Money Management When You're Self Employed

.... is really challenging.

I'm a sole proprietor (and sole employee) in my business, and I work out of my home.
Right now, I have clients who are past due to the tune of about $15,000.
Not exactly chump change.

It's a little irritating considering my mortgage still needs to get paid, I still have groceries that need to be bought, there's the light bill, the water bill, the car payment, and let's not forget gas for both cars (which goes higher and higher every frikkin DAY!), etc., etc.

But you know what?

The financial uncertainty that comes with the territory of being self-employed is soooo worth the benefits I get in return. (And by benefits, I don't mean vacation, disability, 401K.... no, I don't get any of those..... left ALL THAT BEHIND when I fled Corporate America after 18 years...). By benefits I mean the fact that I answer only to myself (and my clients, of course); that I work when I want (and not when some Draconian Boss tells me to); and that I work in a field where I can really truly help people.

So, give me the uncertainty of not knowing when my $15K is going to land in my PO Box. I'll take that uncertainty any day, as long as I can keep the hard-won freedom I have as well.

People Are Weird

From the "I Just Don't Get It" file....

I have a GREAT job opening that I'm having a HELL of a time filling. My client runs a top notch operation, pays his people a very generous base salary, very good commission, and then on TOP of that, also awards them with great yearly bonuses when the company meets its (attainable) goals. To say he values his people is an understatement. His company is growing leaps and bounds. People who work for him see their career sky-rocket.

So, anyway, he's been looking for a new Account Executive for his firm. A couple of weeks ago, I find him a PERFECT candidate. This candidate could not BE more perfect - she has the education, the skills, the work background, the personality, the general "spirit", etc. he is looking for. Basically, she's a recruiter's DREAM.

So, I get these two together for an interview and... the heavens open up... there's rainbows and butterflies everywhere, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is singing in the background.

My client proposes (makes an offer of employment) and my candidate giddily accepts. I stand to make a nice fee, AND stand to help someone's career move forward VERY quickly. (All good things.)

My candidate goes back to her current employer and turns in her notice of resignation. 24 hours later her current employer (who, heretofore, had basically IGNORED her completely, passed her over for raises, promotions, etc.) now suddently CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT HER, and matches the offer of my client. (AND, they pull out the Guilt Card.)

My candidate, because she is still relatively young and doesn't realize that she's being played, falls for this guilt-laden trap, and accepts the counter, thus snuffing any chances of growing her career with my client and his fast growing firm. She chooses instead to stay with her current company who last week barely showed her the time of day.

And now, I have to start my search, all over again.

I just don't get it.

The Strangest Secret

Shortly after I went into business for myself and left Corporate America behind (along with my nice guaranteed income, good benefits, and "plush cubicle"), I discovered a great audio recording which was made many years ago called (you guessed it) "The Strangest Secret", by Earl Nightingale.

Below is a link where you can listen to this audio online, free. (You have to endure a little bit of Mark Viktor Hansen talking in the beginning, then a few more times during the middle, but it's worth it....)

The principles in this audio are wonderful, and if you follow them, it really will change how you view the world, and how you view "success". (And not just material success, but success in any part of your life....)

I highly recommend it; there's a lot of wisdom in Mr. Nightingale's words.

http://www.markvictorhansen.com/strangest_secret.php

I Heart My Job

I'm a recruiter, which means I help people find work. Some of the people I help are absolutely delightful, and some are absolutely the dregs of society, arrogant, haughty and all-around icky.

However, I consider myself really lucky. I get to work for myself and I get to work whenever I want (which, truthfully, tends to be a lot.... my husband likes to complain about how much I work). But, when you're self-employed, you "eat what you kill" as they say. So, I work a lot.

But, the coolest part about my job is not the fact that I get to work at home (which is pretty cool), or that I get to work barefoot, in shorts and a tshirt (also quite cool), or that I get to make my own hours (cooler still) but the Most Cool part happens when, like earlier today, I help someone find a really GREAT job and they tell me how much they appreciate all I have done for them, and I realize I have made a very real, and a very positive impact on their life.

I just LOVE that.

I prayed for a LONG time (back when I was a cubicle-dwelling corporate DRONE....) that God would lead me to a job where I could help people, and help make a difference, for the better, in people's lives. And He has led me to a place where I can do that.

AND I get paid.

How cool is that?!

The Perils of Being Your Own Boss

I got burned yesterday. Not literally, but figuratively.
I'm a self-employed recruiter and every now and then my sixth sense tells me that a certain candidate is "trouble".... it told me that with this particular candidate (we'll call him JOHN) but I chose to ignore my sixth sense, because one of my clients was interested in interviewing him for a very nice sales position. (Sales placements pay a higher commission than others, so I guess the thought of THAT possibility made me clamp my hand over the protests of my sixth sense.)

Anyway, the interview was yesterday. JOHN was going to be meeting with the President of this company, as well as with the Director of Operations. BIG interview, for a very good job. I had confirmed with him the date, time and directions for the interview, given him their office phone number, my office and cell number, etc. In short, he had ALL the information he could POSSIBLY need.

Half an hour after his interview was to begin I get a call from the Director of Operations. JOHN is a no show. I call JOHN's cell. He doesn't pick up. I use the paging feature. He doesn't return my page. I called, emailed and paged him through the remainder of the day (each time getting more and more annoyed that I had chosen to ignore my sixth sense).

He never had the courtesy (or professionalism) to return my calls, pages, or emails.
My husband said "Maybe he's dead on his kitchen floor". Maybe, but highly unlikely. I think he's just an irresponsible person who acted unprofessionally, and simply doesn't care.

Obviously very frustrating.
After I finish shredding his resume this morning, I'll be apologizing to my sixth sense, and listening to it from here on out.