Entrepreneurs Give the Lowdown on Why They Love What They Do

Not all that comes along with starting your own business and claiming the title of entrepreneur is stressful. Although there are hardships, a lot of them usually, most entrepreneurs agree that being their own boss and having their own business is the best thing they ever could have accomplished, hardships and all. So what is the best part of being an entrepreneur? Is it simply that fact that you are your own boss, or the product you work with? Below are some answers from entrepreneurs on what they love best about being an entrepreneur.

Getting to lead philanthropic initiatives

As a business owner, I love that I can lead our philanthropic initiatives and outreach to the community. I truly believe in the philosophy that we must “give to get to give.” As an organization, we make financial and in-kind donations to local arts, education and youth programs. As the president of the company, I am actively involved with the local arts organization, chambers of commerce, minority business groups and university alumni association. Our staff members are actively involved with the community business association. We also offer our office space to non-profit organizations for meetings and planning sessions. Engaging the community is truly a rewarding experience for me and the entire team.

Thanks to Crystal Kendrick, The Voice of Your Customer

Helping authors achieve their one impossible publishing dream

As the creator of The Seattle Daylight Writers Group, I watched my peers succeed or fail in their publishing endeavors. I realized there must be a more effective way for authors to publish quality works and get them sold. My direct experience as a marketing executive, and my co-founder Abby’s background as a best-selling author, showed us that with the right help, any author can achieve their publishing goals. From discussions lingering after writing group, the idea for Writer.ly was born.

Thanks to Kelsye Nelson, Writer.ly

Erasing the fear of another layoff

To me, the best thing about being an entrepreneur is that it erases my fear of another layoff. After 3 layoffs affecting my family over a 7 year time period (the last one being mine), I finally feel in total control of my future. I no longer have to feel unappreciated, under valued, over worked and at someone else's mercy. Working for myself means that I control my schedule, know what is the most productive use of my time, control my financial future and can go to sleep each night feeling personally fulfilled and excited about my future.

Thanks to Anna Berry, Anna Berry Consulting

Making my own decisions about the company's direction

The thing I love most about being an entrepreneur is being able to make my own decisions about the company's direction, our goals and choosing who I want to spend my time working with. So often when you are working inside a larger organization you are thrust into teams that don't work well together and initiatives that you are simply not passionate about. Being an entrepreneur has allowed me the freedom to work when and where I want and make my own hours, as opposed to getting into the office at 8pm sharp and leaving at 5:30pm. I probably clock twice the hours I did before I owned my own company, but the hours are on my clock and are much more enjoyable knowing that I am building a great business with people I really enjoy working with.

Thanks to Chris Huse, Media Strike

The journey of building a company from the ground up

As an entrepreneur of a startup digital and branding agency, I have truly enjoyed the journey of building a company from the ground up. At each turn, there are both new challenges and unexpected opportunities. As the business grows and changes, it is upon me to anticipate, learn, and adapt. And while sometimes the journey appears to be out-of-control, in the end, the entrepreneur is always in control of applying more energy and effort to accelerate. That's right, if you don't like the pace, then you can change the speed. In my case, my main levers are growing our portfolio of clients, and expanding our roster of talents. I am constantly applying my passion and motivating my team to max out on both. As milestones are passed (no matter how slowly), the vision and promise of tomorrow keeps me motivated to vigorously pursue the exhilarating entrepreneurial journey.

Thanks to David Capece, Sparxoo

Loving the adventure

I love the adventure aspect of entrepreneurism. There are no limits to what we can accomplish. We are at the wheel of our own ship, so to speak and can take it wherever we deem appropriate. I am a business coach now, after working in a variety of environments like the US military, education, oil and gas, and commercial real estate. Finally, I get to draw upon characteristics and skills from every facet of my previous experience and education and then some. I am challenged every day. Sometimes I do things that scare me a little, and that beats boredom hands down. I love calling my own shots and using my creative muscle and collaboration to accomplish goals. I know it isn¹t for everybody, but I am delighted to be in the position I am, helping people fulfill their intentions and dreams.

