Was anyone an entrepreneur before becoming a nurse?

racing-mom4, BSN, RN · Apr 24, 2008

My husband so I can officially say "we" own a business...One of the deciding factors in my becoming a nurse. Great affordable health Insurance for only having to work 20 hours a week.

One of the things I brought with me from being a business owner to being a nurse is good time mgmt skills as well as good customer service. Plus I am a hard worker because when you own your own buisness you work 7 days a week and if your employees dont get it done, you must. We are ultimately accountable.

Another benefit I just now thought of is alot of my husbands customers are rich Drs so I see them as real people and I am not afraid to talk with them.

I read your post wrong---what are the pros and cons of each?

Pro to being a nurse is a set pay check for hours worked. As well as even though I am responsible for my pts I am not responsible for all of the employees!!!

Con in owning a business, it is life consuming. THere is no punching out and going home and forgetting about your day.

diveRN · Apr 24, 2008

I originally went to school for a computer science degree. While in school and to pay the bills, my wife and I started swimming pool service business that grew into a good sized operation. I didn't go after any jobs in the computer world.

After a number of years in pools and spas, I grew weary of the busy summers and slow winters. My brother in law also has a CS degree so together we started a locally focused Internet Service Provider, which eventually grew into a regional operation. Shortly thereafter, my wife started doing graphic design and web site design, one of her strong suits is in art. Sold the pool business two years later.

Once the big boys found out money could be made with the Internet and just before the dot-com bust, we broke apart the company and sold the bulk of the pieces. The wife still runs a web site/software development firm. It's ours, but it's really hers. I just lend moral support.

I fiddled around and did nothing for almost 3 years before my wife told me I needed to get a 'real' job. I was a volunteer firefighter, taught scuba and motorcycling for the MSF, but those were more hobbies than jobs (at least to her). Save for the firefighter position, which I didn't get paid for, all were done on a contract basis. Also flipped a few houses until Cali real estate went skyhigh.

Thought I'd move my EMS training to the next level, took the didactic portion of a paramedic course but never certified, went to nursing school instead.

A big skill obtained in running my businesses was customer service and how to deal with people. WAY HELPFUL for being an RN. Also relearned how to think critically in the real world.

I had plans to start another business before RN school, but decided I wanted the luxury of not being married to my work. I often put in 100+ hour weeks and went several years without a vacation. Not because I couldn't afford one, but because I was afraid that I'd have nothing to come back to if I left ... and we were just plain busy when the Internet was growing. Towards the end, I started taking time off.

PROS:

- Less paperwork in nursing. Yes, it is true. The paperwork to run a business is staggering.

- Punch in, punch out. I don't take my work home with me. I give it thought sometimes, but never worry.

- Time off. Even though I can't just set my own schedule, I take enough time off that I can enjoy myself and my family.

CONS:

- Politics. Hate it, hate it, hate it. I've never been a game player. I can play with the best of them, but I always endeavored to squish cliques and office politics when I managed my companies.

- Evaluations. To me, evals are a joke, but a necessary function in a business with 4000+ employees. Benchmarks are needed. I never did a formal eval in more than a decade of business and only had five employees (out of more than 80) quit in all that time. I fired a few more than that though.

- Being a peon. My ego sometimes gets in my way now that I'm in my late 30's. I then think back to the 16 hours days and crappy and demanding customers I dealt with before. My decision is affirmed each time.

I plan to do more in the business arena when my son is a bit older and I've ratholed a little more spending cash, but for now... I enjoy taking a week off every two weeks.

Sorry for the long post, hope it helps.

nurturer · Apr 24, 2008

Great question. My husband is a painting contractor and I am a self-employed massage therapist. I was wondering the same thing. I'm not a team player either. But I suppose I will have to be if becoming a nurse as I anticipate. I am very particular and believe that attention to detail and superior customer service is what keeps a business going. Whenever I see someone doing something "half a$$ed" I get very irritated and annoyed. I also have difficulty tolerating "heartlessness." People deserve respect and consideration always....even when they are irritable and grumpy. Small minded attitudes are my biggest peeve. People who bring their home troubles to work and allow it to interfere with compassionate patient care would also be very difficult for me to tolerate. I've been a patient in a hospital only a couple of times in my life. I had some nice nurses and other nurses who obviously couldn't care less about anyone's well-being but their own.

Health insurance for self-employed folks is practically impossible. This is what booted my butt into the idea of nursing. I enjoy helping people, but I also need to make a decent income and provide health insurance for my family. My part-time massage practice was only raising enough money to pay for our insurance......which felt like spinning my wheels. My husband's paperwork and books aren't too bad. I think I can still manage that along with my new nursing career.

GaMBA · Apr 25, 2008

Thanks everyone for your responses. I've been toying with the idea of starting a business, as it's something I've been wanting to do for a long time. However, like some of you, I have practial reasons for wanting to become an RN. I like the security, benefits and time off that come with a regular job, and I'm attracted to the flexibility, stability and good pay that come with the nursing/healthcare field. Thanks for sharing your stories with me, they've certainly given me some food for thought.

magnolia nurse · Dec 6, 2008

some people are suited for being an entrepreneur and others are not,

good info provided.. I want to be a FNP and start my own clinic-sounds ambitious does it.. maybe by the time I finish NP school I'll decide something different..

Jules A, MSN · Dec 6, 2008

Thanks everyone for your responses. I've been toying with the idea of starting a business, as it's something I've been wanting to do for a long time. However, like some of you, I have practial reasons for wanting to become an RN. I like the security, benefits and time off that come with a regular job, and I'm attracted to the flexibility, stability and good pay that come with the nursing/healthcare field. Thanks for sharing your stories with me, they've certainly given me some food for thought.

It sounds like you should do both! Having a nursing degree is a great security blanket. Good luck.