Going It Alone - Part 1: Getting Started

In a September 2014 article in the Wall Street Journal, Lauren Weber noted that 1 in 3 Americans is now a freelance worker, according to a report from the Freelancers Union. And as an artist or crafter, the odds are very good that you are, or one day will be, one of them.

Many of ACT’s customers are working for themselves, so we want to help by gathering information that might be useful to them. Because there is so much information and many different topics that can be discussed, we have decided to create a series of blog posts to cover as many of those topics as possible. This is the first in a 6 part series on how to succeed when you are your own boss. The posts will run every two weeks and by the end we hope that you will have enough information to be a little more comfortable with running your own business.

We’re going to begin with motivation. Whether you have been working on your own for years or are just now beginning to take the step, having the right mindset is important. Luckily, there are people who have gone before and succeeded. They shared lessons and gave advice that can help you along your journey.

The following are 10 quotes from experts about everything from getting started to customer service that you can use as you “go it alone.”

1. “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” - Steve Jobs
2. “The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing.” - Walt Disney
3. “What do you need to start a business? Three simple things: know your product better than anyone, know your customer, and have a burning desire to succeed.” - Dave Thomas
4. “Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.” - Mary Kay Ash
5. “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” - Warren Buffett
6. "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou
7. "Do what you can, where you are, with what you have." - Teddy Roosevelt
8. "Every time you state what you want or believe, you're the first to hear it. It's a message to both you and others about what you think is possible. Don't put a ceiling on yourself." - Oprah Winfrey
9. “High expectations are the key to everything.” - Sam Walton
10. “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” - Mark Twain

We hope that after reading this post you are a little more motivated with “going it alone.”

Have other quotes or ways to motivate others you want to share? Want to discuss your “going it alone” success stories? Please comment below.