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Some long for banker's hours, while others are ready to be done with working for someone else altogether. Being self-employed may bring the promise of more freedom and happiness, but it's often no less work.

"There are a lot of challenges," said Julie Bowman of Sterling in regard to being her own boss.

Bowman owns Julie's Ideas, which she describes as a home-based polar fleece sewing business.

"It started as knitting socks and afghans, but someone asked me if I could make them polar fleece socks and it just took off from there," she said.

That was 15 years ago, after Bowman left the retail industry, and she's never looked back at her old line of work.

"I like being my own boss and doing things I love, like sewing," she said.

Bowman said some may think being self-employed means taking it easy, but she said to be successful you have to work hard and put in some long days.

"Some days I'll work 12 hours," she said.

Bowman said it took a lot of growing to bring her business to fruition.

"You've got to find a niche to supply a high-quality product that no one else is, but you've also the challenge of finding buyers, and to do that you've got to get out and stomp the streets," she said.

The hard work paid off though, as Bowman now has a few large local wholesale distributors.

"I have two stores that purchase stuff from me -- Sweeney's and Trustworthy (Hardware and Fishing) and I just picked up a new store -- Tikahtnu (Gallery and Gifts) in Soldotna. I mostly sell them hats and socks," she said.

Bowman said word of her work has travel fast, too, which also has brought in more business.

"I do good business by word of mouth. I do a lot of work on a custom basis, also. I make socks for people with size 17 shoes and triple extra large garments, or clothes for people that are small, but with long arms, things like that," she said.

Bowman has a permit to display her "Made in Alaska" products, which she said also brings in business.

"A lot of visitors like getting a high-quality product made here, but people that live here like it, too. They appreciate having something made locally instead of in China," she said.

To learn more about Bowman's products, she can be reached at 262-4648, e-mail juliesideas@alaska.net or by mail at Julie's Ideas, P.O. Box 122, Soldotna, AK 99669.

Joseph Robertia may be reached at joseph.robertia@peninsulaclarion.com.