Working in as an employee in acompany is a rewarding experience that allows one to learn and grow their career while earning a steady income. However, with time, many desire to break free from their employer and work independently. Making the transition from an employee to an independent gardener has a number of benefits, but it can be a hard decision to make.
If you are thinking about quitting your job, below are some of the reasons why it may be a viable option and the benefits you will reap when running your own business.
Acquire New Skills
Working as an independent contractor will give you a new work experience with more freedom, flexibility, learning opportunities, and earning potential. On the one hand, it will give you the exposure you did not get as an employee. On the other hand, you will have to learn to manage your finances, do some accounting and file your taxes all by yourself. Additionally, you will have to pay for insurance so ensure you find a provider that will give you the best offer on landscape insurance for liability coverage.
However, this should not keep you from starting your business. You can make use of online tools to keep track of your time, incomeand expenses, and hire an affordable freelance accountant to help in preparation of accounting reports and filing taxes. All of these activities help you acquire a new set of skills that you were not using before.
Ongoing Jobs
Getting your first contract can be tough, but once you are established, you will have ongoing work. This is because gardens need continuous maintenance all year long. However, for you to get repeat clients, you have to do a good job. Working will also earn you referrals and grow your business. To get clients for your new business, ensure that you market your services both online and offline. Don’t be shy to ask for recommendations from people you know and once you have completed a job, ask the client for referrals.
Define Your Pay Check
Working as an independent gardener allows you to dictate how much you earn in a month. You can work more hours when you need the extra money. You can also charge your clients different rates per hour depending on the nature of the job.Additionally, you may consider hiring other people to work with you to boost your earning. Thus, when working independently, your income has no limit, unlike in employment where the employer has set a specific salary or hourly rate.
Specialize in What You Like
As an independent contractor, you can choose to specialize only in areas that you love. You get to choose the setups and the nature of work you take. Specializing is a good idea, especially when you want to grow as an expert in a certain field. It gives you the opportunity to grow both in knowledge and experience.
Have Something in Your Name
When you are working for someone, all the credit for the work you do goes to their company’s name. As an independent gardener, you will have the opportunity to put your name out there for all the contracts you complete. It will be a fulfilling experience when you create a brand with your name or any other chosen name on it. This can give you a sense of fulfillment and motivate you to keep on working harder.
Opportunity to Work with Multiple Individuals and Companies
As an independent gardener, you will have the opportunity to work with multiple individuals and companies. This includes both your clients and other professionals. You will gain diverse knowledge and experience working on different projects every day. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to interact with professionals in related fields and strike business deals.
Give All Your Ideas a Try
While most employers give their employees an opportunity to give ideas and suggestions, most of the control and decision-making is done by the management. Some cool ideas can also be overlooked when there are so many suggestions from the rest of the team members. As an independent gardener, you will be in control of the decisions and thus you can give all your ideas a try. However, you have to ensure that you make good decisions that are in line with the client’s needs and will produce good results. Otherwise, it will be hard to get repeat business and referrals from your clients.
Flexibility
As an employee, you work for a specific number of hours and you have to report to work at a specific time each day. However, as a contractor, you are not tied down to the minimum hours you should work or when you should report to work. You get the freedom to plan a work schedule that is most convenient for you.
