3 Jobs That Let You Work For Yourself

If you’re sick of the rat race and trying to climb the corporate ladder, it can be tempting to leave your current job and pursue a line of business where you get to set the rules.

Having more control over your schedule and responsibilities can go a long way in increasing your happiness and productivity, especially if you work from home or remotely for part of the week. Here are several jobs that give you the power to work for yourself, so that you can escape working a traditional 9-to-5 for somebody else.

Run A Franchise

Many people imagine starting a business of their own when they’re looking for a way to work for themselves. But plenty of people don’t want to go through the trouble of starting their own business, building a marketing plan, and reaching an audience. Franchising an existing business is one way to avoid these tasks.

A franchise offers you the option of building upon a brand and using its infrastructure in order to run a company. There are franchising opportunities across a broad range of industries too, so if you aren’t interested in running a fast food business, you don’t need to worry. Starting your own franchise can often be done for less than $50,000, depending on the business you’re interested in running.

Many franchises even offer you the ability to lease equipment in order to run your business, which can save you tens of thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your business. If you’re interested in running your own business, but don’t want to deal with the headaches that come with launching a start-up, running a franchise is a great alternative.

Become A Landlord

Owning and renting your own real estate can also be a lucrative way to work for yourself. Property management can be a rewarding way to make the most of your real estate investments while helping others access well-maintained rental units to live in.

As a landlord, you would be responsible for renting out your available units to tenants and keeping them up to code according to local ordinances. Although this sounds complex, you don’t have to be a DIY nut in order to be a landlord. Half of being a good property manager is hiring other contractors to help with things like plumbing and electrical work.

Best of all, free digital platforms like Turbo Tenant allow you to run your business with powerful web-based software. From tasks like running background checks and accepting tenants to tools that assist with marketing your rentals to potential tenants, a software platform can help you succeed as a property manager.

Start A Consultancy

If you have decades of experience in a particular field, but you’ve just grown tired of the day-to-day routine of working for someone else, it may be worth pursuing different avenues to become a consultant.

Whether you’re a lawyer switching to a solo practice, or you’re a digital marketing expert looking to get out of agency work, becoming a consultant can help you build on past work experiences while using your acumen in a new arena. Make sure to start small as a consultant and build up a rapport with a few clients so that you have testimonials for your work.

It's always good to remember the age-old adage of “underpromising and overdelivering,” albeit with some caveats. While you may be quite confident in your skills, it’s better not to oversell yourself as you look to build relationships with new clients.

It can be scary to consider a major career change, especially later in life. However, it’s never too late to make a change. With careful thought and planning, you’ll be capable of sustaining your current lifestyle or even increasing your earnings as you begin the next exciting chapter in your career.