Running your own business/Self Employment good alt for Aspi?

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Having a tough time finding a job. At the end of the day they will emply you if they like you. But i dont appear very likable in interviews.

Also like many here, I think office life sucks ! I worked for a year as an intern, i never had any serious problems, everyone there was really nice, well appeared to be (but by the way they talk behind peoples back i can just imagine taking the pee outta me behind my back for acting a little strange). Although they were nice to me in person, there was never a time where i didnt feel uncomfortable in the whole office environment.

So been thinking of being self emplyed, there i can be my own boss. Maybe start small, like offering services such as computer support/repair, website design and development so there arent huge costs like retail. I mean i live with my parents, they not gonna throw me out or anything but i just want enough money to pay for my own things.

I realise i need a lot of contacts and offering services requires a lot of dealing with people. But like Radiohead's DVD - "Meeting People is Easy". I generally only have problems with people i alredy know and maintaining friendships.

So are there any others here that are self employed ? Anyone have tips, encourage me or dissuade me...

I've often thought about becoming self-employed but always re-consider when I think about how hard certain aspects of running your own business are for me.

Here's a quick idea of the personal attributes required:

Understanding of the calculated risks involved
Possession of personal stamina and high energy levels
The ability to be flexible and to do whatever it takes
Good management, organisational and people skills
An enthusiasm to take on the responsibility of new challenges
Overwhelming desire to put 100% into the business
Acceptance that risk is involved, based on sound calculations
Willingness to seek out appropiate financial and legal help
Prepared to totally commit to the business
Total confidence in your ability to succeed, no matter what

Sure, you might be able to make a few quid without any of those attributes, but suceeding long-term with a sustainable business will require all of the above.

I couldn't apply all of those criteria to myself, what about you? I don't mean to put you off, but if you're serious then you have to understand that your limitations become your business' limitations.

You're very sensible to want to start small though. Who knows maybe you could carve a decent living out of it, but unless you have all that it takes, you have to be realistic about what can ultimately achieved.
If you're clever, you'll find somebody to work with you who is equipped with the attributes you may deficient in, that kind of partnership can work out very well for all involved, but is quite a step away from being a self-employed sole trader.

Also, I know a couple of guys who have successfully started a business in web design. They told me that most of the work they receive is either from contacts in IT (they were programmers before) or contacts picked up via work gained from their existing contacts. In other words, virtually none of their work came from new customers found via advertising etc. It was all via people they already knew, one way or another.
The reason for this? Apparently people don't trust small, newly formed companies, hence the power of established branding. So, you rely on people you already know who are willing to trust you, even if it's only with a small part of their custom.

If you do have problems maintaining contacts (I know I do), then you may find that a disadvantage, as it will be existing contacts that will likely be the majority of your business.

I don't mean to dissuade you, just pointing out what I see as potential issues, whatever you chose to do, be positive about it and give it your all!

P.s. the interview hurdle can sometimes be overcome, search on this forum for hints and tips for that subject

Hey thanks.

No, dissuading me might be a good thing. Its just an idea at the moment. Im just figuring out alternatives in my life, im a fresh grad about to enter the real world and im kinda messed up with AS and stuff and i dont know what to do with my life.

I would like to hear both sides about self employment, so your comments are appreciated.

Cool. I just hope someone has a positive story to tell - I hate everything to be such doom and gloom!

Just remember that whatever you choose to do, it's not forever. So don't worry too much about making a mistake.

I had always considered opening my own business as one way I could find some peace and hapiness. It all depends on what you get into.
I worked at a little privately owned U-Haul franchise, and it really wasn't too complicated. One of my coworkers eventually bought the place and is still running it.
There seem to be a lot of people doing well with computer repair shops here. And I think that is a pretty simple concept, ideally suited for an aspie.
You might want to check your area and see how many are around, then try and figure out how much business they get.

If you can find someone to handle the business side of things you could do it.
This person would have to be someone that you can trust implictly, have known for an extended period of time, has the personal ethics of a saint ...

Opening your own business is definately not easy.

