
The Exchange Society
Why would money flow to you? Money is a measure of value, and the amount of money someone will pay you for something that depends on the value they put on it.
You can see this if you are selling a second-hand car or bicycle. You agree with someone to exchange the car or bicycle for a certain amount of money. There is no established price; what you can get for it depends on the value it is to the buyer.
A few people generate money for themselves by buying things and selling them at a higher price. However, these days most of us generate money by selling our time.
Starting to Earn Money
Young people starting usually get a part-time job of some sort. This may be delivering newspapers, babysitting, or working in a shop. What money we get for our time depends on the value that the buyer puts on it. It won’t be much because it is work that anyone can do without training, and so there are plenty of people who can do it.
In many countries, there is a minimum wage, which is the lowest amount you can be paid for your time. So this becomes the rate which is paid for the lowest value of work.
Becoming an Employee
Once you complete your education, you look for a job where you will be employed to give your time for an agreed amount of money. When you are starting in that job, you will not be paid much because you don’t yet know much about the job.
As time passes, you will gain skill and experience, and these are the two key things you need to raise the amount you are paid. Formal education and qualifications are thought to be more valuable than they are in the eyes of an astute employer. He or she will value skill and experience far more than formal qualifications. Vocational education can play its part but only on top of skill and experience.
The other ingredients to becoming a successful employee, and therefore better paid, are enthusiasm and being willing to go the extra mile.
However successful you become in your job or career, a time will come when you find it irksome working for someone else. This is because you know enough to know how things should be done, and could be done, more efficiently and with better outcomes. Often the organisation, or the people around you, won’t allow you to do it your way.
This is a sure sign it is time for you to work for someone else, preferably yourself.
Working For Yourself
Moving to working for yourself is a high-risk venture but often is the only way to achieve true job satisfaction.
First you need to gain knowledge and skill in the area you are moving into. Academic qualifications are usually of little use but are sometimes required on top of skill and experience.
As we have said, working for other people or organisations is the best way of gaining insight and experience into a sector that interests you. For example, if you fancy running a restaurant, get a job working in someone else’s restaurant to learn the ups and downs, ins and outs and do’s and don’ts of running a restaurant, WHILE SOMEONE ELSE PAYS YOU!
There is much to be learned and prepared for before you start. Far more than we can cover in this course,
Starting Your Own Business by Amelia Jason
Good News Bad News
Like all risks, there is an Upside and Downside
The Upside is you have independence to do what you like. No one can tell you what to do,
The Downside is you have to do everything yourself, as you have no one else to do it. It can be very lonely.
How to Prosper as a Self-Employed Woman
Until recently, it was more difficult for a woman to start their own business, largely due to prejudice.
Today, the emergence of Women’s Business Groups is making the role of women starting their own business a lot easier. That doesn’t mean they don’t have to work as hard, but they can gain encouragement and guidance from other women in business in their area.
The Feminine Difference These groups thrive on the crucial difference between Women and Men in business. That is that MEN COMPETE and WOMEN COOPERATE.
As a result, women are quick to help each other, and there are usually mutually beneficial results.



