What has been the biggest influence?

[10 Yetis]

All,

Wow... the forum is packed at the moment, and I am trying to put together a few media stories to get membership even higher.

Can you let me know what you would say has been the one most influential thing that made you start your own business (ok... I will let you say two things).

No long rambles, just short-sharp-interesting answers.... obviously, the better the quote you give the more chance you have of getting your company a namecheck in the press release!

[RockLinks]

It has to be the challenge for me!

[gary]

I would say the main reason for me is the excitement and rewards of striving to be my own success, followed by an intense dislike of 9-5-ism! ;)

[Jodimyatt]

Getting assaulted and set on fire was the reason I started my own business, researching and developed a better form of CCTV as the pictures where not good enough to prosecute the people who did it.
So I guess deterimation not to let something like that drag me down.
T
he 8 weeks in hospital unable to move also allowed me to plan what I wanted to do.

[coxadmin]

I am a stay at home mum who was thinking about starting a business. My dad knew that and asked me to quote for a job - I got the job and the business was born.

:D

[annethedonn]

I hate working for other people for little or no thanks!

[RockLinks]

Getting assaulted and set on fire was the reason I started my own business, researching and developed a better form of CCTV as the pictures where not good enough to prosecute the people who did it.
So I guess deterimation not to let something like that drag me down.
T
he 8 weeks in hospital unable to move also allowed me to plan what I wanted to do.

Yowsa! :D

[Desmond Brambley]

Two things really -

1) I was fed up with doing all the work for someone who then took most of the cash and all of the kudos

2) I love the flexiblity of the work and my workday options

[Ozzy]

When I first decided to start my own business I left a well paid senior job, but had got as far as I could get in that company. I just wanted to be my own boss and "get rich quick".
At the time I was very nieve and thought it would be so easy and I'd be rich - that was a steap learning curve!

I started my second company, Quick (http://www.quickformations.com), with a whole host of different reasons. One was the same as before, and that is I wanted to be my own boss, but a new more important reason was that I wanted to be around my 6 month old daughter as she was growing up. I missed the first 6 months of her life because she was asleep when I left for work in the morning, and asleep in bed when I got him - at the weekends she didn't even recognise me or want to be comforted by me.
Now she is almost 3 she is a right Daddy's Girl and I have a great relationship with her. I feel honoured to have the sort of closs relationship with my child that many working parents miss out on.

Work is important because we all have bills to pay, and providing a roof over my families head and food on the table is what motivates me. I want the best for my family, but above all else being with my family (and second child a few weeks away) is what is important to me and what motivates me to make a success of my business.

[philjeffs]

The main reason was to be in control of my life, rather than have someone control it for me!

Phil

[emma, 27]

Doing something I enjoy and being my own boss

[SillyJokes]

Money was my first influence. I only wanted to earn a few quid a week by selling the odd fart machine but ended up with a business which turns over hundreds of thousands because winning was my second influence.

I like to succeed. It's addictive.

[bikersbits]

Seeing a hole in the market that just needed to be filled plus the opportunity to turn a hobby and passion into a proper paying job.
just awesome!
Roberta
www.bikersbits.com

[UKRobin]

As a disabled person that has struggled greatly to get satisfying and meaningful employment the single one factor has to be ‘Pride’ in building a business where companies large and small respect and trust your judgments with the second factor being ‘Satisfaction’ when those companies now thank you by recommending you to others.

Robin

[Kay]

I like the freedom to live where I want (in a hut). Work when I want (I'm fairly nocturnal). Wear what I want (not much). And take time off when I feel like it. Money isn't important as long as there's enough to pay the bills. Freedom, creativity, and autonomy are important.

[Webstuff]

I simply don't believe other people can be trusted to behave sensibly with their own money B)

To be honest though, I simply like managing business, and seeing people pleased with various services I have offered. Its all about delivering a better service than people would usually expect, for me.

[Pilfo]

The success of taking my very own invention right through from conception to where it is now, all by myself.

I also enjoy the challenge of managing the company and all that goes with it.

[ian69]

Sheer disgust at some of my bosses made me vow never to work for anyone again. As well as their individual failings (and we all have those), collective incompetence or new technologies can make thousands unemployed at the stroke of a pen, the good, the bad, the dedicated and the lazy. I'd rather stand or fall by myself.

