We speak with so many brilliant folks across dozens of industries and when those folks happen to be working for someone else, sometimes we can’t help but wonder why they aren’t working for themselves. How do folks decide between joining a firm or starting their own? We posed the question to the community and have shared some of their responses below.

Jason Epstein

If you’re thinking of starting your own law firm, get ready to have your mind blown. You have to do everything. And I mean everything. I remember those days well. How do you set up an IOLTA account? How do you hire your first employee? Ever entered into a commercial lease before? Where do I get health insurance? How do I manage my books? Do I need to pay quarterly business tax to the municipality where my office is located? Read more>>

Noah Wickham

I have both started my own agency and worked for others. Starting my own really came from just realizing I was expanded to areas beyond my own ability, especially with design. This happens when you are really good in certain areas, and clients would rather work with you than anywhere else. Read more>>

Cindy Lin

If you had told me a few years ago that I’d leave behind a stable job in Taiwan’s financial industry to spend my weekends cycling 100 kilometers, attending fashion events in New York, and balancing it all with analyzing financial data for a public company, I wouldn’t have believed you. Yet here I am, living a life that’s anything but conventional. Read more>>