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Self-Employment - alis
Working for yourself provides great rewards. It also comes with challenges. These articles and links will help you decide if it's the right career choice for you.
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Government's holiday closure runs from December 24 to January 1, 2025. For emergency supports, please visit alberta.ca or call the Income Support Contact Centre at 1-866-644-5135.

Getting Started

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How to Start a Business in Alberta

Have you ever dreamed of being your own boss? You may be keen to call the shots and shape your destiny. Maybe you’re frustrated by the job opportunities in your field. Whatever your reason, starting your own business can be rewarding and challenging.
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Self-Employment: Will Your Idea Succeed?

How do people come up with great business ideas? Will your business idea fill a need? More importantly, will it be financially successful? Here are some tips for inspiring and sizing up great business concepts
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Self-Employment: Is it for You?

Do you dream of being your own boss? Working for yourself may allow you to set your own schedule, work from home, or do the work you most enjoy. But there are many things to think about before moving ahead.
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Entrepreneurship: Is it for You?

Entrepreneurs typically have the vision and drive to make their idea a success. Does this ring true for you? If so, entrepreneurship could be the career path for you.
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Self-Employment: Finding Your Way

Do you want to work for yourself? Find out more about some of the ways to be self-employed.
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Self-Employment: Traits and Attitudes

People who are successfully self-employed share certain traits and attitudes. Find out what they are and whether you share them, too.

Find Success

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Write Great Proposals to Win Business

For many self-employed people and small business owners, the word "proposal" might conjure up images of dusty binders filled with legalese. But in reality, proposals can be a powerful tool for unlocking business opportunities and expanding your client base.
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Funding Your Entrepreneurial Dreams

Taking the leap into self-employment can be an exhilarating experience. When you have a fantastic idea for a product or service, you naturally want to turn it into reality.
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Buy Yourself a Business—And a Job

Buying an existing business can be a great alternative to working for someone else or starting a business from scratch. It offers a path to financial freedom and the satisfaction of running your own show.
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Balancing Your Day Job and Side Business

Ever dream of turning your hobby into a side hustle, or maybe even a full-blown business? You're not alone. Many ambitious people juggle a day job with dreams of entrepreneurial success.
woodworking business owner
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Succeed Through a Non-Traditional Business

Not interested in a corner office at an established company? Side hustles, non-profits, local farming, eco-conscious businesses, ethical design, and outsourcing are all innovative ways to work.
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Tips for Self-Employment Success

Are you ready to earn your income by working for yourself? These tips will help you make self-employment a reality.
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Self-Employment Skills to Help You Succeed

When you’re self-employed, much of your success will depend on having the right skills. These foundational skills will help in every aspect of your work.
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Self-Employment: Will Your Idea Succeed?

How do people come up with great business ideas? Will your business idea fill a need? More importantly, will it be financially successful? Here are some tips for inspiring and sizing up great business concepts
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iStock.com/dima_sidelnikov
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Self-Employment: Habits and Motivators

What motivates you? Find out if your own habits and motivators are like those of most successful entrepreneurs.
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Self-Employment: Avoid Common Pitfalls

Here are some ways to avoid the most common things that can go wrong when you run your own business.

Resources

Self-Employment Resources to Help You Get Started

In order to start your own business, you need good strategic information and a well-thought-out focus on how to build your revenue stream. These resources will help you get started.

Resources to Help Build Your Business

Working for yourself has great rewards. It also comes with challenges. These resources will help with those challenges.

Self-Employment Resources for Persons With Disabilities

If you’re thinking about becoming self-employed, these resources can help.

Community Futures Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program

Offering one-to-one business coaching, assistance with business plan creation, and access to resources and training for entrepreneurs with visible and invisible disabilities.

Self-Employment Planning for People With a Developmental Disability

Self-employment—having your own business—can be very rewarding when you live with a developmental disability. But it also takes a lot of hard work.

Self-Employment Resources for Youth

If you’re thinking about becoming self-employed, these resources can help.

Self-Employment Resources for Indigenous Peoples

The following resources provide general information about starting and operating your own business.

Exploring Self-Employment Opportunities for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (5:25)

This video describes the value of being self-employed for people with developmental disabilities and their caregivers. It highlights 3 successful businesses and how they got started.

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Thrive as a Self-Employed Mature Worker

Exploring self-employment as a mature worker opens up a whole world of advantages and opportunities. More and more, self-employment is an attractive option for those who want to redefine their careers on their own terms.
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Mastering Your Business Finances

Congratulations! You've launched your dream business in Alberta. Now comes the crucial task of managing your finances.
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Self-Employment: Building Your Business

You’ve launched your new business. The next steps are all about growing it. Here are some ways to build your business.
Person wearing an apron in a cafe holding an "open" sign
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iStock.com/andresr
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Self-Employment: Traits and Attitudes

People who are successfully self-employed share certain traits and attitudes. Find out what they are and whether you share them, too.
Person in an office throwing hands up in the air in excitement
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Self-Employment: Rewards and Challenges

Whether or not self-employment is right for you could depend on how you handle the various rewards and challenges that come with working for yourself.
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Start a Part-Time Business From Home

This article includes more than 180 business ideas for starting a part-time business from home. These suggestions are just to get you started. The possibilities are endless!
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Understand the Difference Between Employment and Contracting

If you work for someone, you can earn a living 2 different ways: as an employee or as a contractor. Knowing which type is best for you will help you decide how you want to plan your career.
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Plan Your Career

Maximizing Your Value in a Gig Economy

Ever dream about having a more flexible schedule? Every day, more Canadians are taking the leap from traditional full-time work to the freelance or gig economy. If you’re a self-starter who’s comfortable marketing yourself, you could too.

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