Being self-employed can be a great way to work as it offers a lot of freedom in terms of working hours, staff and the overall control of your business. It can be a liberating and rewarding way to earn a living and many self-employed people enjoy working for themselves, but there are some downsides to it.

While many like the freedom of being self-employed, others feel an increased pressure which can offset the perks. Being employed by someone else can provide you with a sense of security for limited input, compared to being self-employed where you have to be in control of everything to ensure your business runs smoothly.

Working under someone else may limit your creativity and freedom, but in return you will receive a guaranteed income. The financial instability of running a business is often the primary downfall for many business owners, as the need for organising everything from insurance through to complying with tax regulations can soon cause numerous monetary problems.

Business insurance

When you run your own business, you will need to take out business insurance. This will act as a financial safety net in the occurrence that your business suffers from loss due to an unforeseen event. There are many different types of business insurance that range from legal liability and employee-related risks through to property damage. Which insurance you choose to take out will be determined by your income, your budget, your business forecast, the type of business you run, potential risk factors and the type of environment that the business specialises in.

Business insurance costs money but is something that all business owners need to consider, in order to protect their company.

Financial instability

For the majority of business owners, especially small or new start-up companies, the financial instability of running a business is often the biggest drawback. It is your responsibility to manage the business and this includes ensuring that there is enough money coming in every month to run it successfully.

Creating new business, managing existing business and making the necessary changes to keep up with the competition are all important factors to consider as a business owner. While the rewards of running a business can be huge, the downside is often the financial burdens that come as a consequence. 

Tax regulations

Another important factor to consider is your tax. As a business owner it is your responsibility to ensure that you pay your tax correctly, as getting behind on tax payments can quickly have a detrimental effect on your finances. Tax regulations often change and it is vital to ensure you keep up to date with any changes in the sector to ensure you are on top of all of your tax payments. For many business owners, the easiest way to manage tax payments is to use a professional accounting company to control this on your behalf. That way, you can be sure that all of your taxes are paid with limited hassle.

If you are planning on starting up a new business or you want to turn around a failing company, then you will need to consider many different aspects including taking out business insurance, how you will comply with tax regulations and how you plan to ensure your finances continue to flow positively.