Why are so few on this site...self employed

[Mike375]

Why are so few on this site...self employed.

It puzzles me because the Access "thing" opens all sorts of opportunities...I know because I have made use of the opportunities...many of which would not have been available if it was not for this site.

But why do people with all the knowledge stay in jobs for shit pay etc.

 

[chergh]

Err... maybe we don't get shit pay?

 

[boblarson]

And maybe some of us can't get health insurance without working for a company with group coverage.

 

[stopher]

Why are so few on this site...self employed.

Is this based on some analysis? If true then maybe self employed have a busier time running their business. If we're talking specifically about Access based work the maybe it's easier to maintain workflow by being in a company. Maybe work tends to be offered to larger more stable companies rather than individuals. Maybe it's difficult for individuals to survive by just supporting Access (whereas companies are likely to provide a host of services). I'm just guessing here. I don't work in IT and I'm not self employed.

But why do people with all the knowledge stay in jobs for shit pay etc.

I work for a company for stability. I don't get shit pay - if I did I would change jobs (climate permitting).

Chris

 

[namliam]

I would like to be self employed but I see many problems/risks along the roads....

I have been trying to get a business of the ground, with what I thought was a good product only to get shot down on every corner. Knowing my product is a sound one...

This is something in a smaller form is estimated to save about 25-30k per month for a company who contracted me to develop it. This problem I have seen at other companies and been trying to sell my ideas.... but for some reason they dont like saving such costs each month?? Or I am unable to explain the problem sufficiently?? or something?

The problem is right there, I know it to be as I was working elsewhere inside this company and was able to see it with my own research. OK maybe a bit insider information but... hey... I know they can save that money... but cannot convince them to spend 20k one time + small maintenance fee/per year on me to save themselves atleast 30k one off and atleast 15k/year.

I guess I am to dumb to be self employed
Also my "crummy" pay easily pays for my morgage and stuff... so I am not one to complain I guess.
Also the added benifits of Car, Pension fund, Health insurance and other "french" benifits make it even more worth while.

 

[Mike375]

Err... maybe we don't get shit pay?

But that seems to be a complaint, that is, the developers get shit and the managers get the money.

 

[Mike375]

And maybe some of us can't get health insurance without working for a company with group coverage.

Never thought of that aspect. However, on guns/hunting sites, where the majority of members are American, the split between employed and self employed seems to me to be what one would expect from a random sample of the population.

 

[namliam]

In % of actual work/credit etc. Yes they do...

Then again that would still be true of a manager earning 50% of my salary...

No good, meeting sitting, lunch eating, outside smoking, coffee drinking, full of **** and air good for nothings they (on average) are.

* No offence meant to anyone *

There is a theory that says, if you do a good job you get promoted... once you no longer get promoted... guess your not doing your job that good anymore

This theory is true (unfortunatly) for a lot of managers.

 

[Brianwarnock]

As Chris has already asked , is this based on some analysis? If so how did you do it? I have no idea what jobs most, infact probably almost all, do and whom they work for.

Brian

 

[Mike375]

I would like to be self employed but I see many problems/risks along the roads....

I have been self employed since I was about 19 and I am just the opposite to you......I see being employed as a risk

I have been trying to get a business of the ground, with what I thought was a good product only to get shot down on every corner. Knowing my product is a sound one...

This is a common situation. If things were reversed and I was looking to get a job I know that I would be lost.

This is something in a smaller form is estimated to save about 25-30k per month for a company who contracted me to develop it. This problem I have seen at other companies and been trying to sell my ideas.... but for some reason they dont like saving such costs each month?? Or I am unable to explain the problem sufficiently?? or something?

I am sure you can explain it OK. But how many calls a day do you make and I mean cold calls. Also, if what you have can save a business $30,000 a year then I imagine it is mainly applicable to a larger business and selling to the larger business needs lots of calls to get going. The very process of making calls and the resulting appointments also provides sign posts for direction.

If the truth be known probably the real product you have to sell is not the package that saves $30,000 per year but rather yourself and what you can do. The idea/product you have that will save $30,000 is just one outcome of your abilities/knowledge etc.

The problem is right there, I know it to be as I was working elsewhere inside this company and was able to see it with my own research. OK maybe a bit insider information but... hey... I know they can save that money... but cannot convince them to spend 20k one time + small maintenance fee/per year on me to save themselves atleast 30k one off and atleast 15k/year.

This just comes down to "one in the hand is worth two in the bush". Payment to you is a definite but the saving in the people's mind is either doubtful or a long way down the track.

I guess I am to dumb to be self employed
Also my "crummy" pay easily pays for my morgage and stuff... so I am not one to complain I guess.
Also the added benifits of Car, Pension fund, Health insurance and other "french" benifits make it even more worth while.

