ideas floweth forth, the shining light.

As a contractor do you need these three. No, not quite. You might recognise the Technician easily enough. When planning work, you’ll recognise the Manager, and when that crazy idea for a side project pops into your head, that’s the Entrepreneur speaking.

Perhaps you are not that creative, that’s okay. Be part of a team that has creative ideas around you.

Perhaps you are not that great at managing timescales and projects, again, being part of a team can help there too.

What is the answer?

If you thought contracting was a solo activity, think again. I work with great people every day, they are part of my team. As a contractor, I am not alone. We deliver great results to the customer as part of a team.

This might not be your perception of contracting. I know I felt that contracting was finding a contract, delivering the outcomes and getting paid, a one man army. That does exist, but only a few of us want or even like that way of working.

Consultancy

Delivering outstanding solutions is even better as a team effort. You can focus on what you do best. That might lead to you enjoying the work more, as you don’t get bogged down in stuff you do not like doing.

Contracting doesn’t have to be lonely, let me show you how you can share the hats with a team, and still be a contractor.

Come ask me and the community questions. You can find me on Slack.

If you found this useful, subscribe to updates and look out for my YouTube channel content.

Previous Post: Leaping into IT contracting Next Post: Reporting and Compliance Tags: developer · devops

Recent Posts