by Catia Mondlane
Who told you that you can’t do or have it all? Well, I’m here to affirm that yes you can do and have all that you want, just with some simple smart moves.
I see that many people become puzzled when it comes to opening a business and still working for someone else at the same time, because this seems to be practically impossible. I know that it may be different from business to business in the way that there are some that really require a full-time supervision of their own, whilst others need that support just in the beginning, after that they can have it running itself.
I’ve been questioning myself on whether it is just the financial freedom that pushes people to make the move to starting a business or it is deeper than that? Well, I could think of many reasons - like not being happy with a current job; or a shortage of money; or perhaps a hidden talent that is calling you to flourish. But I got a sense that most people leave their jobs to become their own employees, which don’t get me wrong is not a bad thing, but I truly think that it must be the difference between being an employee and the owner of a business.
I used to work in a company where I wondered why my boss was always relaxed, never worried, and the good part was that he didn’t have to be in the office every single day of the week for us to see that he was doing his work. He could get to the office anytime or whenever there was really something important to take care of. I have to confess that, at the time, I used to condemn this attitude and I believed that a boss had to be there and work until the last minute.
It is so funny that most of us work for companies where we have no idea who created them, and the only people you know in the business are the ones that supervise you and your work directly. When I decided to quit my job that was one of my goals - to become a relaxed business owner with my company running itself and not become one of the sweating, hard-working employees - exactly what I was doing for others.
After full-time study and research into the subject, I discovered that they created systems and hired smart people to run the businesses, which would mean they would still run even when they were not physically in the company. Implementing systems and investing in the right people to run the business is the key to making the business owner free, both in terms of time and worry.
It just depends on how involved you want to be in your business. Some think that they should make their business a secret. Well, they for sure will be full-time supervisors, because they not only have to worry about the company but also who is copying them. On the other hand, if you choose to be a relaxed business owner, for sure you have no problems sharing or passing on information and insights, because energy flows and we have to move, therefore a system will be suitable for you. Regardless of what you do and how you choose to run your business, it is unique and no-one else can decide what is right for you.
Cátia Mondlane is the CEO & Founder of Isabella – Estética & Cosméticos, an innovative Mozambican cosmetic company that brings natural skin solutions based on locally sourced organic and fresh ingredients. Her brand is especially for people with sensitive skin and who want to be kind to their skin at affordable prices. She is currently based in Maputo, Mozambique.
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