Do I want to own a business or own a job?

What's the difference I hear you ask? PLENTY is the answer.

The thought of running your own business can bring a lot of excitement to someone who is bored with their current situation and is looking for a change.

What most people don't realize are the sacrifices that many business owners make on their path to business success. I can assure you that it's not all easy going. Why do you think there is such a high incidence of businesses failing in the first few years of operation?

A business owner who has to be in attendance the whole time for it to continue to operate isn't in fact a business owner at all. They are a job owner.

Likewise, someone who can't take any time off work for a holiday without having to close the whole place down is also a job owner. At least an employee still gets holiday pay when they go away, unlike the business (job) owner. Not to mention all the overheads (eg. rent) that still need to be paid whilst you're away not earning an income.

This has probably been one of the most difficult obstacles for me to overcome in my business, made all that more difficult due to the personal nature of my physiotherapy and clinical pilates business.

Fortunately, by choosing the right people and through careful planning, I can now enjoy not having to go into work on weekends, taking some mornings and afternoons off during the week to spend time with my family, and having a business still operational whilst taking some time off to rest on holiday. I can't emphasise enough the importance of these work and life choices.

So, before you take that plunge into the unknown world of a business owner, ask yourself what you want to be: a business owner or job owner.

FREE event for young entrepreneurs.

I've recently been notified of the following upcoming event for young entrepreneurs. Check out the details below:

GLOBAL EDGE: YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS REVEAL THEIR SECRETS

Want to take your business idea to the world and make millions?

Come and meet Andy Cassell – Manager of Jet, The Vines and Youth Group and co-owner of Ivy League Records, Scott Farquhar, winner of the 2006 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and co-founder of Atlassian, global software company, and Leesa Fogarty one of the founders of the international swimwear label MaraJoara.

Find out how they took their ideas to the global stage and created thriving businesses.

Join us for this FREE event with a twist on Wednesday, 26 September, 2007 from 5.15pm-7pm at the SOUND LOUNGE (Seymour Centre), corner City Road and Cleveland Street, Chippendale.

Hosted by the Department of State and Regional Development. For more info and to register to attend, email: timothy.medway@business.nsw.gov.au