How many are self employed?

[ossian]

How many of you girls out there are self employed?

What freedoms has it given you?

What are the downsides?

I'm curious, right now I'm self employed and feel more free to explore cross dressing options than I am if I was in a conservative work environment with lots of people unfamiliar with CD'rs.

[Jenni Yumiko]

Not self employed but I work from home, my office is 1000 miles away. It does and it doesn't, I'm usually too busy to do anything, there's also the fear of the impromptu video conference.

[Ressie]

I've been self employed on and off, part time, full time for many years. Public perception is important when in a service business for yourself - which is one reason I don't dress in public.

[Kimberly Michelle]

I am self employed, have been for many years. I am allowed to under-dress at work since I have a very open policy about that (for me anyway!). I am proud that I can do what I do well and can explore new avenues of the business at my own discretion. I get to worry about too much work, not enough work, juggle money in and out. It has given me the freedom of not having to suck-up to a demanding, unappreciative boss but rather do it for almost every client/ customer unless they become a royal PITA, then I can tell them to go elsewhere for their needs. It has also afforded me the advantage of working nights and weekends when needed with none of the additional mathematical problems as to having to figure out how much "time and a half" is. Get to go to work even when sick because I can't call the boss.

Now the disadvantages... oh wait, just about the same as the advantages.

[Lisa Gerrie]

I have been successfully self-employed since 1987 but for most of that time I had employees either in an office or working out of my home. Not conducive. Only recently (Christmas) have my professional and living circumstances become favorable for crossdressing. Divorced; living alone; work at home; no employees; and fortunately no changes in sight. I smile a lot these days.

> What freedoms has it given you?
> What are the downsides?

You can work any hours you want... as long as you work 12 of them per day. Seriously, for me the pros far outweigh the cons. :) A lot depends of course on whether or not you can support yourself and have anything left over for pantyhose.

[Allison Chaynes]

I recently lost my job and find time to CD while I work from the computer, writing.

[Lorileah]

I have had my own business for 26 years. Recent economic issues have made it a lot tougher but I hang in. About 25% of my clients know about "me" and all are supportive. They better be in the future of they will have to find a new Vet :)

[Maria S]

I was self employed. Freedom - what's that? 7 day weeks working sometimes to 1-2am. Dressing? Little chance! Did not have enough energy or enough time. Also hard enough to establish a customer base without alinating them by crossdressing.

Maria

[STACY B]

Count me in !! I wouldn't have it any other way ,, As a matter of fact I planned it So I could wear whatever I wanted an do what I want . Dump Truck Delivery Lady !! LOL,,,, An lovin every second of it

[Tracii G]

Sooo Satcy you are dumpy old lady? Shame on you GF LOLOLOL.

I'm a self employed guitar repair technician.
Part time girl guitar player for studio fill ins and over dubs.Part time roadie as well.

[STACY B]

Oh Crap ,,, I almost forgot ... I am also a part time cleaning LADY ,,, LOL,,,

[Jennifer in CO]

self employed here for 22 years in the real estate business (not sales). I dress 24/7 but its to blend as a "smartly dressed guy". Only once has it ever come close to being a problem. I showed up at the customers door and she was wearing the exact outfit I had on. (Ok - different slacks but they were the same black), same black blouse tho and similar shoes. The only comment I heard back from the client was she thought I was very professional...

[paulaprimo]

i've been self employed for the past 25 years. im lucky enough to have good managers so i seldom have to show up, and can do the majority of work
from my home office so i can pretty much dress whenever i like. but being in a small town, when i do go out it has to be
in the next town over. :)

[docrobbysherry]

I started my own surfboard business when I was 15. I didn't know s--- from shinola back then. Which was about 35 years before I began dressing. However, after a few years I learned enuff about people, business $$, and sales to start my own REAL business after I survived the Army. That was 40 years ago.

Working for and by yourself can be both/either lonely and enervating. It depends on the person involved. I know a few very talented and bright folks that failed at their own businesses. Because no one was there to check when they came in or how hard they worked.

Here's a self test for all of u considering having your own business:

Winners do the things they HAVE TO DO to become successful. And, will stick with it no matter how long it takes. Start your own business. U won't fail!

Most folks have to be pushed to do what they need to do to survive. Don't start a business. U have little chance of succeeding!

My REAL business? Real estate.

[Rogina B]

I have always been self employed.Now retired from being at sea commercial fishing worldwide,I do major commercial boat projects for others.I live near the shipyard and am only in boy mode while there.Being self employed has allowed me to live a genderfluid lifestyle.