[Johill]

This business is my bid for freedom from a 9-5 regime!

The creative control and challenge of running a small business gives me a real buzz. Also the experience of starting up a business has taught me more than all my education put together.

Jo

[FICBA]

I always wanted to be my own boss, and since moving to a new area and finding a hole in the market - it seemed the right step to take.

[lisastorey]

To reasons really..

A. To work hard for my benefit rather than for some faceless shareholders who have far too much money already

B. To enable me to spend more time with my son.

(in no particular order !!!)

[ian69]

This business is my bid for freedom from a 9-5 regime!

Jo

Hahaha. So you'd rather work 6 - 6?

[Ozzy]

So you are only a part timer then Ian69 ;)

It never ceases to amaze me when people assume that as you work for yourself you must have an "easy life", or those who want to start their own business to "have more free time". These may be true after a few years of hard work, but in the early days you find yourself working harder than you have ever worked in your life :)

[bikersbits]

free time? easy life? Am I missing something? what are they?
Richard, you are so right, I wrote them off for the next few years, just hope it's not too many years...
Still, although it's not an easy life at least is a much nicer one
Roberta

[ian69]

Actually our shop is open 6am to 7pm, then there's restocking etc. I just wanted to be nice :)

Plus we're opening another shop in the summer. I must be bloody mad. Although really it's just a defensive move to occupy the (currently) only vacant shopfront in the village. Last thing I need is any competition.

[KGP]

well i am saying the same stuff all the time:

my biggest influence is that nothing remains constant.... which is also my biggest drawback

[TargetTesting]

I only wanted to earn a few quid a week by selling the odd fart machine

You'll never know how much that made me laugh :lol:

I started so that I could be more in control of my future and to build something worthwhile

Regards
Bill

[kyber]

What's odd about a fart machine?

[Jose]

It had to be the realisation that I have only 28 years to go before I retire, and there is no way on earth that the present job would cater for my extravagant lifestyle.

Plus I wanted to improve my golf handicap by spending more time at the club, sadly as you know this is a paradox.

Jose

[smirch]

one of my influences was to get away from sitting in front of a PC 9-5 coding and doing web stuff ....

hmmm ... now i seem to be doing it 9am - 9pm

doh :roll:

[Liz_Biz]

Starting my own business began with the ending of a long, pointless work day for a company in which I was merely another number. I had enough and I wanted more!

[redjim]

By accident really.

I wanted a 'paying' hobby. I set up as a self employed sub-contractor but all my work was between 1 - 2 hours commute; which swallowed the pay up.Set up intending to work weekends and it took off from there.

My previous job was well paid but I was hamstrung by not having a degree and the pay structure reflected that so the chance to do my own thing was temptation enough

[sparklyscotty]

I don't like working for other people. I amn't a good team player :(
I also wanted to work from home, and on my own hours.

[kyber]

My wife runs her own business because she hates working in typical corporate or office environments (she has worked for Scottish Widows, the Inland Revenue, and in a fancy fabric store in the past) and she also likes being able to work from home being around for our kids.

I don't (own and run my own business) now because I get bored very very easily and enjoy the challenge and variety I get in the large corporate world especially as a consultant so I work as a wage slave but invest in small companies (being a Director needs special arrangements with my employer - the alternative approaches are fun though) and help them out. Especially my wife's of course.

It is worth noting that I admire tremendously the people in the companies I have invested in (some are on this forum) and the many members of this forum who have the determination to work so hard to build their own businesses. I like getting them off the ground, but prefer to get someone else to run them. I have made mistakes in the past and been badly hurt a couple of times. This forum is brilliant because it helps so many avoid mistakes or at least work their way out of them with the minimum of pain.

Stuart

[Jose]

Stuart,

We are currently looking for a sponsor. I hope that you play golf, badly like most of us!!

Have a look at our website, register and try....

Give me a shout if you are interested

Jose :?:

[Fab1]

Hi Andy

These 2 things for me were:

1- The people I use to work for made me redundant.
2- I believe I can do better than them.

Regards

Fred

[maddyminx]

Despite the challenges of bringing up my 2 children for several years, I missed the spontaneity of being in the workplace but couldn't bear the thought of trying to rebuild my career working for someone else! (worked in recruitment for 7 years before becoming a mum!).

