Thursday, December 27, 2012

A Big Difference between a Freelancer vs. Business Owner



I often wonder what makes someone a freelancer vs. a business person.

A business person knows that some things need to be done, even when no money is involved.
Because I network a lot and give talks, a lot of people with businesses approach me.  Most of them ask me some variation of how to build their business.

In most cases, I try to do my best giving advice to them that I would give to my best friend, if he asked that same question for the same type of business.

Most of the time, I don't notice any of these people actually FOLLOWING that advice.

Why?



Most of it has to do with marketing, and most marketing is work.

A lot of my advice suggests that people offer to do things for free.  That's usually when their mood turns more sour toward me.

If people don't know who you are and what you can do, why should they trust you...either with a purchase with their own money or a referral with their own reputation?

So here is where a freelancer and a true business person separates himself--a BIG difference between them.

Most freelancers are not willing to work UNLESS someone guarantees a payment--in advance--for what they do.  This means that they cannot see the value in marketing themselves, outside of sending resumes, because they're not getting paid to do that.  Many of them do not go to networking events.

It never even occurs to them to do something without being prompted...by someone else (usually the person paying them).

A true business person understands that he has no business if he has no market.  He will take time to do things that will create and maintain his market.  He will do the cleaning.  He will do the accounting books.  He will do whatever it takes to get the business up and running.  He does not get paid to do any of these things; however, he does all of these things, because he has a vision of what the business will become.

In other words, a true business person does things, because he knows that it builds future value, if not immediate payment.  A freelancer is just working for the check today.

Are you a freelancer or a business (owner)?

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