When Shane Ruprecht was busy at his job assembling metal parts into finished items, he often listened to entrepreneurial podcasts and thought about doing something more creative.
“When I was at the machine shop, I spent my time wondering, ‘Why am I not working on something that is my own,’” said Ruprecht, 34, of Plymouth, “‘with a little bit more freedom in my schedule and the sense of accomplishment from working on projects that I can be proud of?’”
He had made short videos of fellow competitors in pro snowboarding competitions around the Midwest. And once he finished a two-year marketing and design degree at St. Cloud Technical and Community College, years after he started, he launched Streamline Creatives.
That small agency side gig eventually turned into Ruprecht’s main occupation after a November 2023 layoff. In addition to design and website services, he photographs commercial and residential real estate, including by drone, all as a freelancer.
Becoming a freelancer, Ruprecht joined the growing ranks of Minnesota’s self-employed: from independent contractors to solo entrepreneurs and fractional (also known as seasonal or part-time) executives. The number of self-employed Minnesotans surged to nearly 445,000 in 2022, an increase of 17.4% since 2006, the state Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) reported in March, citing census figures. Traditional employment, meanwhile, grew 6.7% in the same period.
The pandemic accelerated the shift to self-employment or freelance work and the greater flexibility and independence it offers. As attractive as working for yourself might sound, it comes with tax, legal and liability implications that deserve careful thought and professional advice. Social considerations, such as the potential for a sense of isolation in going from a corporate tower to a home office, can also come into play.
Before striking out on your own, hanging your shingle or giving your two weeks’ notice, here is some advice for starting off on your own and perspective on the self-employed life from experts and some who are living it.