Is it better to be a founder, freelancer or employee? (Personally for you)
I'll be honest – I've never liked the feeling that someone "owns" me.
So being employed was very distant to me. [As if I had no power over my income.]
And being a founder gave me a greater sense of "ownership", but also responsibility. And, when things are not going well, and business is going poorly, you don't really want to be a founder in bad times. :D
Freelancing probably worked out best for me – delivering a service, while also protecting your income and time... although the time part is probably the most exhausting (sometimes the tasks are beyond my strength, and I have to make things up, no social & health insurance, chasing people with paying invoices, etc.). But despite that, it's still my choice.
What suits you the most, and what advantages/disadvantages have you noticed for your preferred choice?
Replies
Freelancing feels like the middle ground to me. More control than a job, less pressure than running a company.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@oliver_hayes1 yes, but sometimes I hate that feeling that I cannot have a day off or holidays (and when I have, noone pays for that) :D
@oliver_hayes1 @busmark_w_nika If the business is flourishing, and money is not an issue, the freelance has to be the best middle ground. I find it hard to find time to educate myself, when the workload it to high. But sometimes we as humans just need to try something new. Not because it's better. Just different than we're use to.
I’ve been an employee, a freelancer, and a founder. Being a founder has been the greatest experience of my life.
It’s harder than I expected, more stressful than people realize, and there’s nowhere to hide when things go wrong. But there’s also nothing like building something that’s truly yours.
As an employee, I learned structure and execution. As a freelancer, I learned independence and how to create income on my own. But being a founder taught me how to build, lead, take risks, solve problems, and keep moving even when things are uncertain.
I honestly can’t imagine trading that experience for anything.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@johnoed There s nothing better than experiencing everything so you can have a sober look at the things :)
I started with being an employee, I was happy about it and then I decided that I want to be a founder and I tried to build a team of developers. At this point I realized fairly quickly that finding good people is a tough task, so I continued working as an employee.
After looking at my CEOs for several years, I realized that the amount of stress that they're getting and the fact that as a founder you need to rely a lot (and I can't stress this enough) on other people (the main issue with that being the fact that if something goes wrong in any process, I'd have to jump in and figure it out instead of just being able to rely on the other people's ability to do their job properly), I realized that I'm staying an employee - for now at least
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@sk_uxpin The thing is that if you have a reliable co-founder, that stress is taken better, but yeah, I have a problem delegating to people, and it is sort of "trust issues."
@busmark_w_nika hell yeah, I know what you're saying - and finding a reliable co-founder is like finding the Holy Graal, right? :D Can probably only happen like once in a lifetime
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@sk_uxpin I haven't manage to do that tho :D
@busmark_w_nika neither did I, unfortunately - not that I was actively looking for one, but... :D
Being a founder sounds freeing until things go wrong then it can feel heavier than any job.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@evan_sterling some founders seem to work 48 hours per day :D
Founders life probably has the biggest upside, but also the heaviest emotional weight.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@miles_anthony2 That's why there are not so many :)
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@lakshminath_dondeti What did you like about being a founder?
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@lakshminath_dondeti I could translate it like "I like to suffer." :D
Scade.pro
Each option has its pros and cons. My husband and I used to work for a company; now I’m a freelancer and he’s a founder—so you could say we’ve tried all three options. For now, we’re happy with how things are.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@maria_anosova Do you somehow help him with his business?
Scade.pro
@busmark_w_nika Not right now (we work separately)
But there was a time when I did
I've always been either an employee or a free-lancer, the former providing more stability while the latter, more flexibility. Recently, I've been looking more and more into starting a business of my own but my insecurities and doubts are still holding me back
ZeroHuman.
Honestly, I think it depends entirely on the situation.
I’ve been an employee before. My salary was great. But people in the company kept reaching out to me outside working hours (24-7), so it didn’t really feel that different from being an entrepreneur. At the same time, my wife had a corporate job where both the pay and the benefits were really good, and she could shut her laptop at 5:30 and forget the world existed. On top of that, she was working from home, and 90% of the time she barely even had to work during actual working hours. In a case like that, I think it’s a thousand times better than being an entrepreneur. She has the freedom + income.
Being a freelancer also depends. If you can’t really get the wheel turning and earn at least what you were making at your job, plus maybe 40–50% more than you made as an employee, then financially I don’t think it’s worth it. Why be a freelancer if the income isn’t significantly higher than a regular job? You still have the stress of clients, admin costs, and admin work. Of course, freedom matters. But even that gets old. After 1, 2, 3 years, even if you’re traveling, where you are doesn’t impress you that much anymore. You’re just changing the scenery.
Being an entrepreneur also depends. If you manage to build structure, then yes. But if you don’t, it becomes a huge burden and a lot of pressure again. You’re constantly communicating with investors, clients, and your employees. Every month, you have to make sure you can cover payments to the state and to your staff. Sure, if you’re successful, it’s easy, but if you’re not, I don’t think it’s pleasant at all.
I think all three are worth it if they match your needs, goals, and way of seeing life. If we’re talking about money, then if you’re successful, it won’t matter anyway. As an employee, entrepreneur, or freelancer, you can make a lot. Plenty of CEOs are employees, and they still make millions. Big deal if they don’t have the title of entrepreneur in that sense. Yes, entrepreneurs probably have the highest upside, but I also know dozens of entrepreneurs who make three times less than a software engineer, or even a bathroom renovation contractor. So income is relative too.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@byalexai What you described in the first paragraph is actually what would be my aim, and used to be until my 21... then I realised that a job is not safe because they can replace you anytime :D
I've been to all three. All three have their pros and cons, and all three have their own time.
I think not everyone can be a founder or a freelancer, which is why there are so many people in the market who fall into all three categories.
What do you think? Which one is better?
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@giorgi_daraselia Not gonna lie, I would like to become a successful founder, but that is pretty difficult.
@busmark_w_nika Good things are never easy.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@giorgi_daraselia THIS!