Should Solopreneurs Get "Real" Jobs?

Photo Credit: Deepak Malhotra, Stock Xchng

I work a lot. I work on weekends. I work at night. I work on holidays. But, you know what? I don't mind because I work for myself. Ok, sure, other people pay me and expect certain things in return. But, I decide who I work for and what my schedule is. I'm a solopreneur.

This wasn't a decide I made. Like many others, it's something that came about due to circumstance. In my case, my life change was prompted by a layoff. On April Fool's Day, no less.

But since then, I have reshaped my life. I work from home (frequently with a dog on my lap) and I love the work that I do. Every project I accept is something that interests me and am excited to do. I never dread the work day ahead. I love the life I've created for myself.

However, my mom still asks me when I'm going to get a "real" job. I'm quick to tell her I have a real job, but to her that's not the case. She thinks a benefits package makes a job real. I think being happy and earning enough to pay the bills is real enough for me. 

Is the idea of a "real" job generational? Is it something that more traditional people expect? Or is it just the norm? The reality is, most folks do have "real" jobs. I had a real job all my life. And you know where I ended up? Laid off.

Folks seem to think a real job gives you security. I don't think that anymore. I create my own security. With a real job you put all you eggs in one basket. One basket that has complete control over you. One basket that can decide you're unnecessary, obsolete, or too expensive. One basket that can throw your whole world into complete chaos. Instead, I now put a few eggs over there, and some here, and a couple over yonder.

The new world order is changing. More people are working for themselves, out of their homes or coffee shops. Co-working spaces are becoming more common. Tech tools make online collaboration a cinch--whether you're in the cube down the hall or across the globe.

Is a real job for you? Maybe. Maybe not. But don't let someone else make that decision for you.

Finding your million dollar idea

Everyone says it. Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life. As someone who's had jobs that I've loved and jobs that I've hated, I can attest to this. I'm sure you can, too.

Today, I was reading the story of Brad and Jera Deal. They took a hobby that they enjoyed with their children and, over time, turned it into a $10 million business. You may have seen them on Martha Stewart, Oprah, or Rachel Ray. In short, they take photos of everyday things that resemble letters of the alphabet. They then frame each letter individually and people can buy letters to spell out words, names, or phrases. You can watch Brad and Jera's story below:

The thing that makes this story especially noteworthy to me is that it is a creative endeavor that was born out of a routine, family activity. Brad and Jera didn't sit around trying to come up with their million dollar idea; they were cultivating that idea all along. They only had to recognize its potential.

Look at your life. Your routines, your habits, your hobbies. Do you have a system you've created for organizing yourself? How about something you've rigged up because no "real" product existed to meet your needs? Have you been doing something that you enjoy, that others might enjoy, as well? Think about it. Really think about it.

Sometimes, opportunity doesn't knock because it's already in our homes. It's sacked out on the couch with us as we watch Seinfeld reruns and thrust our hands into a bag of Cheetos.

Wake up. Open your eyes. Examine your life. Is that million dollar idea already in your world just waiting for you to notice it?

When opportunity knocks are you playing Angry Birds?

Great ideas are born every day; many by very ordinary people. How many times has opportunity come pounding on your front door only to be ignored because you were playing video games, watching Family Guy, or sleeping in?

Two years ago I bought a retractable leash for my pooch. When I used it, I felt as though I didn’t have as firm of a grasp on my dog as I did with an old-fashioned nylon leash. So, I rigged up a secondary handle with a plastic bungee keychain that held the hard casing more firmly to my wrist so if I accidentally let go of the handle my dog wouldn’t escape. Aren’t I smart?

Well, I’ve been using my little invention for years now and it's been very handy. Enter, Capability: Mom and her blog entry about a new attachment for retractable leashes. She sponsored a contest to give away the Freehand Safety Strap and yours truly was the lucky winner.

Well, guess what? The attachment works very similarly to the one I concocted years ago. Granted, the end result isn’t as primitive as mine and is adjustable (you can also undo the buckle to attach your dog to another object such as a park bench). However, the concept is the same as my crude prototype; connecting the hard casing to wrist of the dog walker. Just like the contraption I jerry rigged years ago, the accessory gives a second layer of protection while using a retractable leash.

The inventor obviously saw the same flaw with the retractable leash that I did. The difference? He designed the accessory, manufactured it, and now has it on the market! And I was watching an episode of The Simpsons. D’oh!

So, this lesson from The School of Hard Knocks comes at my expense. However, there is still hope for me—and you! Rest assured, the next time I find some way to improve a product, I’m not just going to keep the idea to myself. Lesson learned.

So, my friends, learn from my mistake. Open your eyes! Listen! Innovate! But, most importantly, execute! Act! Do! Create! Take that extra step in life. Don’t let your million dollar idea become someone else’s fortune. Take action! That’s what separates the ordinary from the extraordinary, is it not?

Is your business a one trick pony?