Thanks to Teri Johnson, Personal Best Partners

Able to devote my working life to my two passions

Rescue Chocolate was created out of the intersection of two of my passions. I've always had a soft spot for animals. Back in middle school I started volunteering at my local animal shelter in Shreveport, Louisiana. Around that same time I became a vegetarian, and then a vegan. But a more recent passion is dark chocolate. A few years ago, when I moved to New York City, I was on a mission to find exotic chocolate bars, evaluate them, and savor them. I also worked at a raw chocolate factory where I developed a best-selling flavor. One morning in December 2009, I was out walking my rescued pit bull, having just finished a chocolate bar for breakfast, when the inspiration hit. I decided to combine my two loves into one business, and Rescue Chocolate was born. Rescue Chocolate's product offerings are only for human consumption, of course. But I donate all profits to various animal rescue organizations. The humans win because everything is vegan, kosher, handcrafted, organic, and fairly traded. The animals win because, while their rescuers have an abundance of affection, they are always running low on funds to keep going. And I win most of all, because I'm able to devote my working life to the two things I most adore.

Thanks to Sarah Gross, Rescue Chocolate

Knowing you've recognized a need and are working to solve it for others

The best part about being an entrepreneur is knowing that you’ve recognized a need and you are working to solve it for others. I believe that all entrepreneurs are doing what they’re doing because they like helping people for a living. This is true for nearly every industry. The startup world is filled with ups and downs but when things are up and people are using your product/service to make life just a bit easier for them, the excitement felt by the entrepreneur is unmatched.

Thanks to Brittany Dowell, Digital Talent Agents

Just about everything

Just about everything. All the typical stuff such as being your own boss, earning an income that doesn't not having a ceiling, creating unique products and solutions, and you can't be laid-off or fired, etc. But the best part of being an entrepreneur is the ability to consult with so many extraordinary people. Every day is a new adventure. In my profession, I work with Fortune 500 CEO's and MarCom managers. Politicians and university professors. How else can you be paid to help them succeed–even make millions for their enterprises–while living a great life, and continually learning? Being an entrepreneur isn't for everyone. Long hours. Tremendous stress. never quite knowing where your next paycheck will come from. And infrequent time off. But when you love what you do, and do what you love–day in and day out–it is unbeatable.

Thanks to Diana Zimmerman, CMS Communications, Intl.

The joy of being an entrepreneur

I've started several businesses as an entrepreneur and I love being an entrepreneur. Sometimes I've been mad at myself for loving it, because I've taken big risks – many which paid off and some which didn't. I love birthing a company and making it something exciting and special. I love making something out of nothing and I love bringing team members to the “party” and growing them into superstars. Watching the company, the product and then the people grow is in itself much more exciting and rewarding than the money that comes from a successful company. That's the real reason, I love getting up in the morning, as an entrepreneur.

Thanks to Cherie Whiting, Cherie Whiting Enterprises

Flexibility and job security

For many years I have helped my husband run his businesses which has given us the flexibility to be able to spend more time with our children, take longer and more trips, still be able to conduct work and be able to set our own schedule. Also, the advantage of being an entrepreneur during the economy downfall, is knowing that we had job security and no worries of being laid off. Although, we knew we had to work harder, smarter and find new techniques to survive these tough times. Now our companies are excelling more then ever. It has also given me the opportunity to follow my dream and passion of designing handbags and swimsuit coverups as well as the knowledge to be able to start another business on my own with the flexibility of still being able to run my husband businesses, run my kids to their event and travel when we want to. It's just awesome to know you have no one to answer to, but yourself.

Thanks to Kiki Lynn, Kikidzine

Being the ultimate decision maker

The best thing about being an entrepreneur is the flexibility. The knowledge you are the ultimate decision maker is the greatest feeling. Being employed means you are required to engage with certain people, but on your own you can decide not to participate in a transaction or business dealing. Regarding my current endeavor, I love that I can travel and enjoy the world while still working and contributing to its success. Typically being an entrepreneur also means you have chosen something that makes your life worthwhile and makes you happy. I dearly appreciate that feeling.

Thanks to Christopher Nelson, Glass Handbag

Being able to evolve at a faster pace than the corporate world

As an entrepreneur, I don¹t have to compromise quality, methodology, or strategy very often. EVERYTHING is always on the line when you work for yourself. I love being able to pursue my passion and evolve at a much faster pace than I ever could in a corporate structure. I began my career as an entrepreneur nine years ago when I wrote a book. I soon realized I¹d need to become a speaker to promote it. Living in Las Vegas, it seemed logical to create a speakers bureau so that if I wasn¹t the right speaker for a gig, I could find my client someone who was. I found I had speakers who needed books, so I published a series of anthologies for them, pairing them with iconic leaders in the field of personal development. Now, with everything becoming digital, I decided to write and produce the first funny self-help film, ‘The Keeper of the Keys', now an award-winning film. I can¹t imagine being able to grow this fast or discover so many ways to help others if I was locked into a traditional career.

