Many people are lured into thinking that when they start working from home they are going to be their own boss. However, when first starting out the truth of the matter is that you are not going to be your own boss. In face, I have been working from home for two years and I am just getting to the point where I can be considered as my own boss.
What Do I Mean
Those of you who have been following my blog for a while know that I like to be honest about the realities of working from home – sometimes too honest. An in my opinion when you first begin your work at home journey you are not going to be your own boss. To advance into your niche/s quickly you are going to have to put in a lot of hours working and building your reputation. It may cause you to encounter multiple difficulties yet the ending result is something that is going to be rewarding. I can now say that I am my own boss because I am able to go out and do things and I am financially stable. However, when first starting out I had to stick to a strict budget and cut out a lot of luxuries.
If you are someone who wants to work from home this is something that you are going to have to keep in mind if you want to be successful. Things are not always going to be sweet yet once you become established you will find that things are good to go.
Work at Home Journey 
That is good advice though! I am always reading on other work-at-homeè blogs how EASY it is to be your own boss and I just donèt see it being easy! I guess itès like any other job, right? Work your way up and youll eventually get there with hard work and commitment.
Debbie,
Yes. You have hit the nail on the head. Working from home takes just as much commitment and work as any out of the home job would.
That is a good thought. I’ve never looked at it that way before. I am glad that you finally can consider yourself your own boss! My boss is my 15 month old son 🙂
If that is the case I have three little bosses lol 🙂
I think it is great you are your own boss and that you are financially stable. Working at home definitely has its perks and it can give you a lot of flexibility
April,
That is very true. It takes a lot of determination and dedication to get to the point where you are your own boss.
I like that you are honest about working from home. I am also glad to have the chance to read your blog. I will be back!
Sara,
Thanks so much for stopping by.
This is a great article. I can relate with a lot of points that you mention. As a owner of two businesses that are ran by myself from my home office, I can honestly say that it does have its rewards but on the other hand it is even more difficult than working outside the home.
My hubbs works in the medical field so he is always gone but as for myself, I have learned to be very disciplined while at home and not wander about doing other things like house work instead of talking care of my clients.
Yes, there are times where it may appear that all I do is cater to my clients and their needs instead of “running” the business but like you mentioned, when you have financial goals to meet – you have no other choice. But one thing I can say is that once you as your own boss get into the rhythm of things, work becomes much more enjoyable allowing you to really feel like a boss.
Being your own boss takes a lot of time and commitment!
Mia,
I also added a new business into the mix and even though I am not my own boss per say in my new niche. I know it is something that will be accomplished eventually. I would not trade working from home for an out of the home job basically.
Good article about a topic that many people underestimate. Yes, working from home and doing all of your work on the computer seems like the best way to make money in a flexible environment, but I think a lot of people don’t consider the time and effort that goes into it initially. More posts like this are what its going to take to convince people that you’re not immediately guaranteed ideal flexibility and control.
Kelly,
I am glad you enjoyed it. I always try to be honest about all aspects of working from home and I figured that this post would open up people’s eyes about working from home. It is true that you can make a decent income working from home yet you are going to have to put some time in to reach your goals.
Victoria,
Even though when you first started you had to budget and cut out luxuries, you were still you own boss because it was your choice and not the choice of some else. Being your own boss is being able to make the choice yourself and operate under the rules of someone else. Sometimes we start a business especially service businesses and are still not our own bosses because we let clients dictate our business. Sometimes out of fear of losing a client or not getting a client we will offer a service that is not really apart of our core business and take us outside of our box. This tends to leave us feeling dissatisfied the say way we felt when we worked for the man which caused us to venture out on our own. You are your own boss when you make the decisions and take responsibility for the decisions you choice.
Jenn
Jenn,
You are correct now I am my own boss. However, when first starting out I was not. I had to meet the needs of very demanding clients and I sometimes had to work for weeks straight without taking days off. I could have turned down clients or just have worked. But, then my financial obligations would have not been met. I understand where you are coming from yet in the approach you take on the boss theory people who work out of the home could be their own boss as well. They could decide when they want to go to work and when they do not yet their income and reputation would suffer which is the same thing in the online world. I feel as though now I am truly my own boss because I do not have to overwork myself to be able to obtain an income that allows me to take care of my financial obligations.
Here is another post that I just ran across that understands my viewpoint: http://freelancingandmore.com/2013/01/07/mythbusters-i-am-my-own-boss/