The other reason is that I've got a lazy hubby who needs a good kick up the backside :shock: - seriously though, I've given myself a challenge and im determined to suceed!

Maddy

x

[micsampip]

:D I want more control, freedom, money and excitement. I also want the satisfaction of setting something up and seeing it grow and develop. :D

[free0870numbers.co.uk]

Why make someone else rich, when you can have a go doing it for yourself. - Snappy enough?

[WordDoc]

>>>Can you let me know what you would say has been the one most influential thing that made you start your own business (ok... I will let you say two things). <<<

My bonkers Border Collie! If I worked away from home he'd eat my house...Really.

Also, office politics. Could never get my head around the whining and griping.

Cheers

Tracey

[Rigs]

Just got extremely tired of working for someone else... you work long for somebody else to reap the benefits. You get your wage and that's pretty much it!

[Desmond Brambley]

"Also, office politics. Could never get my head around the whining and griping."

A major factor in my decision too. Most of the time, when I worked in offices, it felt like I was back in the junior school playground. So many whining, back biting, conceited, two-faced 'sholes that it ruined any hope of building a decent team.

[Whistle Ink]

I wanted to gain control of my life and future and not limit my potential to a small payrise or limited promotion.

[top-click]

I feel claustrophobic working for other people - I need to be in charge of my own destiny - simple!

[Amber]

Well, I'd always wanted to work for myself because I'm just not cut out for "normal" work: I hate the petty rules, the office politics, the inflexibility, the fact that no matter how hard you work, your employer is still the person who benefits most... I could go on :)

That said, I would probably never have gotten round to doing anything about it, until my fiance was suddenly diagnosed with kidney failure on boxing day 2003. That was something of a wake up call for us: corny I know, but it really made us realise that life is just too short to be unhappy for eight hours a day, so we started up on our own, and now live in mortal fear of ever having to go back :-)

[fastfences]

Hi,
The challenge to reap the benefits of my own exertion!

Of course there is a certain amount of pride and financial reward to be considered also.

[Shaggy]

To be frank, I knew I could do it, and it was about time I could set my own wage and not be limited to what someone thought I was worth!!

[Handyhero]

In reply, I started working for myself because working for someone else was killing me. I work just as long and hard now, but I'm a very reasonable boss and if I need to, I can speak frankly to myself without fear of losing my livelihood!

Reza Van Sanden

[jon-at-skai]

I didn't start this business, but I have joined this small firm called SKAI which has enjoyed 5 years of steady business through referrals.
I know that the reason they started the company in 1999 was simple: They knew - with complete conviction - that they could achieve more and help their clients to achieve more without being shackled to a large overarching beaurocratic multi-national organisation.
The freedom to operate to your own values and respond more quickly to client demands led to the business being created.

[ebonybailey]

Two things for me:

1. I was sick of being paid badly for a job I did so well. So I thought If I can do it for them, what's to stop me doing it for myself. And do you know what was stopping me?
Absolutely Nothing.

2. EB Marketing stands for Ebony & Bailey. Ebony Being my Daughter & Bailey being my son. No bigger motivator, and a legacy to boot!

[bitsnstuff]

It has to be my sanity!

I am the type to have constant plans and schemes on the go, before one has finished, then next has been researched and ready to go. I can't seem to chill out and think of nothing - more's the pity.

When I became a housewife and mother in very quick succession and couldn't go back to my old job for practical reasons, I needed something to fill up those spare minutes :lol: when my little daughter was napping and occupied.

Proving a bitter harder to achieve than I first thought, but I couldn't simply sit around and watch telly tubbies, so now I do both and am loving it.

[mumper]

The main reasons for me was to have the choice of standing or falling by my own decisions and judgements, and dictating my own working hours.

[simonread]

Feeling that I can do it better!

[10 Yetis]

Just wanted to get this back on the agenda (or near the front of the posts) as I am hoping to get the release written on the back of it...

All you newbies... post on!

And don't forget, the more interesting the quote the more chance your business has of getting a namecheck in the press release. :D

[Cornish Steve]

All you newbies... post on!

1) To have more control over my own professional destiny.

2) To define the set of core values my company lives by.

[chris1317]

The main reason was to earn a bit of spare cash to supliment working as all of that cash goes on the bills.