Eyeen forgot one though:
The recent MRI Test Results from Australia indicate that Aspies are not very good at setting,
working towards, and achieving long term goals. These are also critical business skills.

i was self employed for just over a year, about 15 years ago (ish). i was a freelance community artist, textile artist, musician, actor, and stand up comedian, and taught all of the above (apart from the stand up). i really enjoyed doing little bits of work here and there, and i didn't have any trouble getting work, which is one of the main things one has to do as a freelance anything - word of mouth worked for me, and my group of friends (yes - i had one of those in those days, gasp!) all worked in the same vein, so i had a network of contacts. but building up a client base isn't easy.

i also had a friendly accountant, who did my accounts in exchange for me making him some curtains, would you believe? one thign i did get right straight away was to keep meticulous recoreds of evrything financial - all receipts/expenses filed, in subsections such as travel, cost of materials, income, bills, etc., etc. it meant that we did my accounts and the tax forms in under an hour.

one thing to consider is the lack of regular paid work, to start off with.

generally, there is plenty of advice about starting up a small business, although that's only in the UK - i have no idea what's available in the US.

I have spent most of my life "self employed" (for lack of a better description) I was an actress/model. I just recently went into office work because my son and fiance' got sick of how much time I was putting in to it. I miss it though, I loved the fact I only had to work when I wanted to, I made enough to only have to work one day a week if I wanted to and it was nice having people put up with my strangeness, lol. (having a personal assistant on set is great because you don't have to deal with anyone until you're needed.)
I am going to be working from home starting next year, the stress of being an office manager (my current position) is wearing me down and I am having a harder time with things over the last few months. I dislike my office, I hate the schedule and I hate taking a huge pay cut to have more stability. I am fairly high functional, but some times it just gets to be too much.

I co-run a business in England that's been in operation six years now and has been very successful. Although social skills are hard work, the ability to concentrate, to really know your topic, and to not be too worried about what the other person thinks can be assets in business. If Bill Gates has AS, which many suspect, then we have to remember that he's probably the richest self-employed man in the world. I think being self-employed works best if you have a team of people working with you who can handle anything we find difficult, though.

There is a difference between being self-employed and being a business owner. Bill Gates is more in the catagory of business owner than self-employed (although technically I think he has retired as CEO, and is now just a board member and stock-holder). He may have started off as self-employed, but never would have gotten very far that way.

The difference is that the self-employed basically do all the work, maybe have a helper or two. A business owner provides direction, ideas and probably does the financial wrangling, but doesn't do much of any of the primary work of the business.

Carpenter who will come in and build a spare room for you: Self-employed

Contractor who will write you a quote, send his crew to do the work, then collect the check and pay the crew (and other bills): Business owner

Business owner might be harder for an aspie because, for me at least, I have a hard time dealing with employees. I currently supervise five guys at work, and I have trouble bossing them around, although I have all the authority to basically tell them to do whatever I want ( within reason of course). Self-employed, on the other hand, you basically work alone and if you are not great at planning, you can still usually stay late by yourself to get stuff done (asuming you do the work in your home or a shop that is available to you at all hours). If you have to make your employees stay late due to your bad planning, they probably won't stick around very long.

I think the distinction between these two is different in the USA and the UK. In the UK, (England), you can be a self-employed business owner. What you're terming "self-employed" we'd called "a sole trader", i.e. someone who works for themselves and has no employees?
Hope that helps...
Anyway, I co-run a business that has employees, and prior to that I was a "sole trader" so I've done both. It's possible. It's not easy but it's possible.

Hello All,

I'm new here. I've been reading the forum and really enjoying finding all of you Aspie people in one place.

I was a Sr. Programmer/Analyst in IT for 15 years (It seems like I have a lot of company here, it's a very common vocation for aspie people). November 7, 2004 I was laid off and the whole team was outsourced. At that time I had just been miserable beyond belief. My job had been changing for nearly a year into less programming and more project management - more meetings, interacting with live customers, etc. I never signed up for any of that and the aspects of my job that I loved (being left alone, only communicating by email, working with code and not people) were going away.

All the NTs in my life told me I should just get a new job but everyone here knows how horrible that prospect was. I could never change jobs. I only left when I was laid off (which happened every few years in IT but on this particular job it had lasted 5 years so I had a deep groove set already).

Anyway I had developed multiple health problems - asthma, migraines, high blood pressure, was 50 pounds overweight, felt sick in some way every day.

