Starting Your Own Business for Young Entrepreneurs 1. Challenge yourself: Be an entrepreneur 1.2 Getting down to business Career Issue: Job Stability Working for someone else -- Subject to success of your department, superiors, and the company as a whole; individual success and/or company loyalty often irrelevant during corporate downsizing and layoffs. Working for yourself -- Tied directly to the success of the company; individual success is key, as smaller businesses rely on fewer employees. Career Issue: Promotions Working for someone else -- Strictly determined by corporate hierarchy; often must wait for desired position to be vacated; heavy competition for higher positions. Working for yourself-- YouÕre the boss. Career Issue: Work hours Working for someone else -- Often long, yet predictable; hours dictated directly or indirectly by superiors. Working for yourself-- Very long and unpredictable; hours self-determined. Career issue: Salary Working for someone else -- Set within specified range for department and/or position; salary usually increased only after certain (predetermined) periods of time. Working for yourself-- Below average in beginning; often only as little as needed to live on until the business can afford to pay a full salary. Career issue: Bonuses Working for someone else -- Distributed quarterly or at holidays, if at all; based on performance of individual or department; may sometimes be given across the board in larger companies. Working for yourself -- Distributed by you, if at all. Career issue: Benefits Working for someone else -- Major medical, sometimes dental and eye; paid vacation, personal, and sick days; 401(k) plans usually provided. Working for yourself -- Can be expensive for new business owners; vacations infrequent; personal days taken at your own discretion, usually only when ill. Career issue: Expenses Working for someone else -- Expense accounts can be substantial; out-of-pocket expenses (travel, transportation, meals) reimbursed or paid for by company. Working for yourself -- Difficult to separate business and personal expenses; paid when businesses have investors or are doing well enough to handle day-to-day expenses. Career issue: Responsibility Working for someone else -- Clearly outlined in employee manual or published job description; often increases as companies shrink departments and cut operating budgets. Working for yourself -- Significant; includes anything and everything such as sweeping the floors, typing letters, and stuffing envelopes.