It nice to know than any money that you make above what you put out on the business (why did i not just say proffit) is yours to spend as you like.

It also gives you a sense of being on the up and up because before I would just work for an employer earning X ammount per month every month (no matter how hard you work) but now earning potential is only limitred by the effort put in.

Chris.

[c2webdesign]

For me it was quite a few reasons but as I'm limited to two - here goes:

- To be the one in control of my own destiny and life (scary for some, essential for others)

- The buzz and excitment. It may be stressful, but it is so rewarding.


Dean
C2 Web Design
http://www.c2webdesign.co.uk

Web Design | Online Marketing | Search Engine Optimisation

[10 Yetis]

I know I keep harping on... but come on... there must be more people out there...

Could really do with 100+ replies.

You know you want to! :D

[MinuWeb]

In 1998 I moved abroad, could not get a job as I couldn't speak the language so started my own business online .

So really I was more forced into it out of necessity that anything else, but I wouldn't change it :D

[webit]

I did this because:

I spent many years building B2B/B2C sites for ‘Blue Chips’ and I know I can do it better on my own because I can move faster and react quicker to peoples needs.

I have vision and know what I need to achieve and why should anyone benefit from my ideas for the price of my wage.

I’ve always been in senior positions in companies and the time was right to stand on my own feet and test my ideas without having to justify them

[Julie]

Apart from the fact that I have done this for over 20 years and think I am now completely unemployable... Why did I start? Because I like to have control over how things are done and running my own business is the best way to achieve that.

Although I wish I'd been quicker to realise that it's a rare person who has all the skills needed to run a business. I was slow to work out which skills I'm missing and to find people to fill those gaps.... now that I have, it's a revelation!

[Twokids]

Good thread this!

I started after years in the IT industry – firstly as a technician, then for the last ten years in sales for a large global software company.

Commission sales represented 50% of my salary – that 50% was paid when I reached 100% of my target – fair enough.

So my target was $5million – I reached 120% - got paid commission plus an extra 20% - fair enough.

Next year my target was $6.5 million – did 113% - fair enough

Next year $8million then $9million then $12.5million. – each year I overachieved so I was (relatively) happy.

Then I thought – hang on – I have increased sales by over 300% in five years and yet my salary is ( roughly ) the same as when I started – So my company is getting an extra $7millon a year from me that they did not have before an I am getting….. er nothing more.

That was it! I decided I had enough sweating to pay my bosses ( and hundreds of others who were overlay at best, and inconsequential at worst) and my companies shareholders and subsidising their Ferraris.

Time to go it alone and I have never looked back!

[10 Yetis]

Any more for any more... ahh, go on!

[Jayne]

Hi,

I use to work as a laboratory assistant in a chemical works. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't move up the ladder, wrong sex you see. I left there after a large chemical explosion (few killed) I was frightened it would happen again. Then moved on to a sign company, the same there! Work places are still not equal! Therefore, I decided I didn't want a boss again and started a business with my husband. Still got a boss, called Tony Blair :lol: takes a big cut of my profits, but a least nobody puts me down anymore.

Jayne

[Jayne]

Hi again,

I asked my husband why he wanted to be in business, to give you another view. He said that he didn't want to work for any more ****holes, the rest of his comments I don't think I can write, his lanuage was quite colourful. He didn't like his last boss he was trying to say. He said that he wanted to do beter in life and he wanted to do it himself, then he had no one else to thank. (that's the nice version anyway!)

Best Wishes

Jayne

[10 Yetis]

Any more for any more.... there must be a few lurkers wanting to post?

[yousaint]

Hello,

I started my business as a project. I wanted to use all of the various subjects that I learned at business school, that I couldn't really use in one ordinary job.

I get a real sense of pride about having my own business, especially when I ask "...and do you offer a trade discount?"

[StoneLink]

"The pain of years, working for someone else, living and creating their destiny."

Nicholas A. Tsiougos
StoneLink Coaching
www.stonelinkcoaching.com
"every step of the way"

[cynicaldoctor]

Realising 3 facts about my life.
1. I cannot imagine working as a doctor in the NHS till the age of 65.
2. My job does not challenge me any more as it used to do.
3. Accepting the fact that maybe I went down the "wrong" path a long time ago and it is never too late to make ammends.

