Self-employed since 23 y.o
Story of my life:
I’m actually enjoying blogging in this space because 1) I’m a millennial 🤣 2) Livejournal days 3) Blogging was “The Thing” in the early 2000’s. For context, I’m born in 1989. 👀👀👀 Not sure if I belong here!
Turning 37 this June.
What a long way coming. When I was in my 20’s, I realised I didn’t have an answer to a lot of things. How’s my future gonna be? Am I getting married? What would be my first job?
I’ve no answer to any of it. Not having an answer really bugs me. So I decided - since I didn’t know what I want, why not I work with what didn’t I want?
I didn’t wanna build someone else’s company and have nothing left to my name at the end of the day. I didn’t wanna get into a job and be told to leave someday. I didn’t wanna marry someone I didn’t love.
Figuring out my life compass pointed towards a sales path, because starting a company/business of my own in my 20’s with zero funding was definitely impossible. I was broke, just outta university and finding a way.
These thoughts plagued me:
1) What if I fail?
2) What if I’m still broke?
3) What if I achieve nothing after a few years and my friends who’ve graduated would be way ahead of me in the corporate world?
These feelings of fear were loud and ringing, in fact they lived rent-free in my head. But I realized, I wouldn’t get an answer unless I tried. I would only know the full picture if I lived in it.
Why I feel its not for everyone —
1) There is no stability of income. In my first 2 years, some months I did alright while other months, barely scraping the surface. But because I was 23 years old then, there wasn’t anything much to pay except for daily meals and phonebill.
2) The fear of rejection is huge. I’ve lost count of the number of people who’ve said no to me. Sometimes, its hard to pick yourself up and spiraling into self-doubt is norm. You need to have a big heart to believe and your mindset needs to be clear. Imagine every other day you’re facing a setback, earn $0 and still gotta go at it again tomorrow. The weak has no space to survive, as sad as it sounds, it’s true.
3) Choosing to be wise about your time. Because as a self-employed, there is no assignment, project or things that have a deadline. The only deadline you set is the need to transact deals by the end of the month. You don’t have a boss to answer to, you’re only accountable to yourself. Discipline is the only key to success.
4) You’re not only your own boss, you’re also an employee running on highly demanding tasks such as operations (how are you going to serve the clients, time management), marketing (building the business from scratch), contract drafting (going through stringent process checks and making sure contracts are correctly drafted) and sales (calling, texting, updating your clients).
5) Emotional damage. This is not a forgiving trade where mistakes can be made; money is involved — huge amounts of it, calculations must be on point if not accurate to the last cent. The stress is insane. No space for sorry’s, no carelessness can be endured. It’s highly detrimental. Imagine dealing with alarm bells ringing in your mind 24/7 cautioning not to screw up. The stress is over the roof 😂
The list really stretches long. But these are the top 5 reasons I think they’re enough to push many people out of the race and call it quits.
I cannot believe I’ve spent 13 years in this space. When I went into this, I thought I’d be out by year 2. Above all, it’s a people’s business. If you like to mingle, chat and have strong adaptability, you’ll love this job and find 101 reasons to stay.
Now our team has grown to 10 people and our greatest happiness is bringing people together + teaching them everything we know. Empowerment is something I’ve been learning for the past 3 years.
How about you? Will you guys ever consider a job like this? 😂 Let me know in the comments!
#MyPOV #lifeofarealtor #adultingsg #AdultingWoes #realtalkaboutreallife
Starting a self-employed journey at a young age is both thrilling and daunting. From my own experiences, one key factor that helped me persevere through the uncertainty was cultivating a mindset tuned for resilience and flexibility. The early years are especially tough when income is unstable and rejection feels like a daily routine. What helped was setting small, achievable goals each day rather than focusing solely on long-term ambitions. This approach breaks down overwhelming challenges into manageable tasks, boosting confidence and motivation. Additionally, time management skills become critical. Without external deadlines, it’s easy to procrastinate, which can lead to missed opportunities. Creating a disciplined daily schedule that includes dedicated blocks for marketing, client communication, and personal development ensures steady progress. Another realization was that building a support network is invaluable. Engaging with other self-employed professionals or mentors provides emotional backing and practical advice, making the isolation less intense. Emotionally, self-employment demands high resilience. Mistakes directly affect income, so attention to detail is non-negotiable. However, I've found embracing failures as learning opportunities rather than setbacks fosters growth. Staying mindful of psychological well-being — through regular breaks, exercise, or meditation — helps mitigate the stress and emotional toll. The journey also evolves as your business grows. What starts as a one-person hustle becomes a team effort, requiring leadership and delegation skills. Empowering your team while maintaining your vision strengthens business sustainability. Finally, this path suits those who thrive on social interaction since building client relationships is fundamental. If you enjoy connecting with people, adapting to change, and take pride in forging your own path, self-employment could be a rewarding choice despite its challenges.
Nice! What made you choose to be a realtor?