In the US, a whopping 9.651 million people are self-employed as of April 2021 according to recent figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This is an all time high!
That’s a lot of people who have chosen to start their own small business as well as work as independent sales representatives. This is because they want more control over what they do, where they do it (work from home) and when they do it. These self-employed agents also get to tap into unlimited income, and take advantage of amazing tax benefits! If this sounds like something you might be interested in, then read on as we dive deeper into the benefits of being an independent sales representative or self employed. Throughout the article we will be using PaymentClub’s Merchant Services industry as a base example. (PaymentClub provides merchant services and payment processing solutions to retail, online and mobile businesses across the United States).
This unprecedented boom in self-employed workers, with over nine million people currently running their own business has been mainly attributed to the major paradigm shift that happened with the quarantine. People realized they can be in control of their work environment and hours be becoming self employed. So what could this mean for you? Let’s discuss some of the amazing benefits of working for yourself.
1. WORK FROM HOME – FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
There are many benefits of working from home. You can set your own schedule and work at a time that is most convenient for you, which may lead to less stress on the job as well as lower gas prices! Another benefit of this lifestyle is increased productivity due to decreased distractions in an office environment. You can do what works best for you in terms of scheduling while still having the ability to make money from home or wherever is most convenient- whether that be at local coffee shops or by working on vacation.
Not ready to jump to full freedom, try becoming an independent contractor. Independent contractors work under the terms of a contract and can either have long or short contracts with their clients depending on what they are willing to commit in time towards this role. Under IRS rule, an independent contractor is defined as someone whose work is controlled or directed by the payer; the specifics of how the work is done is secondary. If you’re interested in becoming self-employed but enjoy being able to set your own schedule, then take some time now exploring the idea of working as an independent contractor . Typically these workers sign up for binding agreements which could last anywhere between a few months (short term) – several years (long term).
2. UNLIMITED INCOME
Working as a self-employed person can be extremely liberating and lucrative. You’ll likely earn more in profit, sales and/or commissions than you would from an office job with the same amount of time invested. But, this amount will greatly depend on how much work and effort you put into building your business. One way to find success is reaching out to your community and perfecting every detail on your business that will make all those late nights worth it!
For example, if you partnered with PaymentClub as an independent agent or office, you would be reaching out to your community merchants and building relationships. PaymentClub provides merchant services and payment processing solutions to retail, online and mobile businesses across the United States. As an independent agent or office, you would earn income through bonuses and/or residual income. Building a portfolio of residual income is a very smart way to help balance out your monthly income while maintaining a flexible work schedule.
Speaking of monthly income, let’s talk about budgeting. While it’s easy to get excited about finally being your own boss, inevitably it leads back to the difficult question of how you’re going to take care of things like budgeting, taxes and expenses. Luckily there are a lot of options out there when it comes time for budgeting as an independent contractor.
Here are 6 simple budget tips that will help contribute to your success:
- View your budget as a spending plan
- Be conservative in estimating your monthly earnings
- Separate your business and personal expenses
- Set aside enough money for taxes
- Make savings contributions a fixed expense
- Create a bare bones budget as backup
3. BE YOUR OWN BOSS
Have you ever worked for a company, or sat in a meeting just thinking to yourself; I would do this differently, or even better?! Well, here is your chance to do just that! As a self-employed person, there’s no pressure or micromanagement from a boss; this means that if you don’t like something, just change it! Got a great idea on how to increase sales? You are your own boss and can make decisions on how you want to run your business. Do it!! You get to be creative with how you market yourself and sell products/services.
There is another option: partner with an established business. The world of business is changing rapidly. A number of companies across industries are finding success with a new type of independent sales agent model – one that treats agents like friends, not just numbers on the screen. One such company leading the way in this trend is PaymentClub; they provide an easy-to-use business model that lets you build a residual based portfolio income, as well as provides training and ongoing support to help agents and offices succeed. But it is not just PaymentClub, many companies hire independent sales agents and provide training and ongoing support. By utilizing this system, you will be able to do more than just sell products and services – you’ll also get training about how to successfully market yourself as an independent sales rep!
Being your own boss means there’s no set deadline like many traditional jobs have. All it takes to succeed is dedication and enough hard work (and some luck!). With diligence comes opportunity: It may not happen right away or even within one year; success often requires years of patience before any rewards come knocking at your door…but they WILL eventually show.
4. CHOOSE YOUR INDUSTRY OR NICHE
Being your own boss puts you in charge of what industry or field that interests you. Your co-workers are a diverse group and they give the workplace an exciting feel every day. Imagine getting to meet new people and work in different industries every day. The self-employed life will give you the opportunity to explore all types of people from entrepreneurs, investors, lawyers, marketing professionals and more. Being self employed is having more control over what projects you decide will benefit you most financially and fulfill your job satisfaction needs.
Self employment allows you the freedom to engage with other fields that interest you without leaving your field! You could meet someone who’s interested in something completely outside your specialty while doing yoga or volunteering for charities. You would have the opportunity to share ideas about your specific business while learning about theirs too. This experience can be eye opening how much two worlds overlap with one another!
For example; if you were and independent agent with PaymentClub, you could find a niche. Say you are passionate about food, but not a great chef – you could learn all about payment processing needs specific to restaurants and now it is your business to visit and establish relationships with restaurants in your community!! They say “if you do what you love (or target an industry you love), you will never work a day in your life!” ~ Marc Anthony.
TAKE THE LEAP!
What do you think about working for yourself? Do the pros outweigh the cons in your opinion? Most importantly, before you take the leap, weight out all of these factors. Take into consideration how much work and effort you’re willing to put into building a successful business. The opportunities and income are limitless. While risks are involved with any career change, working for yourself might be the one change that makes all the risks work it! Have any thoughts after reading through this article about becoming self employed? Share them below!
