Have you ever dreamed of being your own boss? Maybe, while waiting for the bus to work or scanning the adverts in the Jobcentre window, youve thought how much happier you would be if you were in control. Just think, if you ran your own business, you would never have to face rejection of your job applications, or the daily fear of a grumpy boss, or the unhappiness of not making the grade in your exams. You could be in charge of your own career destiny.
Entrepreneurs are all around us: theyre on TV in programmes like Dragons Den or The Secret Millionaire . The name may conjure up images of high-flying businesspeople like Sir Alan Sugar or Deborah Meaden, but its just another word for people who have bright ideas and the can-do attitude to turn those ideas into money-making ventures. They are not a super species born to be rich. In all walks of life, from café owners or mechanics to eBayers, there are ordinary people who have turned their ideas or talent into a way to earn a living.
Anything is possible. All you need is an idea and a plan. That idea could be a clever invention, a solution to a common problem, a home-made product that people want to buy, or a skill that someone else will pay for. Whether you clean cars, drive taxis, cut lawns, bake cakes, sell clothes or build houses, if enough people are prepared to pay you you could have your own enterprise.