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 – Community
My favorite part about being an entrepreneur is community. I love meeting and working with others that have the same motivation and drive to fix problems and test themselves.
Thanks to Nick Lucs, When I Work, Inc.
#2 – Reward that Comes from Different Angles
Being an entrepreneur is addicting. There are a lot of rewards that come from different angles. There's the reward of leading others, of providing not just a job but a career. A career that they can make family decisions on. Leading, teaching and advancing their careers and seeing this happen is quite rewarding. Companies need to be as responsible for a person's career development as the person themselves. Another area of addiction in being an entrepreneur is in the challenge. You control your own challenge. I enjoy working out and I often say that
being an entrepreneur is like lifting weights. Can you do just one more rep? Can you try just a bit harder…. it's only up to you. How can you dig deep and try a little harder? That to me is what I like about being in business for myself.
Thanks to Strings D. E. Kozisek, Sequenza Inc.
#3 – Ability to Change the World
Watching all of my friends graduate from college and get jobs this past May was so interesting. They had gone to school for their whole lives and were about to enter a field they weren't all that excited about. I think a big place the lack of excitement comes from is the feeling that they can't make a difference, I'm not saying they can't, just that a lot of them believe this. They went from doing something they hated, school, to doing something out of fear, going to work for someone else, even if they didn't want to. I had already decided this February that I was going to follow my entrepreneurial journey. I couldn't wait for an experience like this. I couldn't wait to control my life at 22 years old. I love being an entrepreneur because I know I can make a difference. Whether I'm changing a customer's day through interaction with my website, or my products, or talking to an employee, I think it is so amazing to be an engine of change and growth – which is what an entrepreneur is. We're a group of people who were tired of seeing the world the way it was and instead of complaining wewent out and made a difference. I love being an entrepreneur because it has let me maintain my childlike viewpoint on the world. I won't ever be jaded by a 9-5 job or a boss that doesn't know my name, I'm not influenced by a coworker's laziness, I'm awestruck by the ability I have to change the world. I'm awestruck by the people out there trying to do the same thing. I'm awestruck by the people I encounter every day. From customers to other entrepreneurs, this life has kept me seeing the amazingness still left in humanity.
Thanks to Maxwell Mayes, MaxLife Living Inc.
#4 – Control Over Income
I love being an entrepreneur because I have control over my income. This, of course, is good and bad: good because there's potentially no upper limit to my income; bad, because the floor to my income is zero – actually maybe even negative given any small business loans. Another aspect I love is the flexibility it affords me. Time is precious and my kids aren't going to be young forever. So, I am happy that I can spend time with them during their formative years, given the flexibility that entrepreneurship gives me.
Thanks to Pete Abilla, Find Tutors Name
#5 – It's all for Me and My Family
I love being an entrepreneur, because no matter how busy I get or how much I may work in a day, I know it's all for me and my family. I'm not working to build someone else's empire, or someone else's income. I'm working to improve my personal finances, my business value, and the inheritance I'll leave behind to my children. Yes, I get tired. Yes, sometimes consumers can make it difficult. Is it all worth it? Absolutely! I wake up excited to work. Sometimes I can't sleep because I'm excited about work. It's true excitement, too. It's never anxiety or worrying about some aspect of the businesses my husband and I run. I love every part of it. Total truth! Then, there's the feeling I get when I realize that I can do great things. It's not an arrogant feeling. It's a feeling of ownership and confidence in my abilities.
Thanks to Jean Walker,THE *REGEAR* GROUP, LLC
#6 – Change Direction
I love being able to change direction in my company quickly and easily, without having to deal with unnecessary “corporate processes and policies”. I don't need to do something just for the sake of doing it (meaningless reports that nobody reads and meetings where nobody pays attention). This makes things so much more efficient. If something doesn't benefit the company or is a waste of time we don't do it. Also, I can allow my team to work in an environment where they are most productive and comfortable.
Thanks to Apryl DeLancey, Social Age Media
#7 – Be of Value
I made the commitment to be an entrepreneur about a year ago. I have a deep hungry to be of value within the marketplace and running my own business allows me to create valuable products and services to my audience. As the owner of a lifestyle coaching firm, I love being able to design and deliver lifestyle leadership programs to organizations around the world. The one single question that I focus on every morning when waking up is, “How can I best be of value to others day?” I believe that being an entrepreneur allows a person to serve others and be of value within the marketplace.
Thanks to Tiffany Mason, Mason Coaching and Consulting, LLC
#8 – Responsibility is all Mine
What first attracted me to being an entrepreneur, and is still a large part of my driving force, is true reward for effort. As an employee I was paid on the number of hours I was present. As an entrepreneur I'm paid on my results and what I deliver which is in alignment with my values of making a difference and being rewarded for it. The responsibility is all mine. If I deliver amazing results my compensation reflects it. If I get lazy and don't perform I don't eat!
