Enterprise is tough but rewarding

I WAS delighted to read Dr Alex Lin's article "Why society can no longer ignore the call for entrepreneurship" (The Business Times, May 7, 2020) because he has rightly pointed to the essential role entrepreneurs play in building up resilient societies.

My own experiences as an independent contractor have shown that entrepreneurship is a tough but rewarding path. I started as a self-employed media relations consultant in the 2001 recession, when I left my first job after a four-month stint. A friend told me to look at going straight to potential clients to get money rather than looking for an employer who had clients to get paid.

How did it all turn out? It was tough trying to convince people that I was a worthwhile service provider. As well as providing the service I was selling, I had to learn about things such as compliance, tax, invoicing and other skills involved in running a business.