From working in the French Alps to overcoming the uncertainty that can come with running your own business, Product Design Consultant John Boyle tells of his self-employed journey so far.

Tell us about your business!

My business is aimed at providing experience and product design consultancy to a range of organisations, going into such organisations and helping them drive value through design to deliver for their customers.

What prompted you to go self-employed?

I was looking for a more flexible work-life balance – giving me the opportunity to take time out to see the world. Along with that, I wanted the variety of working with different clients in size, maturity and business sector.

What were the biggest challenges you had to overcome when starting out?

Initially, it felt like there was quite a large knowledge gap for a person who had never done this before. It took me a little bit of time to really understand the ins and outs of setting up a foundation for success. There were also a lot of ‘little but often’ tasks that needed doing so I spent a while really building up habits to handle these.

What do you like most about working for yourself? And what do you dislike?

The rewards are direct, the more you put in, the more you get out – it makes putting in the extra hours so much more worth it. There are the more menial tasks involved in running a business and it isn’t always plain sailing but the positives massively outweigh the negatives.

How has Crunch helped you during your self-employed journey so far?

Crunch has been my go-to for anything I need to know. Any question (even those that feel really stupid) has always been handled professionally and quickly. Both the software and the customer service have been great in my experience.

What’s your biggest success story from your time being self-employed?

I’ve been able to meet personal life goals whilst still running a business. In December of 2018, I was able to move to the French Alps and spend five months skiing whilst still working with selected clients in the evenings.

What would be your top tip to anyone thinking about going self-employed?

Understand both the pros and cons of taking the jump. There is a lot of stress involved as well as times of uncertainty. If you have the perseverance, such times will be worth it when you see the rewards of working for yourself.