Being an entrepreneur or business owner has its share of ups and downs. While the downs can be pretty low the ups always seem to triumph for a true entrepreneur at heart. Milestones are what entrepreneurs and business owners work towards. Once you finally reach a certain point then reflection can truly begin. Finding enjoyment in running your business keeps it from becoming stale in the long run. No matter which part you love most, loving them all is equally as important. We asked several entrepreneurs and business owners what their favorite part of running a business is and below are their replies.
#1 – Interaction with Others
The best part about running a business is the interaction you have with others. You are helping people out and meeting a variety of people in the process. You learn a lot in the process from not only running the business but from meeting others. I've learned a lot about what other people do, and how many opportunities there are in this world. There's also a great sense of pride in creating something and being able to implement your ideas, that is greater when it is your business.
Thanks to Callie Valentino, Wed-Ease.com
#2 – Client Benefits
My favorite part of running a business is seeing the rewards our clients benefit from our hard work. Trying to put a client's vision into a website can sometimes be hard, but when you get it right and the client is happy it is rewarding for them as well us. It's even more rewarding when their business flourishes because of our efforts. I enjoy hearing clients calling saying they are so busy can you stop whatever you are doing until I can catch up. You know then you have one happy customer.
Thanks to Kornel Kurtz, WebTek
#3 – When a Project Comes Together
My favourite part of running a business is when a project comes together, whether that be a trade show exhibition that pulls together our lingerie designs, photography and marketing collaterals or simply manufacturing our stock; an achievement that culminates months of research and development and the logistics of bringing together a large variety of materials from across the world. Completing such projects brings a huge sense of pride and relief.. I also particularly enjoy our photoshoots. The images from these shoots are my only way of showing the world what I've been visualising and developing for months; I finally get to share my vision.
Thanks to Katherine Payne, Katherine Hamilton Intimates
#4 – Creating New Technology
My favorite part of running a business has been seeing my team create new technology that is being adapted in the marketplace. And it isn't just because that gives me revenue, rather, it allows my recruiting pitch to become reality. I tell people I'm interviewing that we're a place where you can make a global difference by impacting the world's most significant issues: energy, water, war, poverty. Our technology can and is changing the world by making vehicles cleaner, providing solutions in Haiti for air conditioning, and protecting US military in combat. These are more than just platitudes, this is what we work on daily. People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves and I'm thrilled to be a provide a place where they can have a global impact as a small business owner.
Thanks to Mickey Swortzel, NewEagle
#5 – Challenges
Challenges! There are new challenges every day and they seem to always be changing. I love it! Since starting my business, I feel as though I have grown exponentially as a person through the challenges I've faced, and this in turn has helped me to bring more value to the business. From time management challenges to making sure prices are right to dealing with customers, there is always something different going on and with that comes different challenges. Even when things are running smoothly, I am always challenged to move to the next level and bring more value to my customers. This has been instrumental in keeping me engaged and moving forward. Every day, I feel privileged to wake up and face the day of challenges ahead. It isn't always easy, but I know at the very least I won't be bored!
Thanks to Lisa Graham, YYC Beeswax
#6 – Starting with a New Client
The favorite part of my business is getting started with a new client. After the close, when the client and I meet to begin our work together, I focus on the big picture. What is the client's vision for their business? What steps do we need to take to make that a reality? Where is the client now and how do I move them forward? I enjoy learning about their business: how and why they got started, what is their biggest obstacle? What do they enjoy about their business and what do they hate about it? Once I have these answers, I design my approach by making a to-do list; then I prioritize into short-term v. long term. The short term are the best because the client sees quick results. From these results, the client gets motivated, their energy is pumped up and they raring to go! This is enormously rewarding to me. To see progress and forward movement in my client's business brings me a great sense of achievement….and referrals!
Thanks to Helene Liatsos, Home Office Management Experts
#7 – Solve Real Problems
My favorite part of leading Nara Logics is working with some of the world’s best and brightest minds to solve real business problems. With an MIT heritage, we have a great Cambridge office right in the heart of Kendall Square with a team of bright and methodical software craftsman. It is very meaningful to solve real problems. Our small but elite group of optimistic and hard-working people are creating something that will help any business make better recommendations and decisions. We have established clients in some of the world’s largest companies, across multiple interesting verticals such as telecom, banking, travel and entertainment, and commerce. I also really enjoy exciting people about the possibilities of technology rather than fearing it and bringing new talent and diversity into Artificial Intelligence.
