I’ve had a lot of different jobs in my life. In 1980, when I was only 12, I worked at a plant nursery watering pallets full of trees, mowing lawns, and weeding fields. Since then, I have been a housekeeper, a nanny, a waitress and a salesperson. Office manager, caterer, and bartender are in my repertoire, as well. Just a few years ago, I decided to try something new. After working in an office for 10 years, I found a job I enjoy 100% of the time (and never really seems like work). I made a plan, took a deep breath, and jumped into the world of entrepreneurship; now I work from home and I love it!
One can easily conjure up an image of the proverbial woman business owner… well-dressed, well-organized, and well-spoken. I couldn’t be further from that image, as I own a successful furniture refurbishing/repurposing company that I run from my home. My nails often are coated in paint or stain, I am usually found in a baseball cap and paint-covered jeans, and I can swear like a sailor at any given moment if I accidentally hit my finger with a hammer instead of a nail. Not the definitive image one would connect with being a woman in charge. But I am.
From the moment I wake up each day and pour my first cup of coffee, I grab my planner, and I take charge of my day. It feels great! I am the boss! Sure, there are days when I wonder if I made the right choice, but they are rare. The best things about owning my own business AND working from home? Let me give you the top 5.
The Hours
I have the opportunity to work as many or as little hours as I choose. I prefer to work from about 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. each day, but that changes. The one thing that stays the same? If I work more and produce more, I am happy. I am happy that people like my furniture and it validates me. I work how I want and when I want. Sometimes, I take a few hours off on a Saturday or Sunday. I meal plan for the week, get a couple of things around my house done, and make a business plan and goals for the coming week. If I want to head out to the garage and throw a coat of stain on a table top while in my pajamas, I can do that–and believe me, I do!
Being Home with Family
My hubby, of almost 22 years, is a firefighter and works 24-hour shifts, sometimes longer. When he is home, we actually get to see one another and not just from 4 pm until 9 p.m. 3 times a week, as was our schedule when I worked full time in an office. We now have the option to spend our days together, working together, running errands, picking up lumber, whatever we want. I find that there is more quality time being spent together, rather than just trying to fit everything in a 5 hour window a few times a week. We are in a different season in our lives, as our children are grown, so this works for us.
My Work Environment
In the summer, whenever the mood strikes me, I can walk from my garage to my backyard gazebo in about 15 seconds. There, I can put my feet up for a few minutes and take a break. I don’t have mandatory breaks or lunches. I can chill when I want to, and sometimes I don’t. I usually get so wrapped up with a project that by the time I look up at the clock, I’ve lost a few hours. I’m also able to get my list of household things done during my little breaks. I write a list each day and check them off as I complete them. I find that working from home allows me more of the freedom to do this. My office is a garage that houses a large furniture hoard. Chairs stacked on top of chairs, dressers, buffets, piles of paint cans… It feels so cozy and keeps me feeling creative.
Travel Time
I mean really, my garage is right out my back door. It’s a pretty convenient commute. Other than driving around to collect and deliver furniture, I really don’t put too many miles on my vehicle. Everything I need is within a few miles: the home improvement store, lumber store, and tool shop. Another work-from-home plus? No traffic!
No Office Drama
The only drama I have in the garage is when I spill something, I injure myself, or something doesn’t go as planned. It’s all on ME. I create my work atmosphere and I’m in control of how I deal with it. It’s that simple.
I’m not saying that working from home and owning your own company is better than any other job. Nope. Some of you like working outside of the home. We all have to find what works best for us. For me, that means a cup of coffee in my hand, an old pair of jeans, and my hair tucked under a baseball cap while I sand, paint, and schlep furniture from one place to the next. I will refurbish and refresh furniture for the next few years as we get ready to retire. After that? I hope our retirement includes a bigger garage because I can’t imagine not doing what I do!
