Dear friend,
What's the difference between being self-employed and being a business owner?
When you work for yourself, you own a job. Instead of being employed by a company or organization, you are your own boss; you have employed yourself.
Being a business owner means that you create and maintain a system. Instead of merely "owning" a job and employing yourself, you also employ others and manage an organization.
When you own a system instead of a job, there is far more potential to scale and grow. Systems grow beyond your own expertise and abilities, and are the only way to make a truly deep impact within your field.
Owning a system also implies much more uncertainty and risk. You are forced to rely on others and you have to learn how to communicate well.
Effective communication is perhaps the most important skill for transitioning from owning a job to owning a system. If you cannot communicate well with others, it's nearly impossible to set expectations, get results, and create a dynamic system within your organization.
I hope you had a nice (and relaxing) summer. I know it has been extremely challenging one for many, but I hope you and your family are safe and well! As always, feel free to reach out to me at alex@newpathconsulting.com if you ever need any help with Wild Apricot solutions or with your website.
Here is the September 2020 edition (#81) of the monthly NewPath Consulting newsletter.