[How to Run a Web Design Business with Paul Boag: A Lifestyle Choice Deep Dive]

So let's move on and look at the crucial thing for me and the thing that we

discussed right at the very beginning which is this

idea of building a lifestyle business.

A business that supports the life that we want to live.

Work to live. Never live to work.

There are basically two types of businesses.

There are those with an exit strategy I mentioned in the last video

and there are those lifestyle businesses that are developed

to facilitate the lifestyle that you want to live.

Now as you have gathered, I'm a huge fun of the second type of business

and I think most web designers fall into this category.

They like the idea of building a business that supports their lifestyle.

People become their own boss for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, they have this image that if they become their own boss

and set up their own business, they'll have more time.

They'll have more money and more freedom in what they do.

Unfortunately, the reality is not always that.

I've got to say that a lot of the freelancers and web designers I know

that who've gone and set up by themselves, they're undercharging

from their work a lot of the time and they're also at the whims of clients.

Essentially, all of those things that they wanted from setting up

their own businesses, they failed to achieve.

Now they tend to justify it to themselves by saying that things will get easier

but I have to say to you, don't live for the future.

Your business should facilitate your lifestyle today.

And so don't set up the business where you're willing

to sacrifice those ideas you had when you first set it up.

You wanted more freedom. You wanted to work less hours.

You wanted to be your own boss. Hang on to that.

Ask yourself, what was your perfect job be like?

And then keep focused on that vision.

If your perfect job is working less, make sure you work less.

If you're getting too busy, either hire another member of staff

or don't take on as many projects.

If your perfect job is to be your own boss, make sure you don't take

on that project which you know has got a really difficult client

who's going to turn into a pain in the neck.

If something is going to take you further away from your vision, don't do it.

Stay focused--Remember, you're in control of your business

and not the other way around.

It's easy for your business to turn into this monster that you have to

constantly feed with work and it ends up dictating to you

but that's not the way it should be.

Ultimately, a lifestyle business is about facilitating your lifestyle

but remember this as well, it's not just about facilitating your lifestyle,

it's also about facilitating the lifestyle of your employees too.

If you've hired someone, that's not an excuse to dump all the rubbish on them

because you don't want to turn into one of those bosses

You're trying to create a business that facilitates the

lifestyle of everyone that works in it.

Stay focused on their aim and I can promise you that you will enjoy your work

so much more and you will enjoy working with your colleagues.