20 Entrepreneurs Explain What They Love About Being An Entrepreneur

Being in love is great. Being in love with your business, when you’re an entrepreneur, is even better. Waking up each morning knowing you are getting to do exactly what you love is more than most people could ever say about any “job” they have had. Although there are days when tossing in your hat seems like a viable option, remembering how much you love your “job” can quickly snap an entrepreneur out of that mentality. Different business owners also have different reason why they love their business. It might be the products or the customers they deal with, or it could even be the fact that they are the ones in charge of it all. The reasons are as varied as the businesses themselves.

We asked some entrepreneurs what they loved about “being their own boss.”

#1 – We Can Have It All

The greatest thing about being an entrepreneur is showing women that we can have it all — it’s just that our greatest achievement is often stifling our ability to have what we want. We put ourselves on the back burner to support our husbands, to raise our children. I often say that my children are my greatest achievement — and they will always be — but I didn’t give everything up in order to raise them. In fact, I believe I have been a better mother because I didn’t. Women can have it all. We can be successful in business as well as having great relationships and raising our families. We can achieve all our dreams without having to compromise — it simply about a self belief a trust in yourself and getting rid of the guilt and the doubt.

Thanks to Annah Stretton, Stretton Group Ltd!

#2 – Creating Something to Change the World

Creating something that could change the world is truly addicting; and there is freedom when you know that nothing is stopping you except yourself. I'm no painter, but my canvas involves creating something that solves a problem that nobody has been able to solve. I wake up every morning knowing that my future is in my own hands and I can't blame anyone else for my triumphs or failures.

Thanks to Andy Seavers, Velociter Holdings!

#3 – The Challenge

I love the challenge of finding better ways to communicate my expertise to my audience and connect with them in deeper ways to truly help solve their problems. I love the excitement on my client's faces when they achieve their goals.

Thanks to Ashley Hill, College Prep Ready!

#4 – Freedom

One of the things I absolutely love about being an entrepreneur is the freedom and ability to make decisions that can have immediate impact. Whether data come from our own analytics or an external source, we are can implement changes to the way we operate in a matter of hours. Not being caught up in a corporate management structure gives me the freedom and agility to be at the top of our game. And, not being stuck in the 9 to 5 grind is an added bonus. I do my best work from 5am to 11am and having the freedom to set the ours I work means I can be active during those productive hours.

Thanks to Simon Freeman, Our Little Registry!

#5 – Flexibility to do The Right Thing

When you are an employee of a company, you are often weighed down by corporate rules, procedures and a chain of command that is never as responsive you need them to be. You often are required to go through several layers of management in the attempt to properly take care of a customer's issue. I always found this to be the most frustrating thing for myself and for the customers I interacted with during my employment. As an entrepreneur/business owner I simply fix the customers issue on the spot, no consensus by committee, no endless interactions with multiple layers of management and I do not have to wait days for an answer which in most cases only inflames the issue more. I am finally able to just do the right thing for the customer everyday without restriction; now that is REAL customer service.

Thanks to Rick Dunn, Dr. Kruger's Dog Supplements!

#6 – Control & Freedom

I love having control over my own destiny, plus the freedom my business gives me. As an employee, your destiny is in the hands of others. If they make bad business choices, the company could go under and you're out of a job. Also, because my business is online, I can work from anywhere in the world, at any time I choose. I have the option of going travelling or moving to anywhere in the world. Very few jobs can offer this.

Thanks to Jon Rhodes, Hypnobusters!

#7 – Manifest Ideas Into Reality Today

When most people come up with an idea for a product or service, they say to themselves, ‘I'm going to do that some day', but some day never comes. As an entrepreneur, I manifest ideas into reality today. Creating businesses that solve real problems is extraordinarily hard to do, but there’s a satisfaction that comes from breaking a complex problem up into 1,000 smaller tasks, while dynamically navigating solutions and being flexible to shift course all along the way. As an entrepreneur, I’m an eternal optimist — I believe that I can accomplish big things with ease, even though the reality is that it’s never easy. It’s that eternal optimist that fuels the courage needed to take the leap into solving tough problems. Pessimism is not the stuff of entrepreneurship, since pessimism is the easy road, the path of “can’t do”. As an entrepreneur, I love that I have the “can do” spirit to create, even if it seems naive or overconfident at the outset, because it’s that drive that pushes me into and through daunting projects that become awesome solutions to real world problems. Time and again, I'll start a new venture with an irrational optimism, realize that I've bitten off more than I can chew, deal with it, and push through to a successful outcome — I love that process.

