Welcome to our blog! Keith Carlson has worked as a nurse since 1996. He received an Associate Degree in Nursing from Greenfield Community College in 1996, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 2001.
Four Things to Consider About Being a Nurse Entrepreneur
More and more nurses are entering the field of entrepreneurship, and while it may not be for everyone, there are particular aspects of being an entrepreneur that are important to consider.
1) Being an entrepreneur means being your own boss: While this may be a dream come true for some nurses, it may be a living nightmare for others. Entrepreneurship puts you in the driver’s seat, making decisions related to every aspect of your business, including finances, advertising, networking, technology, your work style, your business partners, your collaborators and more. You are in charge, and you are not really answerable to anyone, unless you have business partners or investors. It’s a big responsibility, and you want to be sure that this type of working situation suits your needs, your desires, and your personality.
2) What you want to offer is also important: Nurse entrepreneurs are offering everything from health coaching and life coaching to career development and consulting. Nurses bring a plethora of special talents and skills to any situation, and who you are and what you offer are important aspects of how well your service will meet the needs of potential customers.
The service or skill that you are offering as an entrepreneur and businessperson should have a niche market, a financially viable plan, and a way for you to execute that plan through positive action. Consider how many people are offering what you would like to offer, how stiff the competition is, and whether you have some quality or service to set you apart from others in the field.
3) Outside help may be needed: In the current economic climate, there are certain “givens” of which you may not be aware. First, you will need a website and you will most likely need to engage heavily in the use of “social media” on a regular basis (ie: Twitter, Facebook, etc). You will also need to decide whether you will be operating under the auspices of a sole proprietorship, a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), an S-Corp, or another form of business entity. There will also be accounting, bookkeeping and tax concerns to consider.
Taking these (and other unmentioned) issues into consideration, you may need to hire out for accounting, bookkeeping, website development, social media, legal advice, business card and logo design, and other common needs of a new private start-up business.
4. Will it make you happy?: When thinking about running your own business—whether it’s full-time or part-time—it’s important to think about whether this type of endeavor will potentially make you happy and more satisfied, or whether it will be an albatross around your neck.
Many entrepreneurs realize early on that entrepreneurship is not really for them and they would rather simply report to work and receive a regular and reliable paycheck. Meanwhile, others thrive on the challenge and the individual initiative that being a successful entrepreneur entails. There is no judgment either way. Find what works for you, and consider these and other issues when thinking about whether to throw your hat into the ring along with so many other nurse entrepreneurs.
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