Thanks to Robin Jay, The Keeper of the Keys

Getting to approach each day as an adventure, not with caution

Throughout my career in Finance, Law and HR, there were various skill-sets of mine which were developed, but not nurtured. I didn't feel as though there were any end results that were exclusively ‘mine,' and when I left for the day, I left with the same passion and zest for personal growth as I had prior to joining the company. Those experiences helped me realize how important it is to communicate who you are and why you're present with your audience, as well as your customers and employees. My role as CEO presents me with puzzles I am eager to solve, simply by discussing development and marketing strategies. Whether I am teaching a client how to communicate effectively with their audience or brainstorming designs for a website, I now have full control over my destiny and evolution as an entrepreneur.

Thanks to Kristina Villarini, Villarini Maclean

Gives me the freedom to decide my schedule

I've got my hands in a lot of different things. In addition to running a Web Design, Marketing & Branding firm I also tour the country and do air shows with my brother. Being an entrepreneur has allowed me the freedom to work from the road in the summers while I'm touring – another benefit of a business that's primarily online and via the phone. The other primary benefit of being an entrepreneur is the ability to get paid based on my performance. Growing up with an almost OCD level of work ethic and the personal need to produce results for my clients, being an employee of someone else never proved satisfying enough financially, I was still working the same but my pay would never be commensurate with my performance. Once I was in control of that outcome, my financial situation got a whole lot better. I also have the freedom to start up other projects with more freedom and control as well.

Thanks to David Werth, IDEAS Design, Inc.

Loving the demand for creative thinking

Being an entrepreneur demands a whole package of skills and attributes, but for me the best part is also the scariest – that you're entirely in control. You can't blame someone or something else for things not going to plan, you need to take control and make the best of every opportunity, every speedhump and every nightmare scenario. It's this demand for creative thinking, that each day will bring new challenges, that I love most about being an entrepreneur. I came from a background in Journalism and media and while I'd always flirted with starting my own business, I never came across an idea I was confident in. As 2012 progressed and my colleagues dropped left and right to job cuts, I decided there probably wasn't going to be a better time to start my own business and become an entrepreneur. Blake Daniel was born, and it's been the most exciting, terrifying and rewarding experiences of my life to date.

Thanks to Blake Moore, Blake Daniel

Follow through on my inspirations and concentrate on work I really enjoy

The first company I worked for after graduating university was fantastic. They helped me to grow by giving me new responsibilities that suited my strengths as well as the freedom to run with my own ideas. After I left, I discovered that most organizations aren't like that. You do what the job dictates, and there's no incentive to be creative or go the extra mile. Now that I'm my own boss, I can follow through on my inspirations and concentrate on the work I really enjoy, allowing me to become more proficient, which helps me to enjoy it even more. It's a joy to wake up in the morning and know I'm going to spend the day doing what I love!

Thanks to Janet Barclay, Organized Assistant

Being able to advise others

One of the many things I love about being an entrepreneur is having the knowledge to be able to advise and guide other entrepreneurs that are just starting out. I wish someone would have helped me!

Thanks to Tracy Sanders, SassaB LLC

Having a new challenge each day

I love it because it is a new challenge every day. I love it because it's a crazy roller coaster and while the lows can be low, the highs are ridiculously high. I love it because I get to spend all day working with amazing people who are smarter than me.

Thanks to Chuck Gordon, SpareFoot

Because of the creativity and fulfillment it gives me

My favorite thing about being an entrepreneur is the creativity and fulfillment is gives me. As an internet entrepreneur, if I come up with an idea, I can start a new website, brand it with a nice domain and get all of the coding done within a week. It really motivates me that I can start new businesses and projects so quickly, without having to run ideas past a manager or senior executive in a workplace.

Thanks to Adam Grunwerg, ARG Media Ltd

Affords me the ability to deeply affect the lives of other people

What I love most about being an entrepreneur is that it affords me the ability to deeply affect the lives of other people in a way that makes a real difference. And, add to that the way the multiplies when the people I work with and make positive changes in and to their lives then touch other lives. It's an honor to be in a position to do that and to make a difference – both in the financial lives of others and other aspects of their lives as well. The money and freedom of being an entrepreneur is great, but the real joy and love of it, for me, is in the impact I get to make in and on the lives of others.

Thanks to Diane Conklin, Complete Marketing Systems