[APRogers]

Having suffered something like ten rounds of redundancies in various companies, several buy-outs, mergers, splits and sales, and finally getting caught by redundancy (three weeks before Christmas) I wanted some insurance.

I've always hankered after being my own boss too!

[mjmartin]

My boss left me in the lurch when he decided to retire. I had to set up a company as a matter of nessecity. So in short, earning a living.

[10 Yetis]

With all the new Newbies, there must be more to be posted?
Getting closer to the magic 100 number!

[UKRobin]

After setting out to work for myself, I was given some advice by a great friend and that was simply ‘Don’t consider what you know and what you can do as important, consider what you don’t know, what you should know and what you should be doing’

A great piece of advice I always try to stick too.

[crus]

Sales job,

everytime I got a sale, by the end could close in 30 secs against a target of 3.5 mins, I had a ping pong gun and shot it against my head. It was a dark time where my sanity was breached.

D

[UKRobin]

Good job you didn't also own a real gun, Confusion could be lethal lol

[10 Yetis]

it is good that that this thread has come back to life as we really need as many posts as possible to make the data more robust for the media release.

The forum has grown in size so much since this thread was started that there must be loads of new people who have not contributed to this... so come on, as Delia would say:

"lets be 'aving you"

:)

[Ruthierhyme]

Reasons..... :D

When you have the opportunity to turn a dream into a reality and for a while have the cash to kickstart it's success what other reward is there than seeing darn hardwork come to fruition?

Plus..... only you can give up on yourself :D... no boss lurking in the background ready to condem!!

[Admiral Collections]

The challenge on a day to day basis.


Nic :wink:

[Greig]

I started my business in an area I have always loved but never really liked working for someone else doing it working shiftwork. And to be honest to earn more then just being an employee.

[Hayles]

I was looking to buy a catering trailer for our buffets.... looked at them in the morning but found out our pub that we used to work in was up for sale that afternoon and by the evening had bought a pub instead of a trailer - reason for starting the business...? Does much warmer count?! :D

[UKRobin]

nicthechick

Please let me know what area you work in, I think I fancy going into debt. :lol:

[gordonthegofor]

Being a depressive I needed the pressure of knowing that if I did not do this job there may not be any more

[Jayne]

I've posted this here too, as per Andy's request..i'm not double posting on purpose :D

Hi,

With the bakery, I was talked into it by my husband who is a qualified baker. I had started my own art business and had to give it up, because the bakery shop was like a 24 hr business. I was only going to do the books to start with, but ended up learning the whole lot and working full time and then some. Food never interested me at all, but seemed like a good way of making money. It doesn't rock my boat though.

My next biz I started because of the bakery too in a way. The estate agents were taking too long selling it and sending us loads of time wasters, so I bought a computer, learned how to use the internet and started selling it myself. Which I really enjoyed, so I had my own site built to help others.

My new biz, well that's just for the pure love of painting. I'd rather do that, than anything else.

Jayne

[Peter Jolley]

I used to be an operational fire fighter and did not like the down side attending fires and road traffic accidents.

So transfered into fire safety, which worked well for a few years until I relised that I could still do the job I love (preventing fires / redcuing risks) without the politics (I am sure you know what I mean by this).

So at the begging of last year after a few years research, here I am, no politics and doing the job I love.

Pete.

[coxadmin]

I've posted this here too, as per Andy's request..i'm not double posting on purpose :D

Same here!

For me it was a combination of things.

Throughout my working life I have always been happiest working in administration - a long spell (more than six years) in a call centre in the 1990s really cemented that feeling.

I also felt that I was forever being overlooked for promotion despite my strong computer skills. My sister set up her German to English translation company and I was always envious of the fact that she chose her hours and was doing well.

In 2003 our son was born and I decided not to return to the job I hated so much - when I found out I was pregnant I actually had to cancel a job interview. My family suggested I think about using my skills as a self-employed administrator. In the autumn of 2003 I received an email from my dad asking me to quote for a job - I won the job and my company was born. It wasn't until later that I discovered that there was a title for the role I was doing - Virtual Assistant.

[Rachael]

I started my own business because:

1. Like everyone else I hate having to work for anyone else. I love working with people just not FOR people.

2. Love the fact that I can work to my own schedule!!