[RADER]

I was part time self employed, Carpentry Construction.
I was full time employed, then on the weekends, I was my own Contractor.
Did real good too; But I am glad I am retired, and now have time to dress.
Rader

[MsJanessa]

I was self employed. Freedom - what's that? 7 day weeks working sometimes to 1-2am. Dressing? Little chance! Did not have enough energy or enough time. Also hard enough to establish a customer base without alinating them by crossdressing.

Maria

Ditto---worked for myself (and to pay my office staff) for 18 years, quite 16 years ago to work for state and then the federal government and I'm much happier, even with sequester days etc.

[nhlighthouse]

I have been se;f-employed for the past 15 1/2 years and have only been underdressing since February 0f 2013. No dress code set by anyone else but me and how I want to feel for the day and what type of work I would be doing for that particuler day. I service various clients at their location and would not wangt to shook the hell out of by them all of a sudden seeing a female doing my job. It could make my client(s) uneasy at least, so I for now just underdress....what they don't know won't hurt/kill them then maybe if they did might! The perks is that I can hit alot of stores for bargins...isn't that what it is all about? Shopping for great bargins?
Peace to all....Mykchelle

[Nitas]

Self-employed, work at home, cross dress 24/7. Computer based business/bldg design/architect. No face to face contact with customer base. Phone conferences sure, but no camera's allowed! :)

Ditto, except for the bldg design/architect part, web/app development and graphic design for me.

[Christinedreamer]

I have been in professional audio Visual presentation business for 45 years. My dad started me out in the fifties working with him as a little kid in the brand new industry of television;WAAAAAAY before computers. Our company provided these services all over the country and for every type of business and medical profession, the USG, international conferences etc. It has been a fascinating business and allowed me insight into subjects and information the genera public almost never sees. I specialized in building and modifying AV equipment and then moved into building custom remote controls and audio interfaces for multiple computers.

Working in my in my shop adult years, I found underdressing t be impossible as when even part of me was in femme mode, my mind wanted nothing to do with working in my shop! Quite a dilemma. So I simply waited until after I called it a day to come home and get "comfy". This is still my modus operandi.

[Amanda M]

As long as I'm consulting online, (not by video, though) I can wear what I like, but always in male mode when face to face with clients. Strangely enough though, work and male mode seem to fit with each other.

[alice clair]

I also am self employed, but i own a towing company and i have known most of the mechanics in the area for 35 or 40 years so i can't really come out to anyone around here. But my wife and i do go out of town occasionally and i dress in mostly fem clothes, ladies jeans and tops opentoe sandals with my toenails painted, and an a cup bra. So i do have fun on those outings just not around here. But when i get home i shower and dress in something pretty everyday.

[alwayshave]

I am self employed, but it gives me very little freedom. I have always underdressed, but do not want my hobby exposed in my professional space. I have employees and clients and I'd prefer they just not know.

[kimdl93]

I have been for 4 years now and its been very liberating. I still present as male when I'm interacting in person with clients, but live en femme almost full time outside of those occasions.

[TGMarla]

I am self-employed, but I also have the discipline (most of the time) to pay attention to business over pleasure.

However, now my wife works from home, and everything in my life related to crossdressing has changed. I now get to dress about once or twice a month. It sucks.

[stephNE]

I am/have been self employed, for about three years now. There are certainly good things and bad things about it. I really can't dress when I want, as I need to be very careful when I might be interacting with my clients. There are a few clients that would have difficulty with hiring me if they knew. But there are many days I can take off, dress and go out of town, etc. I've had a number of mid day makeovers, shopping sprees, etc. Being out in the day time is just wonderful. But I don't get to take off "when I want" as many clients are demanding, and losing one would be a bad situation for me.

[Crissy Kay]

I work at home too. But, since its an apartment, I confine my cding to weekends. During weekdays, I do not know who will be dropping by.

[Meg East]

I am a small business owner with eight to ten employees and clients spread over four states which limits what I can do.

[Beverley Sims]

If you work from home in the IT and website design dept you can really spread your wings.
Sometimes you do have to meet clients who do not know.

[Ericaxd]

I work at home 3 days a week, which means I can "dress for the office" more often than most. I get dressed like any woman would for the workday, then go to work (except for an occasional coffee break here.)

[Debra Russell]

Self employed 45 yrs - advertising - place of business, not at home, interact with clients and public everyday --- in male mode. Selected people know of my femm personna = time to dress? limited at best..............Debra

[stephNE]

This is a really interesting thread. Are all cross dressers self employed? That would be very unusual to discover.

[Sheila11]

Self employed for the last 25 years in a successful and well known retail business. This allows for no dressing at work and since I am the public, upfront face of my business literally thousands of local people know my face and name. I constantly see my customers in different places.

Because of my successful business I have also been able to cut my hours and plan days off for dressing and shopping when my wife is busy elsewhere. Fortunately I live in a metropolitan area and can escape to the other side of the city to do some shopping or dinner.