As I was shopping this week, I saw this display of Kraft Trick or Cheesy. It's the usual mac and cheese, except the pasta shapes are Halloween-themed pumpkins, ghosts, and bats. This is the first time the company has offered a Halloween pasta--and that got me thinking.

Is there something you or I, as a business or a brand, can do to tweek our offerings? Is a new revenue source right at our finger tips if we slightly alter what we do or how we do it?

Going back to our example of the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese product line, it's really just orange carbs. Pretty darn basic. But the brand continues to come up with new offerings that are modestly different than its staple product. Easy Mac (individual and microwaveable mac n' cheese), Macaroni and Cheese's TV and movie-themed pasta (e.g. Toy Story), Macaroni and Cheese Crackers (which I loved, but were discontinued), the new Cheddar Explosion with extra cheese sauce, and Homestyle Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese that launched this year in three new flavors. Now, this isn't a fluff piece for Kraft. I simply use these as examples to get us thinking. 

So, again, I ask, "Is there something you can do to slightly change the product or service you're bringing to the marketplace?" Consider these questions:

• Can you expand your core product?
• Are you able to offer specialized services?
• Can you attract a new audience or demographic?
• Will a new color, new shape, new size, or other variation broaden your appeal?
• What are the additional ways you can improve life for your customers or clients?
• Can a different approach add new excitement to your standard offerings?
• Do you or your company evolve with the ever changing marketplace?
• Are you showing customers and clients that they can't live without you? 

I know this is just a modest start to a long list of questions, but you can see where I'm going. Are you, or your company, truly seizing every opportunity to grow, succeed, and prosper? Can you bring more to the game, provide more value, and, in doing so, be better? Or, are you going light on the cheese sauce?

Dare to not fit in

You're at your "steady" job today, buried deep in work. Pushing papers, answering to "The Man", and repeatedly checking the clock to see if 5:00 has rolled around. You know who you are.

Want something different? Something better? Check out this oldie, but goodie, from Apple. It might give you the inspiration you need to be better, to do better, and to change the world and your life. Remember, fitting in is highly over-rated.

Seth Godin's campaign against the lizard brain

This month, I had the pleasure of hearing the amazing Seth Godin speak (if you don't know who Seth is, check out this listing of his books on Amazon; there are nearly 20 of them). Thanks to a VIP ticket, courtesy of Efren Toscano at TechZulu, I was given access to the insider's lounge where Seth greeted people before he took the stage. For music hounds, meeting Trent Reznor or Mick Jaggar is the be all end all; for entrepreneurs and marketers, that's what it's like to meet Seth.

Nearly 900 people were in attendance for the event, sponsored by Bryan Elliott of So Cal Action Sports Network and LinkedOC, and held at the gorgeous St. Regis Hotel and Spa in the upscale community of Dana Point, California. I felt like a giddy school girl as I made my way through the people in the VIP lounge and approached the man I've seen in countless videos and interviews. Clutched in my hand, a copy of his brand new book Linchpin. Seth and I chatted for a moment, then he signed my book and my friend took our photo together. Shortly afterward, Seth departed to the grand ballroom.

In usual fashion, his presentation was full of "a-ha" moments and lots of laughs. If you've ever seen Seth speak, you know he is great at keeping the audience entertained. But, here's the take away from the evening: Don't listen to the lizard brain.

No, that's not a typo. Seth calls that part of your brain that is afraid to take risks, that is too scared to think independently, that is more concerned with "fitting in" rather than "standing out", the lizard--the part that keeps the majority of people average. He went on to make the distinction of how when kids are in school, they so desperately want to be like everyone else. However, as an adult, you never excel, nor reach your full potential, if you don't dare to be different. So, silence the lizard brain within you and take that risk, embrace that challenge, do something different. Set yourself apart from the others!

I'm cracking open my copy of Linchpin today and expect that when I finish the last page of the book, that I, too, will be a little braver, a little bolder, and a lot less reptilian. Watch out world!

Doing business with the Sharks

If you haven't watched Shark Tank on ABC yet, then you need to tune in tonight. For those of you who own your own business, or those who are entrepreneurs, this is definitely time well spent. For the rest of you, I promise that it's just good TV.

The premise is that five top moneymakers listen to pitches from ordinary business people. If they like the idea; they invest. The Sharks are pretty cutthroat, hence the name, but if you pay attention you'll undoubtedly learn something about how investors are likely to see your business. If you're new to the show, you'll quickly glean that Kevin O. is pretty unlikeable—the Simon Cowell of the group, if you will. And Barbara is a soft touch, but she turned a $1,000 loan into an empire so she knows her stuff. Personally, Robert is my favorite Shark (a nice combination of business sense and compassion).

I was an early fan of Shark Tank and started watching over the summer. Apparently, others liked it, too, because it was given a permanent spot on the Fall schedule. And, for those of you who need more convincing, it's a Mark Burnett show (of Survivor and The Apprentice fame) so you know it's good reality TV.

Check out the video below to get the full scoop on Shark Tank. I promise you won't be disappointed.