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14 Comments

Ask IH: What's your "WHY"?

Hi, Joe from Budibase here.

As we are mostly makers/founders on this platform, or people thinking about starting their own thing, we have our own individual reasons, we have our own 'WHY'.

What's your why?

Why start a business/project, why work for

  1. 4

    I strive for freedom. Freedom to choose the place I work from. Freedom to choose the time I work. And Freedom to choose the project I work on.

    1. 1

      This sums up our thoughts exactly. Freedom to do things your way.

  2. 3

    I couldn't work for someone else no more. I was 'unemployable' almost as I couldn't give my 100% effort to my employer as I had side-projects going on. My interest was always on my side projects. When I found the right side project, solving the right problem for the right reasons, I left the 9-5.

    I'm building a marketing platform and I'm doing it because I need it to solve some of my own business problems.

    1. 1

      Same! I also was contantly thinking that I new better with regads to running a team and managing a product (though still have great respect for all my previous employers).

      Couldn't sit back and be an armchair critic anymore - time to see why i am wrong about my views!

  3. 2

    Same as others: freedom to choose. Couldn’t stand 9-5, said no more and that was it.

    1. 1

      9-5 works for some but I felt I was a lot more productive at other times of the day - which some employers don't understand.

  4. 1

    When I started, I just wanted to make a few bucks solving a problem I wanted solved for myself. Wanted California down-payment kind of money. As the positive responses came from all over the world, my motivation changed to building a sustainable income that would add freedom from the financial straight jacket of the corporate grind.

    Unless something amazing happens, I still expect to work a job, but with the security that major expenses are covered. That security helps choose a job with more freedom and satisfaction while still covering healthcare, retirement and an updated resume.

    I have many 'unemployable' friends and I rather like working in a team environment where I'm responsible for something, but not everything. My friends "have" to be entrepreneurs of some type because they can't have a 'boss'.

    1. 1

      It really comes down to the job you have, and the project. I found Budibase too demanding to be a side project which I feel lucky for.

  5. 1

    I'm currently employed full-time. I like my job. I kinda enjoy the project on which I'm assigned. I like the people I work with.

    The problem is I don't LOVE any of this.

    That's why I'm working on my own thing on the side. I'm still pre-MVP stage, but it's really energizing working on something that I have total control over.

    When I generate some income, I'll be able to cut back my hours at my regular job to dedicate more time to my own things. Basically I'll have more freedom in my work, and that's essential to me.

    1. 2

      Ownership was important for me. Taking control and doing things my way. I became almost unemployable when I started Budibase because it's all I could think about.

  6. 1

    I use to say I strive for freedom, I think I still do, but increasingly I feel like I'd like to strive for stability. I'm getting old and boring :) but I kind of feel that if I can create stability in my life (especially financially) then I can be free too. I'm still thinking about this one though.

    1. 1

      If you can stand working for others, I find the side-hustle mentality can be the best of both. I'm old too and my role models were the firefighters would flipped houses on the side. They got full pensions, healthcare, good vacations, retirement at 50 and they made decent (although sporadic) money in real estate. It was both exciting and stable. What I'm looking for now is stable work I can do for only 6-9 months a year so I can be in Thailand working my SaaS the rest of the time.

      1. 1

        This sounds like an awesome setup!

    2. 1

      Yes , financing this freedom is tough but at least we get 100% of the revenue.

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