Thanks to Scott Wainner, Fareness.com!

#8 – Worst Employee Ever

I have a confession to make, I’m the worst employee ever. I quit my full time job last year after being physically and mentally drained to pursue a goal of public speaking and writing. I was asked from a member of my mastermind group two questions that changed the course of my life: What do you do where you lose track of time? If money were not an issue, what would you do?After some reflection, public speaking and writing was identified and I now had a goal in mind. Being an entrepreneur allows you to seek a passion and create a business around it. Not only is this liberating, but if doing something you love is now your work, does it really feel like work?

Thanks to Randal Wark, IT Revolution!

#9 – Changing the World

As an entrepreneur of any kind, people root for your success. Whether it's friends or family or other businesses, they admire the idea of starting something new. As an entrepreneur in edtech, it's even better. People don't just want your company to make money, they want to help you change the world. I used to work at Google (back when Google was still considered a good guy), and even that wasn't as cool as telling people that I'm trying to educate kids.

Thanks to Scott Lininger, Bitsbox!

#10 – Living the American Dream

Cheekd has been the most powerful thing that’s ever happened to me. Building this business has been an incredible learning experience. I’ve taken a major risk (both financially & mentally) and surrendered my 15 year career in architecture & design, but my heart and mind are in this project every waking moment. I’ve never been more dedicated to anything. Despite the occasional overwhelming stress, it’s been loads of fun. I feel like I’m living the American Dream—I’ve given birth to an invention. I’ve gone from 15 years of helping others build their dreams to a life finally dedicated to building my own. It’s the most rewarding feeling.

Thanks to Lori Cheek, Cheekd!

#11 – Entrepreneur Community

I used to practice law and now that I'm an entrepreneur I am constantly struck by the “entrepreneur community” that I did not even know existed before. People are so passionate and creative and most importantly they are real problem solvers. Everyone is so vested in their businesses. There is so much less of a hierarchy than in other career fields. For example, as a lawyer if you are at private firm there are associates and there are partners. Being an entrepreneur is a great equalizer. Everyone has something to contribute and fresh ideas. They “get it.”

Thanks to Jennifer Lynn Robinson, Esquire, Purposeful Networking!

#12 – Amazing Perks

Being an entrepreneur has some of the most amazing perks. First, the hours of operation are all up to me. Schedule flexibility is a definite plus. Next, I set the tone of the day, and when you are a control freak like me, it makes all the difference in the world being your own boss. Additionally, my core values are king, or queen if you want to be specific, which bars any ambiguity concerning the value system when establishing my brand. Finally, what I love most about being an entrepreneur is lending a unique approach to commerce. Here at Soul Sparking Worldwide, LLC we not only spark people to discover, accept, and embrace their uniqueness, we walk them through the process of reintroducing themselves to the world. As one belonging to the personal development industry, for every one life we change potentially millions more are affected.

Thanks to Toni Ellis, Soul SparkingWorldwide, LLC!

#13- Amazing & Enriching Process

I love being an entrepreneur because I am able to take an idea, build a product, and release it to the world. This process is amazing and enriching. I recommend everyone try this experience in some way. You don't have to quit a job for a start-up, but following through on an idea or inspiration will be a fulfilling journey. The journey of building a company these past few years along with knowing our product brings joy to customers has been very rewarding. I don't do this for the money, freedom, or work-life balance. Frankly, I don't have much of those things.. However, I have the pleasure in knowing that our team is able to help people make their work lives a little bit happier.

Thanks to Todd Horton, KangoGift!

