Damn this hits. My dream is a solo firm where I deal with nobody. I’ll never get there of course because the world runs on relationships.

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ChrisMarshallNY 10 hours ago | parent [-]

Businesses actually require even more relationships than standard wage slaves. Consultants need to be even more of a "people person." The main difference is that, for an owner, they "have no boss." (In quotes, because customers tend to be even more demanding "bosses," than managers).

My experience, from knowing quite a few business owners, is that they are always "angling for the edge." They want to squeeze every bit of advantage, out of every relationship/deal they have. Almost every relationship is adversarial and competitive. Lawyers can be the same way. The best ones, consider every interaction to be combat.

I'm not wired that way, so I'm not a particularly effective business owner.

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trollbridge 10 hours ago | parent [-]

A business owner has lots of bosses: basically every customer.

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vrganj 10 hours ago | parent [-]

That's true, but as business owner you can also fire your boss.

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awb 9 hours ago | parent [-]

Employees can quit too.

In both scenarios, it really depends on how many alternative options for income you have available.

	▲	vrganj 7 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Sure, but as a business you're ideally already somewhat diversified in clients. As employee, it's all or nothing.