Asperger's; entrepreneurship vs. working for an institution

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I skimmed through the jobs section and it looks as though people are having a hard time finding and keeping jobs. In my experience, I had a job all through my undergrad that really was the bane of my existence. My boss often told me I was too direct, and that I need to make "small talk" with the customers. I also tend to wear a "uniform," so she would often comment on my appearance. In general, I had to force myself to commit to these arduous tasks that I was really apathetic about. It was pretty much a job that my aspergian mind was ill-suited for performing.

Once my four years were up, I started my own piano studio and became somewhat of a small-scale entrepreneur. I couldn't be happier with that decision. I can create my own schedule--so I can still go to school in the morning, I get paid $40/hour to talk about my particular interest (what aspie wouldn't like this?), I work with some great kids, and I don't have anyone telling me how I should dress or how I should act. I can totally be myself, and get paid for it--the ideal work for a typical Aspergian.

Many successful people who are/were thought to have Asperger's seemed to acquire their success through some form of self-employment or independent action, but many of us are put off by the consequential lack of certainty and routine that results from freelance/entrepreneurial occupation. What are everyone's preferences on methods of employment? and how did your personal experiences affect your conclusion?

80% (eighty percent) of new businesses fail, straight up.

I favor starting a business inexpensively that I basically run out of my car or home.

I am in the process of starting my own SAT tutoring business. I've taken the SAT twice recently, and extensively studied the different sections. Basically, in a very credible way, I'm going to help students find different methods to game the test---in large part how to handle the significant time pressure and find that sweet spot where they go fast without going too fast. One challenge for me will be to keep it straightforward and not overexplain. Instead we'll do lots of trial runs with lots of different sample tests (and each student will buy a book and I'll keep the receipts to play it straight on the copyright issues).

And in time, this business might have a multiplier effect. I mean, if I can get ten students for a Saturday morning study session and each student is paying forty or fifty dollars, I'm suddenly making some real money.

PS I also tend to wear a 'uniform'! For example, I'll go through a period where I'll like khaki slacks and blue shirt and wear that almost every day to work (why would I wear something less professional? I'll ask myself)

Yep, that's the way to go. I incur literally zero cost. I ride my bike for transportation to and from the students' houses, I have them buy the books, and I advertise through craigslist and youtube. I don't have to spend any money, so there is no way I can go into any kind of debt or fail. Lately, I haven't even been advertising because "word of mouth" referrals are all I need right now. I have actually had to turn down a few families because of time constraints.

My uniform is my Livestrong hoodie with either corduroys or adidas track pants. No one gives a hoot how I dress, and I love it. They hired me to teach their kid, not to put on a fashion show. I have really high student loyalty, so my uniform must not be a major factor. As long as you have substance, appearance is overrated.

Good for you! And I imagine if you tell the new, perspective clients something like 'concentrating on my current clients at this time,' they'll just eat that up. I mean, that is a real feather in your cap.

one either is born with entreprenurial talent, or not. for those in the latter category, a good institutional employer would be nice, like the civil service. i never could figure out how to get anybody interested in my audio restoration services, which i cannot even give away.

Actually the failure rate depends on the type of business. In reality as after 5 years 50% of new businesses are still around. It really does depend on the type of business and the costs involved. Professional services like medical and law offices have a very low failure rate, restaurants have a very high failure rate.
This really varies depending on location as well.

The 80-90% failure rate is often qouted, but it has no basis in reality. Even for internet startups the rate is not that high.