You
finally did it! You managed to get away from the madness of urban
life and build your own homestead. Now you raise your own meals; you
take care of the land, buildings, livestock and a home. That sweet
taste of freedom and accomplishment that homesteading brings is beyond
compare to your old way of life. But, you still have that 8-5 grind
and, chances are, you now spend extra time in a daily commute from
your homestead to the place where you serve that 8-5 grind. The quest
for the almighty dollar drives you to keep up that grind in the
pursuit to meet your financial needs. However, could your homestead
enable you to leave that grind? Is there a hidden opportunity lurking
within all the labor you have invested in your homestead? Is it
possible that your homesteading skills are offering you an alternative
way to make a living? Has self-employment become a viable option for
you?
If
the self-employment option is calling and you desire to leave the rat
race of the corporate world behind then the first thing you need to do
is to simply brainstorm. Begin by making list of all the skills that
you have, including the new ones that you earned while working to
build your homestead. Things at which you probably became adept could
qualify as light construction or handyman-type skills. Other areas in
which you may have gained skills are fencing and livestock care. In
the process of gaining and practicing these skills, did you obtain
tools and equipment that you now own?
If you
purchased your own tools, they can now assist you in helping to plan
your self-employment future. Many dreams of self-employment are lost
due to lack of equipment and supplies so make a list of any and
everything that you already possess that could help you to achieve
your goals.
Next, make
sure of any rules or regulations that exist in your area concerning
the type of work that you are considering. You can usually find all
state laws and regulations, including any licensing requirements, on
your state government web site. Also make sure to check with county
authorities and any other government entities so that you might be
working within their boundaries. Research and make sure of anything
that might be a legality affecting your future career. Remember,
preparation pays off in the long run and if you are considering more
than one idea, you will need this information to compare and contrast.
You have
been researching what would be the best way for you to make a break from
the corporate grind, now you need see how you can make your ideas fit
into a work niche so that you can get started on your way to
self-employment.
Take a
close look at what opportunities seem to be the most plentiful around
you and look at which of your strongest skill sets fit into these
opportunities. Handyman is a broad scope job description, if you
choose to exercise several of your learned skills at the same time
then perhaps this is an option for you. A self-employed handyman
really has no limits, however some jobs a handyman has to do may not
be all that appealing, so carefully think about what opportunities are
available in your area.
At some
point on your homestead adventure you have probably had to construct a
fence to keep in your livestock or perhaps more like keep the
predators out. This skill can be of great value, as a lot of
people would rather pay to have them installed rather than build the
fences themselves. This particular job requires a good truck and
trailer and a few tools but it does have drawbacks that must be
considered. Such as the travel required if you want to have
steady fence building work. It may also require a lot of up
front cost in purchasing supplies. This type consideration may
not be a problem for some but a problem for others so try to look at
all possible scenarios.
