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I think we all get caught up in the “Impostor Syndrome” from time to time. I know I do. I recently had a discussion with someone on Twitter who, several times, referred to me as a freelancer. I had to make a correction so that he would refer to me as a “business owner” rather than a “freelancer.”

I have never considered myself a freelancer. Yes, our company is small (there’s just two of us) but it’s our full time gig, how we earn a living, and we’ve taken the steps to formally incorporate our company.

So this got me thinking, do you have to have a physical office to be considered a company versus a freelancer? We have always worked from our homes. Our clients are scattered across the country (actually, we have a few overseas) and in-person meetings are rare. Most of our business is conducted via email or phone.

Why would we need a brick and mortar office? There are some benefits to having an office space. You won’t get distracted by your obligations at home. (Stopping to throw in laundry? Guilty, I do that.) You aren’t interrupted by other people who live in home. Since I work from home, I also have a hard time “quitting” at the end of the day. I find myself drifting back toward my office, answering emails, doing other work when there’s time. And of course, there’s the benefit of having people view your company as a “real” company.

The downside, though, is not only expense to my company, but the expense that gets passed on to the consumer. Because we work from home, we are able to offer a lot more value for less cost than larger firms who have to front these overhead expenses.

Prior to starting Sumy Designs, I was a teacher. I taught computer technology to grades 6, 7, and 8 and contrary to what you may hear from other middle school teachers, I really liked it. I liked being in the classroom, I liked the students (even 7th graders!) and I loved finding new technologies to introduce them to. However, the one thing I didn’t like, as a computer teacher (versus a math or science teacher) was that I got the impression that I wasn’t considered a “real” teacher. That label bothered me. I’d gone to college, earned my degree, passed the National Teacher’s Exam, and earned my license. But for some reason, that “real” teacher status was elusive. Perhaps because my class wasn’t required, or perhaps because I wasn’t teaching a core subject, my status as a teacher seemed somewhat lesser. (If you talk to other related arts teachers, ask them if they are a “real” teacher and see what they say.)

That’s always stuck with me, and maybe that’s why the title of “freelancer” doesn’t sit well with me. Is it really a big deal? Probably not. But I don’t want the value of what I offer my clients to be lessened because of an arbitrary title. Of course, this isn’t intended in any way to diminish the role of freelancers… But I definitely don’t think this applies to my business.

Yes, I believe you can work at home, do it successfully, and still earn your “company” status. Curious about where I work? Here’s a shot of my home office. (I need to repaint, but I can’t decide on a wall color.) Susan’s office is much nicer. She’s got more style and ingenuity than me.

office

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Amy Masson, Web Developer
Owner/Developer

Amy Masson

Amy is the co-owner, developer, and website strategist for Sumy Designs. She's been making websites with WordPress since 2006 and is passionate about making sure websites are as functional as they are beautiful.

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