I probably phrased it wrong with shit pay. What I meant was I see it as shit pay given the abilities of people on the forum. Put it this way, if someone has the potential to earn $2 million a year but only earns $300,000 then that is shit pay.

I guess I am to dumb to be self employed

Probably to smart to see the way it is done. Being in sales mode is the key. A friend of mine who is a very big money earner, I mean real big, runs a lawn mowing and home handyman business. The reason he did so well is he is great door knocker and generated the work and of course his income is from the labour of others.

But again, your "product" that saves $30,000 is just one outcome of your ability. Your true product is what you can do.

 

[Mike375]

As Chris has already asked , is this based on some analysis? If so how did you do it? I have no idea what jobs most, infact probably almost all, do and whom they work for.

Brian

Just an observation and in particular from the Political/Watercooler forums where most posters seem to be coming from a position of being employed.

 

[Len Boorman]

I have been asked why I do not do consultancy work.

Basically a bit idle I suppose in that now I am just short of the retirement fence.

But where I am now nobody tells me how to do things in Access, I take no hassle from anybody and I enjoy what I do.

Been working as an employee for a very long time now. Suppose if I had know at 19 what I know now I really would be a whizz kid. Slide rules were the hi-tech gadget then. I had a double sided one with loglog scales.

Peaceful employment is the order of the day now for little while longer.

I do think that self employment could be a bit of a culture thing. perhaps it is more "normal" over the pond than it is here.

No idea myself but just a thought

L

 

[chergh]

Also for me I'm not a sales person and don't want to be a sales person.

 

[Mike375]

Also for me I'm not a sales person and don't want to be a sales person.

Everyone is either a salesman or a saleswoman. Everyone is selling all week.

 

[chergh]

Everyone is either a salesman or a saleswoman. Everyone is selling all week.

Thats a platitude and it's wrong.

 

[Mike375]

Thats a platitude and it's wrong.

You are not selling in the formal sense of rounding up business. But you are still selling and selling all year.

 

[Brianwarnock]

We have been here before on another thread. Don't bother arguing Chergh as far as Mike is concerned the guy brushing the street is selling.

Mike's problem is that he has exagerated a small truth to the extent that it has become rediculous and lost all credibility.

Brian

 

[namliam]

I dont do Cold Calls, period... Doesnt make sence for me to make these calls after hours

If the truth be known probably the real product you have to sell is not the package that saves $30,000 per year but rather yourself and what you can do. The idea/product you have that will save $30,000 is just one outcome of your abilities/knowledge etc.

No, this is an actual database that will need some addaptations for each company. I would NOT be involved at all, other than the inititial setup and tutorial introductions to the users....

This just comes down to "one in the hand is worth two in the bush". Payment to you is a definite but the saving in the people's mind is either doubtful or a long way down the track.

Offcourse there is a lead time, but where most IT products are involved lead times are long and return on investment 5 years or more.

Here lead time is say 2 months, return on investment 1 year at most. I have even offered to one party that was particularly intrested but 'scared' with the "one in the hand" approach....
I will do it for 10% of your savings in the next 5 years +1.000 euro as a down payment. No further cost at all... just that a % of the savings... What risk is that?

If they had signed that contract, I would have made a killing! Unfortunatly they did not. And yes offcourse anything that returns money like this is aimed at companies with more than just 10 customers.

Put it this way, if someone has the potential to earn $2 million a year but only earns $300,000 then that is shit pay.

I wish I had that problem.

Being in sales mode is the key.

I cannot sell, period.

But again, your "product" that saves $30,000 is just one outcome of your ability. Your true product is what you can do.

True, my 'value added' to business is more than just that. However, even at selling myself knowing my added value to the business... Selling myself to an internal customer I sometimes have a hard time
Just to show how bad I am at sales.

Thats a platitude

A what?? For some of use English is a second language Sorry

 

[chergh]

We have been here before on another thread. Don't bother arguing Chergh as far as Mike is concerned the guy brushing the street is selling.

Mike's problem is that he has exagerated a small truth to the extent that it has become rediculous and lost all credibility.

Brian

Good advice, I think I'll take it.

A platitude is just a dreary remark, sort of like "every cloud has a silver lining", and they're usually wrong.

 

[Mike375]

I cannot sell, period.

Being in sales mode does not mean someone is a good salesman or has to be a good salesman. Someone who is a good salesman but not in sales mode won't sell.

Being in sales mode is about attitude and recognising that some thing has to be sold.

How many people have you presented your data base to? How many companies would there be that could be prospects for it or some other version of it?