Five Great Perks for self-Bossers

After an out-of-town travel seminar, I found myself on a shuttle to the airport by a young man who asked me where I was and what I did on my trip. When I briefly explained that I have taught seminars on creative self-employment, he said, "I like to work for me, but my company gives me great benefits."

Apparently I was feeling a bit 'saucy that morning. "My company gives me great benefits, too," I smiled. "In fact, my company sent me to Europe every time I want to go."

What kind of benefits you get from your company? My friends would list things like self not having to drive in commuter traffic, being able to work in an office with a fully equipped kitchen or near your cat in your lap while working. But there is no need to stop there. One of the rewards of working for themselves overlooked is the opportunity to create the types of benefits that they truly desire. In addition to the ordinary things, like health insurance and free time, here are five major benefits to be taken into account.

* A massage therapist who makes house calls. Have your massage at home eliminates the stress of driving, when it's over and save your time, too. A friend of mine has her masseuse come late in the evening so you can go straight to bed for a night of extra sleep. Besides this, it is a little 'luxury of having your house therapist.

* A medical savings account. Although they have been around for a while ', HSA has not been particularly well publicized. In essence, an HSA allows you to put money into a special account to pay for healthcare out of pocket expenses. This money is not taxed, however, and can rollover. Ask your insurance provider if they can help establish such an account.

* A techie friend who knows more about you. In fact, I have a team of those friends who patiently coax me to learn new things or answer my questions when I'm perplexed. In the afternoon, when I thought I erased everything on my hard disk, one of them left everything and came to my office at home to restore order. Everyone needs a willing friend.

* An accountant who knows small businesses. It may look sexy taking a big accounting firm, but do not do it if you are a business. People trained to manage corporate affairs do not understand what you are doing. Instead find an account that works from home or small office one who is autonomous.

* A diary and photo album. Magazines are great for exploring thoughts and ideas, but a diary is a record made of the performance of your life. If you can find an old diary and write in 5 years faithfully, you will have an account in the course of your growth. It 's also fun to look back on the same date a year or two years ago and see what they were doing. Similarly, a photo album that tells the life of your business will become a precious memory of what you're there....