Thanks to Stacey Copas, Resilience For Results
#9 – Coach
I started The Interview Professional, an online service to help people get their dream job. I chose this job because I am passionate about it and I love seeing my students succeed. I like seeing my students get opportunities that they never thought were possible. I also coach them to build their confidence which is a necessary skill in any aspect of life. My students so far have given amazing reviews and this fuels me to work harder for them.This is a unique service because you are not taught interview skills throughout high school or college. Even the career centers at large universities do not focus on helping students succeed in an interview. My services entail everything from an initial consult to a resume writing service to skype interview coaching sessions and finally sealing the deal with the position. The idea of hiring an interview coach is still a fairly new concept. It is ground breaking work but it is also extremely rewarding at the same time and I love what I do.
Thanks to Neil Bondre, The Interview Professional
#10 – Create the Culture
I can create the culture I want! Being an entrepreneur allows me to choose the kind of people I work with as well as for. When I was in corporate, I had to work on projects as they were assigned, work with teams based on someone else's direction and had little to no say in my daily environment. As a business owner, I find it freeing to assess customer needs and determine if the project is truly a good fit for me and my firm. Also, if after some time it's determined to be a poor fit, I have the freedom to let go of the client and move on.
Thanks to Renita Bryant, SightsSet
#11 – Freedom
What I most love about being an entrepreneur is choosing my own hours. Running a fully automated business means I choose if I work and if so when, where and with whom. The freedom this provides when income generated has no relation to hours worked is just phenomenal!
Thanks to Kylee Ellis, The Publishing and Marketing Queen
#12 – Knowing Every Single Action
What I love most about being an entrepreneur is knowing every single action I take is directly improving my business. It's tough working for yourself, from staying motivated to the constant demands pulling you in every other direction, but as you learn you grow at a rate I never before thought possible. I put in more hours now than I ever did in past jobs working both corporate and startups, but the satisfaction you get at the end of the week knowing how everything you've done is boosting your bottom line and growing the business is unparalleled. I can't imagine ever going back!
Thanks to Travis Bennett, Studio Digita
#13 -Compete with Big Companies
As the founder of an online business in a niche domain (international MBA admissions consulting), I help applicants get into the top universities. The concept of admissions consulting is relatively new in India (when I live and work) where applicants are more likely to take professional help for test preparation rather than admissions consulting. As an entrepreneur, when I first ventured into this space, I wasn't sure if there's a market for these type of services in my region. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was an untapped market that the big corporate players hadn't been able to crack into. Apart from the independence and flexibility that comes with entrepreneurship, I love the fact that small business owners can compete with the big companies in the online operating model. Many of the folks who approach us are high-potential professionals who are competing with the best applicants from across the world. It gives me a lot of satisfaction to see them achieve greater heights after being supported by my team.
Thanks to Sameer Kamat, MBA Crystal Ball
#14 – Challenge and Opportunity
The adrenaline of taking risks and thinking on your feet. This is my Everest. It's not about the money or completing the task, more about the challenge and opportunity that each day throws at you. Too many book, coaches, trainers get you to focus on the end goal, in my opinion this is wrong. Being an entrepreneur is all about thinking on your feet and being prepared to take risks that others wouldn't…. so why would you want that goal to end? The unexpected and challenges you face every day. It's the nature of the beast, yes you might sell out for Millions one day but all truly successful entrepreneurs are back in the saddle looking for their next nemesis. This is why I love being an entrepreneur… you just never know how the ground under your feet is going to change day to day…. so stay on your toes!
Thanks to Elena Manighetti, Venn Digital
#15 – Freedom
I am a digital nomad and entrepreneur running several online businesses. My favourite thing about being an entrepreneur is freedom. Freedom of location, freedom of schedule, freedom of which people to work with. I have been able to travel the world and see over 10 countries in the last 3 years because my partner and I run our businesses online. Yes, entrepreneurship can be difficult and risky, but at the end of the day it can give you the freedom that very few jobs can.
Thanks to Euvie Ivanova, Giant Supernova
#16 -Immediate Impact
I love to have immediate impact. I love to make a decision and implement it without processes or approvals. I love not to have long meetings. I see my firm as raw clay which I have the opportunity to mold to market demands, our client needs or employee wishes. Many years ago I decided I wanted to learn more about the entertainment industry and without consulting anyone, called on Warner Brothers and established a relationship that resulted in 10 searches and frequent visits to the Warner lot. And this was when George Clooney was filming ER on the lot. I timed my visits for when he ate lunch in the commissary.
Thanks to to Jane S. Howze, The Alexander Group
#17 – American Dream
As someone who was not born in the United States, I saw the opportunity to become an entrepreneur as the embodiment of the American dream. After moving to this country as part of a study abroad program, I worked through the ranks, learning the traits and qualities that make a top-notch business leader. I realized that a great entrepreneur never stops increasing, refreshing, or honing his or her knowledge. As a result, I'm dedicated to continuous learning, for myself, and for the people who look after our customers every day – all of whom make up the Rosland family. In the United States, this dedication is encouraged and rewarded, and as an entrepreneur, I appreciate the endless opportunity for all.