Thanks to Jana Eggers, Nara Logics
#8 – Creativity Through Products
My favorite aspect of running a business are the control and the freedom to express my creativity through my products. Identifying the materials and drawing samples are a very exciting process. Knowing my creativity has the potential to produce a product is very rewarding. The adrenaline rush to see the process from start to finish is very addictive. It's even more rewarding when my customers love the product and it starts selling. Successful business owners all have some enjoyment in their business. Finding that rush will help remind you on a daily basis why you love being a business owner.
Thanks to Lisa Chu, Black n Bianco Kids Apparel
#9 – Making Life a Little Better
As the CEO of a rapidly growing tech company the stress and amount of work can frequently feel overwhelming. It is important to genuinely enjoy the work your do when work is such a huge part of your life. There are many things that all are favorites of doing what I do. More often than not however I come back to the idea that my favorite part is what I call the quiet smile. It is that moment when I see someone out in the world using our product and enjoying the experience. It is making their life a little better than it was before. It is then, without fanfare or celebration, that I quietly smile to myself in satisfaction of helping bring that moment to them. So that is my favorite part, the quiet smile.
Thanks to Scott C Maloney, BowTie
#10 – Making Business Decisions
My favorite part of running a business is making business decisions. I have an analytical mind (often too analytical) and I like to evaluate the pros and cons of every issue before making a decision. I also like the fact that I am directly responsible for my own decisions. If something good comes out of it, I am responsible. If something bad comes out of it, I am also responsible. I like having that sense of being in control of my own decisions, and ultimately, of my own destiny.
Thanks to Andrew Reeves, Luxe Translation Services
#11 – Creating a Community
My favorite part of running a business is the fact that I get to create a community of people that are connected by a common purpose and set of goals. Its an opportunity to take action and remedy many of the social problems that I identify as alarming in the larger American capitalist framework. For example, I get to put people above profits and also treat and respect my staff as colleagues and members of my family. I also get to inspire and motivate amazing people and collaborate with them to reach collective goals that benefit us all. Creating a more communal decision making process has made the job of running a business both fun and rewarding not only financially but also emotionally and spiritually.
Thanks to Hajmil Carr, TrueLine Publishing
#12 – Breadth of Activities
For me, the best part of running a business, especially a global one, is the sheer breadth of activities and decisions that make up any given day or week. To shift from a budgeting decision to interviewing a potential hire to the creative for a marketing campaign to pitching a homeowner on why to work with Oasis to having a conversation with an investor – all in a 2-3 hour period – demands a mental dexterity that keeps me engaged and feeling like I'm constantly challenging myself. Combined with that is doing all of the above across cultures. Oasis operates in 12 countries, and given our early stage and small size, I am closely involved with the operations in all of them. It's a tremendous challenge, but one that I find extremely invigorating.
Thanks to Parker Stanberry, Oasis Collections
#13 – With Purpose
I get to work every single day with purpose. In this world, I think that is so rare it's practically a luxury item. I approach entrepreneurship with legacy in mind. I'm leaving a legacy. That sense of purpose helps me stay focused on using my creativity to uplift the creativity of others. Focusing on legacy and moving with purpose harnesses my innate talents and pinpoints them with trajectory. I challenge my own ingenuity and often surprise myself. I don't over romanticize the past or dwell too long on mistakes because my energy moves me constantly forward. There's who you are and what you do but the true core of your brand and I think the center of your life rests in the answer to why.
Thanks to Joy Donnell, Vanichi Magazine
#14 – Young Employees
My favorite part of running a business is working with young employees, often right out of school, and watching their careers grow. Because I've worked at several PR firms, I've seen dozens of PR professionals join the agencies where I've worked, move up through the ranks and now hold senior positions. It's rewarding to know that lending my experience was responsible for at least some of their growth. One former employee is now the CMO at a large big data company, another is in a senior communications position at IBM and another is in a senior marketing position at FedEx.
Thanks to Tim Johnson, Upraise
#15 – Client Life Cycle
My favorite part of running a business is being exposed to the entire client life cycle. I love working with clients in the pre-proposal stages to discover their real needs and then devise innovative solutions tailored specifically for that client. When I am doing an executive coaching engagement, I get to work with the client on an ongoing basis, listen to them, challenge them, bring them resources, and ultimately witness their growth. If we are doing a team building or a leadership training, it's so much fun to assemble the team, create the materials and activities, and then work with the client to execute the event. Bringing it full circle, the real joy is seeing the impact of our work when we complete delivery. Whether I am working with a client team or an individual, being involved in the entire client life cycle is very appealing to the systems thinker in me.
Thanks to Marie Peeler, Peeler Associates