While being an employee can provide benefits like a steady paycheck and health insurance, working for someone else can also be somewhat limiting. Doing well for the company doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll see a bump in your pay and even if you get a bonus, it might not be proportional to the effort you put in.
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In comparison, being an entrepreneur can be riskier, such as in the sense that your income can be volatile based on sales. But in many cases, you can also have a much higher earning potential.
Asia Solnyshkina, founder and CEO of ProSense, a software development agency, is a prime example. She didn’t exactly set out to be an entrepreneur, but she found herself going down that path as a byproduct of her gig work. Below we dive into how it’s led to a place where she now earns more than when she had a boss.
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Finding Herself as an Entrepreneur
Previously, Solnyshkina worked as a product manager at a TV and streaming platform in the CIS region, which is a collection of countries in the area formerly known as the Soviet Union.
“At that time, my salary was considered very good by local market standards, definitely one of the better-paying roles. It allowed me a comfortable lifestyle, but it wasn’t enough to cover unexpected high expenses easily,” she explained.
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Although Solnyshkina didn’t exactly mean to start her own business, after years of agency work, she felt like working at a product company felt too slow. So, when a friend reached out to help with a small project, she agreed to do so to tap into the energy she missed, even though there wasn’t really a financial incentive.
However, one project became two and she started upselling that client and soon after got another client. “I just kept saying yes,” she said. After about a year, she realized she had grown her side hustle into something that could work as a full-fledged agency.
“Since starting my own business, my earnings have grown substantially, providing me a greater sense of financial stability. This improvement matters a lot to me, particularly because my daughter has a rare genetic syndrome and the necessary treatments are often quite expensive. Having my own business lets me respond flexibly,” Solnyshkina said.
“Now I can pick up extra projects, consult on specialized topics or expand my workload when needed. This kind of flexibility has been incredibly reassuring compared to what I experienced in traditional employment,” she added.
To grow her business, her primary approach has been to partner with creative agencies that hire ProSense for developmental work, she explained.
“Additionally, I’m actively building connections with CTOs and consultants who advise startups; we collaborate closely with them to support their projects,” she added.
Tapping into her personal network has also been valuable, but she’s not settling for where she’s at. Instead of just relying on these other connections, Solnyshkina said she’s currently looking into other ways to scale more independently and internationally.
Advice for Future Entrepreneurs
For those who want to work for themselves to try to make more money than if having a boss, Solnyshkina’s path could provide a valuable lesson in terms of building up a business on the side, rather than taking so much risk by jumping straight in.
“With enough energy and fire, you can build a serious startup after hours. Progress may be slow, but it’s real. Keep the safety net, let the venture grow on its own terms and step into the spotlight only when it’s strong enough to carry you,” she said.
“Choose something you genuinely love, put effort into making it profitable and stick with it even if it’s hard. It’s not the common advice you’ll hear, but balancing two jobs provided me both experience and security, ultimately letting me create something meaningful and financially rewarding,” Solnyshkina added.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I’m Self-Made: How I Make More Money Than I Did When I Had a Boss