#14 – A Few Things

A few things I love about being an entrepreneur is that I get to determine what my company's business model and processes look like, creating a job that is meaningful to me. It also gives me the freedom to establish my own work schedule and fee structure, which grants more flexibility to take care of personal things, as well as, generate a desired revenue. Essentially, being an entrepreneur allows me to be the designer of my career destiny and build the life I want. Other benefits include getting to choose who I work with, both clients and team members, and I can work from anywhere, such as the Hamptons in the summer and a warmer climate such as Australia in the winter.

Thanks to Karen Brown New York!

#15 – Freedom

Being an entrepreneur gives me the freedom to explore diverse opportunities and pursue new directions in business that I would not be able to do working for a large company or for someone else.  My success depends on my decisions and actions.  I can determine when and how I want to work and I have complete control over my time.

Thanks to Steve Margolis, SimplesaNutrition.com!

#16 – There's a Magic

Thanks to Marla Rivera, RAXO!

#17 – Own Work Hours & Own Decisions

My wife and I love being entrepreneurs because it has allowed us to set our own work hours, make our own decisions on how we operate, and at the same time serve our community with a great service, delivered by people who care! It was a huge decision for us to leave our corporate jobs and we had a lot of worries: what if it doesn't work, what if we fail, what if we go broke? The technical side would be easy – I am a Navy veteran who worked in electronics technology. The business side has been a huge learning curve, but we're growing. Our next step is to hire an employee and we look forward to creating a great job opportunity for someone in our community. We're hopeful – and still a bit fearful – but we wouldn't have it any other way!

Thanks to Jeff and Deadrea Clemmensen, MiPhone Doctor of Fresno!

#18 – Shift from the Traditional Model

As a law school graduate who transitioned from working in the legal field to pursuing my passion as a life coach, becoming an entrepreneur by starting my life coaching practice has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. What I love about being an entrepreneur is the shift from the traditional model of exchanging time for money, to being able to control how much I work and how profitable I choose to be while engaging in my passion each day. Being an entrepreneur means having freedom to decide what value I want to impart on others and the marketplace. Rather than working for others, I am able to provide value to so many people based on my trainings, talents and strengths, which in turn change so many of my clients' lives. In addition, becoming an entrepreneur has been one of the best forms of personal development that I have encountered. Because the growth of my business is dependent solely upon my efforts, I am motivated to learn and implement new skills such as sales, marketing, as well as consistently mastering my own inner game. Not only have I grown the most as an individual since becoming an entrepreneur, I am making a huge difference in others' quality of life through my coaching practice. Being an entrepreneur is so rewarding!

Thanks to Maria Akopyan, Live and Love Vibrantly Coaching!

#19 – Few Reasons

So what do I love about being an entrepreneur? Work doesn't feel like work. When it (the company) is your “baby” and you have a tiny team, you can't hide behind bad or incomplete work – and you don't want to! The hustle. I have built a team that is extremely talented and, equally as important, big-time hustlers! We are willing to do whatever is necessary to get the job done ON TIME, and sometimes that means crazy hours and less sleep. When you're all in it together, though, it can be a lot of fun and you reach a heightened level of camaraderie and “team” that I never experienced in the corporate world. Learning. Over the last year, I have learned SO much about patents, the manufacturing process, innovation / product design, channel strategy…the list goes on and on. I feel like I know my business (and a lot of the processes that are involved) on a very intimate level – I feel empowered with my new knowledge base! Casual and family-focused culture. As much as we all work, I run my team like a family, and my team's personal lives always come first. It is pretty standard to have Skype meetings where my partner is in her robe or I'm unloading the dishwasher or folding laundry. The ezpz culture – built organically – is all about being comfortable, transparent and honest.

Thanks to Name: Lindsey Laurain, ezpz!

#20 – Spread Entrepreneurism

The best aspect of my leadership role at Spreadshirt is the ability to spread entrepreneurism with the power of our e-commerce platform. Our motto is spread it with Spreadshirt. Truly anyone with a good idea can enter the fashion merchandising area with no start up costs or overhead and get their designs or messages in front of a global audience. We see ideas really take off, go viral and power sales for anyone with a creative idea that resonates with like minded people. Some donate a portion of their sales for causes they support- it is really rewarding to know that the ongoing enhancements that we make are helping businesses everywhere and in some cases really making the world a better place.”