I was talking to a (closer) colleague (male) the other day, and he asked me if I ever wanted to become an employee…

I said:

No, I don’t think so. 🙂

He pressed me and said:

But why?

You get a permanent job, a stable income, you get to work with the people you like every day (DEBATABLE! I told him with a laugh), and you get vacations plus healthcare benefits etc.

I said:

Well. We aren’t in the United States.

Healthcare is not an issue. I’m already mostly covered by the government at $600 a year.

Also, the salary is not what I am expecting. I would need more money to consider being an employee.

Like a LOT more.

Him:

A lot more money? Like double!?

Me:

Yeah. At least. Or triple, taking into account taxes.

Him:

You’re so GREEDY!

That comment REALLY took me aback.

Am I greedy? Really?

Just because I know what I am worth, and I know I am not going to get paid what my value is if I become an employee for “stability” (I’d rather work half my career and have double the money saved, wouldn’t you?), does that make me greedy?

I know what I’m worth and I want to get paid what I am worth, or I don’t want to work.

I know I’m good at my job, (really good), I’m organized, I’m smart, I learn fast, I work hard, and I’m not only pleasant to work with, I’m also fun to work with and have a good happy personality.

I know all of this because these are opinions of others, and feedback I have had from other people.

I have had people TELL ME THIS to my face, and I have also had management tell other colleagues this behind my back, and then they told me what they said.

I WORK HARD at all cultivating all of that.

Sure, part of it comes naturally from my Type A, Alpha personality, but I also WORK at this stuff. It’s not by osmosis …

This is all worth $$$$$$$$. A lot of money.

My business

I also know that I have benefits with my own business.

I can control how much money I withdraw from my company which impacts my taxes, I can write off some applicable expenses for my job against my company.

See, if I was an employee earning what I earn now, let’s say $200,000, I would have to pay 50% of it in taxes to the government each year because I HAVE to realize that income.

So I’m out another $100,000 just because I’m an employee, and I only get $100,000 net in my pocket a year.

But now? I work with a career average salary of about $87,000 and I net far more than that in my pockets, because I don’t realize that income. 

I am not taking it out of the company, it’s sitting there, growing, being invested, and in my off years where I make a lower (or no salary), I can continue to withdraw the lowest amount I need to keep up on my living expenses.

I tell all of this to accountants and they ALL agree this is the best way to handle company money – to take out just what you need to live, keep it all in the company, invest it in there, and withdraw from the retained earnings as you retire.

I think of my company as my own personal bank in that way.

I invest all my earnings in there, and this asset I have, will grow until I retire, upon which I can withdraw more money and fund my golden years.

I like being my own boss

It’s a perfect fit with my personality.

I love owning my own company. I sort of get a kick out of telling people I’m a freelancer, and that I’m my own boss. It’s a nice thing to say, I’m proud of it, and I love it.

Maybe it’s because I’m a woman?

I hate to tie everything back to my gender, but I wonder if he would have said that to a guy friend.

To call him greedy, for wanting more money. Would he have said that to another man?

I don’t know I should ask him, to see what he says.

I’m not some gold digger you know.

Shouldn’t he be more impressed that I’m making my own money and I’m killing it?

It’s not like I’m living off the earnings of others. That’s not my hustle.

I don’t know many women can claim to do this, and I’m DAMN PROUD OF THIS accomplishment.

I want to encourage and empower even more women to stand up and crush it (I even offer consulting services on this), so the best way to do that, is to help them, but also to be a role model.

Look, bottom line is:

No one is greedy for wanting to be paid what they are worth.

You know what you are worth, deep down inside.

This is not bragging, this is internal, self-confidence in your abilities.

People who brag, are people who aren’t as good, but think they are and get all pouty when they don’t get what they want from stomping their feet.

Also, not everyone who is great at their jobs gets paid what they are worth because they just don’t negotiate and think they shouldn’t ask for more. This is hogwash.

If you are working twice as fast, twice as good and are a REAL asset to the company, you KNOW THIS. You aren’t coasting, you are killing it, and you should be getting what you deserve, money-wise.

There may be some people you know who do half what you do (or a quarter) and get paid double.

Does that sound fair?

No?

So don’t complain, get EVEN by negotiating, switching companies, and get paid what you think is fair.

There’s nothing wrong with having money, earning it, asking for more, and saving it so that you can secure your career and retirement.

This is just smart money and business sense.