For those taking the leap, and anyone else considering it, from designer Jon Hicks, some words of inspiration and a helpful note on photocopying VAT returns!

Its been wonderful, and I don’t think I could go back to work for someone else, but why didn’t anyone tell me:

1. You would be working A LOT. More than you thought.
2. That dealing with emails, quotes and enquiries would be more time-consuming than doing the accounts
3. That you have to keep a photocopy of each VAT return – not just a printout from your accounting software, but of the actual return. Whoops.
4. That strange distant mumbling is the sound of you talking to yourself.
5. That in the first couple of months I would be so nervous and lacking in confidence that I would be sick.

Never mind, I soon found out.