Two Simple Paths to Self-Employment

I think self-employment is going to become increasingly realistic and enticing for more and more people as we drift closer towards a remote-working environment. The COVID pandemic has shown how our jobs, companies and industries can change quickly. What were once secure jobs can suddenly (almost overnight) disappear. We may need to revisit the idea of putting all our eggs in one basket of our employer and consider spreading our income risk.

While it might feel scary to pursue self-employment for various reasons, from confidence to finance issues, it’s really an opportunity to add additional security and safety to your career. Often, people say to me ‘I don’t want to risk everything and go out on my own because it might not work’. I say ‘you’re right! It might not work — so don’t risk everything!’ Start with a side hustle! That way you’ll have two income streams and not one. Plus, if it doesn’t work out for some reason, you can still rely on your full-time job.

The other issue people have is where to start. While there are many ways to start, there are two websites that I really like. One of them is Oberlo where you can sell products after branding them and marketing them yourself, with no need to worry about manufacturing or logistical issues. And the second one is Upwork, where you can sell your skills in the form of services to anyone on the internet.

Finally, just because the platforms exist, it doesn’t mean it’s easy. Working for yourself still requires discipline, dedication and a lot of perseverance.