I've Realised I Don't Want A "Proper" Business

Last week marked eight years since I incorporated Make Your Copy Count Ltd.

For the three years before that, I was trading as Lisa Slater Copywriting. But in 2017, I decided I didn't want my business to be just me. I wanted to be a "proper" business.

The idea of what a proper business was came from a business event I went to. The speaker was talking about the difference between being self-employed and being a business owner.

I can't remember his exact wording, but it was something along the lines of:

"Being self-employed means you have created a job for yourself. Being a business owner means you have created a business that works without you."

Up until that point, I'd been happy being self-employed. I was just content earning a living doing something I enjoyed. But for some reason, what he said got to me.

I decided I wanted to be a business owner. And so I chose a new business name, I got a fancy new logo, a fancy new website, and I registered as a limited company. I even hired an employee and used subcontractors.

But I never did build a business that worked without me.

And eventually, I realised I didn't actually want a "proper" business.

I didn't need a business that ran without me. I liked working in my business. I wanted to work with my clients. I was happy only having to worry about my own salary.

I just wanted to make good money doing what I enjoyed for people I liked. And I didn't need a team to do that.

I could be a "proper" business even if it was a business of one.

It's too easy to focus on somebody else's version of success. That's what I was doing.

Maybe some of it was down to not having a business vision when I set out. I didn't know what I was working towards so I started working towards other people's idea of success. Once I stopped doing that, things became clearer and easier.

Now I'm back to being just me and I've never been happier.