The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) recently conducted some research into small businesses. The research surveyed 2000 adults from across the UK about a variety of issues around small businesses. The results found that almost two-thirds of Britons would like to be their own boss. People believe that small businesses have an important role to play in those communities. Some 96% of those surveyed believe that small businesses remain vital to their towns and cities.
The entrepreneurial spirit is even stronger among 25-34 year olds, with three-quarters aspiring to one day run their own company. Glenn Collins, head of business advisory services for ACCA said “It is hugely encouraging that so many respondents – especially so many young people – aspire to be their own boss. This entrepreneurial attitude bodes extremely well for the next generation of business leaders.”
When you make the decision to become a contractor, you often become your own boss. You decide when to take up your next contract, how much to charge for your services and avoid office politics. It is widely thought that people who choose to become a contractor carry entrepreneurial traits. There is no such thing as a typical contractor, but there is a collection of skills, experience and attributes that make it possible for people to choose to become a highly successful contractor.
Dave Chaplin from Contractor Calculator says all the successful contractors he has met are often highly skilled and passionate about their work. They’re not afraid to work hard but aren’t interested in climbing corporate ladders. The hardest part about contracting is making the decision to leave the perceived comfort and security of permanent work and to go and get that first contract. Once that decision has been made, most wonder why they didn’t choose to become a contractor years before.
