Self Employed on Shine

5 things every small business owner should consider

nospam@example.com ()

REAL SIMPLE. REAL LIFE. financial expert Farnoosh Torabi helped

Job security. Come again?

nospam@example.com ()

I’ve now realized that job security is an oxymoron. Seriously, the two words just do not go together as they once may have. So when I was offered the chance to accept a 3-month contract, there wasn’t much to think about. Yes, I accept! You’ll take me – even if you don’t know if you want me past 3 months! At an earlier time, I may have held out for a permanent position. (There’s another oxymoron). Yet in some pre-economic-meltdown era I would have second-guessed this about a hundred times. I would have wondered if accepting the short-term offer would mean missing out on a permanent job that was just around the corner. But now? Is there much to think about?

The hair biz stands up despite a down economy

nospam@example.com ()

A U.S. Department of Labor projection shows that between 2002 and 2012, the salon industry is expected to add 111,090 jobs. By 2012, the industry will include 865,000 workers, a 14.7 percent increase over 10 years. In addition to these numbers, many cosmetologists and stylists choose to be independent contractors renting space from salon owners and managing their own business needs.

So at the end of the day, it seems the salon business weathers an economic downturn fairly well. Personally, I think I'd give up a lot of things before I'd let anyone see the gray hairs sneaking through. How about you?

Business card bonanza for the newly self-employed

nospam@example.com ()

There are many adjustments one must make when one branches out on her own as a self-employed or freelance worker: when the copy machine jams, you have to fix it yourself; no one takes your trash out at the end of the day; and there's also no one to automatically design and order your business cards—but that's not actually such a bad thing, since corporate business cards are usually pretty boring. To help you get inspired to find cards that send just the right message—whether it's that you've got great taste or are a no-b.s. kind of person—we've rounded up 8 distinctive options for your consideration. All you've got to do now is pick a style (or design your own), brush up on your networking skills, and, ahem, learn to operate your copy machine like a pro.

Self-employed dilemma: Finding (affordable) health insurance

nospam@example.com ()

If you've ever been self-employed without the luxury of a working spouse or partner who has health insurance benefits, then you know how maddening searching for affordable insurance while worrying you'll get sick before you find it can be.

After hearing from so many self-employed, uninsured workers on her Shifting Careers blog, The New York Times' Marci Alboher put together some helpful resources and advice in this "Finding Health Insurance If You Are Self-Employed" piece.