Thanks to Marin Aleksov, Rosland Capital
#18 – Confronting Problems
The most exciting thing about being an entrepreneur is confronting problems and working out answers to them by constantly adapting and improvising a response. There are no established blueprints or plans for handling the problems you face. Frequently, the only way to tackle a problem is to work out a solution and try it out. If the solution fails, you discard it and work out another. More often, however, the challenge is to optimize the solution, figuring out how you can modify your approach to achieve the best results. Often, problems spurs innovation and provides opportunities to grow and improve. The critical thinking required to solve the problems related to owning and running a business is both invigorating and satisfying. The process of developing a plan, seeing if it works, and adjusting on the fly is exciting and, when you come up with a solution, extremely rewarding.
Thanks to Eric Wall, Equivity
#19 – Closer to my Dream
I love being an entrepreneur because every day I wake up and I feel as though I'm a day closer to my dream. Whether it's a good day or bad day, I'm always a day closer to my dream. And it's hard to go to sleep sometimes because I'm excited about getting tasks done that are helping me make strides (even when small) forward.
Thanks to Ben Weissenstein, Everything Started As Nothing
#20 – Creativity
I LOVE being an entrepreneur because it allows me to be free to use my creativity every day, in any way I like. If I have an idea for how something could be done better, I don't have to jump through hoops to get approval, I can start to implement that day. My work is all online and so I'm able to spend the majority of the year travelling, which is absolutely awesome. There are so many great things about being an entrepreneur, I really do love it!
Thanks to Davina Hearne, Natural Revolution Ltd.
#21 – Find Niche Markets
Being an entrepreneur allows me to find niche markets – and develop products and services that people need and value. When I first began exploring the consumer finance industry there weren’t many businesses assisting everyday people with their money issues. People were quietly suffering from intense debt. No one really helped them – they’d simply go bankrupt or pay down credit card debt for their entire lives. Entrepreneurship gave me the freedom to break down boundaries and erase the stigma of debt. It gave me license to freely speak about debt in public, and tell people that debt is a serious issue, but they’re not alone and that millions of other people share their misery. As an entrepreneur, I could craft my own message of hope and literally send it out over the radio and TV airwaves. Entrepreneurship is the one vehicle that gives you creative freedom and a purpose. My purpose was “how can I help consumers even more.” Without that creative freedom, people living in debt might still be suffering alone.
Thanks to Howard S. Dvorkin, Debt.com
#22 – Ownership
Two items come to mind when thinking about the reasons I enjoy entrepreneurship. The first is owning the direction of the initiative that you are working on. With this ownership you are ultimately accountable for all decision making, nobody else. Second is the high of building something from the ground up. Knowing you have been successful in accomplishing something that is new or never been done before is a rush like no other.
Thanks to Chris Ciborowski, Nebulaworks
#23 – Gratifying
The challenge of being an entrepreneur is immense, but extremely gratifying. Entrepreneurs are short on time and money. Therefore, we have to be creative in how we spend both our time and money. We have to learn new skills quickly as well as hire the right staff for problems outside our core skill set. We have to stay focused on the day to day business of running a company, but must always be chasing a larger vision. Ultimately, bringing a new product to market with gratified customers shines a light on our hard work and is a feeling like not other, which leads us to ask…what should we make next?
Thanks to Kevin Nadolny, Runbell LLC
#24 – Daily Grind
Being an entrepreneur is no easy task; especially when you’re in the startup stages and there aren’t enough hours in the day or there’s not enough money in the bank to get everything done. The primary motivator for me has always been my competitive nature because without it I couldn’t allow myself to fail often enough to succeed. As an entrepreneur if you select the right business for you it’ll allow you to exploit your strengths and gradually improve your weaknesses. I’ve always been of the mindset that you’re not ready to take risks, work hard and fail you’re not ready to be an entrepreneur. The daily grind to get Butcher’s Bloc where I want it to be is my favorite part of being an entrepreneur.
Thanks to Rafael Diaz, Butchers Bloc Ltd
#25 – Push the Boundaries
The freedom to push the boundaries of what is possible. The sense of achievement of creating something from nothing that people love. The satisfaction of bringing a disparate group of talented people together and seeing them achieve things by collaborating with a shared vision that they didn't think possible.
Thanks to Tim Porter, Gluru
#26 – Change the World
My greatest passion is to help ethical companies succeed in their efforts to make the world a better place; as an entrepreneur, I get to do this every day. I founded Christie & Co with a commitment to change the world through the power of communication, and work tirelessly to achieve those goals for my clients. As an entrepreneur, I am afforded the ability to build companies into iconic brands based in value, meaning, and ethics.
Thanks to Gillian Christie,Christie & Co