After the lay off I went home and lived off my severance and savings for months and was just lost. Then I slowly started selling my own books online, then some of my other collectable things, then bought more books and over the past year it has grown into a full blown online selling business. Nearly every room in my house is full of inventory and piles of stuff I'm selling.

I have lost 50 pounds, no longer need any medications of any kind and totally regained my health and energy. It is just amazing.

Running your own business can be doable if you find one that fits into your criteria. Mine involved

No phone contact.
No human interaction.

I use email exclusively and work very long hours by choice, 7 days a week. And I'm very very happy.

Recently this led to a conversation a person struck up with me and ended up asking me to come and help the local Friends of the Library group sell online. It would seem to be more lucrative for me and they begged for the help, so I begrudgingly went and discussed it. They put me right into it as their web sales manager. Now I have more inventory and a bit more money coming in but have to deal with humans again.

This has been for a month and already the migraines are back, the aggravation, there are misunderstandings and I'm finding it is once again impossible to figure out what these people are talking about, or thinking or what the politics are between several of them.

I am seriously thinking of backing out and dropping this deal cold back in their lap. My NT friend says no way and that I should continue because it's a very good opportunity for me to make money and have this exclusive contract with this organization, but she does not know what I have to sacrifice in order to do that. I decided a year ago that money was not nearly as important as my health - mental and physical. But I have kids and a household to support and no money coming from anywhere else, so that pressure is forcing me to have to deal with the social interactions all over again.

I hope my story help answer your question. I believe it is possible, and very doable for aspie people to be self employed. I just think we need a firm and clear definition of our boundaries and we have to stick to them. If you say No Phone Contact then mean it. Don't have your number printed on anything nor give it out even once. That ensures that you won't get those annoying calls.

:> earthmom

This is also a huge problem for me as well. In my current mode they put me in charge of others who are volunteers. It's even worse than trying to be in charge of regular employees, because the volunteers come and go when they feel like it. It's random - no clear schedules or tasks and from my point of view it is impossible - like herding cats.

That's why the self-employed way is the only way as far as I can see. Only me by myself counting on me to do the work. I am my own best employee!

:> earthmom

I had my own company until 2 years ago. It was an investment company, sponsoring all kind of events with profit as the main goal (besides charity work of course.).

Organizing wasn't a problem as I already knew good administrative persons. 'Bossing around' wasn't either; If you (when you're hiring someone) state your terms clear enough, there's not much to discuss besides differences on a personal level - and while there were some disagreements with my personelle (sp?) it never lead to a permanent break.

But once I got to know the world from the inside I backed out. Childish disputes between organizations, the involvement of criminals, fraud: I had learned that it wasn't a world that I wanted to be a part of. And besides that, I wasn't able to combine it my school activities anymore.

Hello,

This is my 1st post on WP. I was reading this thread and saw that there are aspies that want to start their own business. I am one of them.

I have had the entrepreneurial spirit ever since I was about 10. I have thought of many business ideas, and I've never took the next step because of financial and personal problems. That was probably a good thing.

I am currently in my last semester at college majoring in hotel/restaurant management. In my 1st semester, I took accounting I and it was, by far, my favorite class. I worked as a night auditor at a hotel (an excellent job for aspies), but had some interpersonal problems (not with the guests, though).

I have finally come to the conclusion that I am gifted in bookkeeping, and I would like to start my own bookkeeping business. The position would have limited contact with the public, would have a schedule that I would set (within reason), and could have a couple of dachshunds as co-workers.

For those that think that aspies cannot run successful businesses, it is possible, but you will need some business/management training and attention to detail. It can be done.

The only thing holding me back is lack of experience, which I am finding to be hard to find.

inndrcr

I think it's key to choose the right field: something you're passionate about, and something that doesn't require enormous people skills or tax you in ways you can't deal with in the long term.

I am a freelance translator. I work from home and have very limited contact with clients, mostly over e-mail. I love languages and very much enjoy the actual work of translating.

In addition, I have recently opened a web shop. Things might change if it really takes off, but right now I can fill the orders myself, and client contact is again not very intensive. I have a bookkeeper who handles the financial / tax end of things for me.

But I'd never fool myself into thinking I could manage a company of employees, even a small one with only a handful of employees. I'm too blunt and introverted for that.