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 a 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- Several reasons
Being an entrepreneur has always given me the freedom to explore and cultivate new ideas. I love being able to work with a team of like-minded people on projects that are pushing boundaries and changing the way small businesses gain traction with SEO. It's a great feeling knowing that my efforts are making an impact.
Thanks to Matt Bentley, CanIRank SEO Software!
#2- Ability to create new and vibrant ideas
As long as the hours can be, as high as the stress often is, and as heavy as the responsibilities are, I find that it is the challenge that both excites and motivates me. My passion lies in my ability to create. In this context, based on the virtue of the type of company we are, business is my art form, in that, not only do I get to create new and vibrant ideas that either help our clients and bring enjoyment to people, but I embrace being able to create the actual business infrastructure as well. For example, all of the steps prior to the finished product including building our team, making strategic decisions, so on and so forth, are just as enjoyable to me as creating those new event or business ideas. That passion, coupled with the internal need to always move and think fast, and to not be bogged down by bureaucracy or unnecessary routines, truly drives me.
Thanks to Christopher W. Sinclair, The Anthem Group!
#3- Deciding on who we bring in the door
Running your own business means never having to work with people you don’t really enjoy being around, and learn from. Building and choosing your team is for me the most critical part of an early stage growth business, and even now that we are a little bigger (over 50 employees) I try to be in as many interviews as possible. I think there are only two or three team members that I didn’t interview prior to hiring, because of scheduling conflicts.That’s probably not scalable to 500 employees, but being a central voice in deciding on who we bring in the door is for me one of the greatest rewards of being an entrepreneur.
Thanks to Josh Millet, Criteria Corp!
#4- Opportunity to foster and observe the growth of my greatest passion
What I love about being an entrepreneur is the opportunity to foster and observe the growth of my greatest passion. It began with the simple idea to design high-quality, stylish watches that were more readily affordable. I loved the prospect of starting at zero and continually fighting to reach and maintain my image of success. I began working with driven, creative people who were eager to learn the trade of business marketing. Not only did we collectively create a positive work environment, we also realized each of our unique abilities and importance. We operate through flat management. There’s no hierarchy or sense of superiority, just a group of people contributing quality work to build a better business. My idea provided my colleagues with a place to be productive and a communal goal to strive for.
Thanks to Seth Smith, Kaville!
#5- Creating opportunities, forging my destiny and freedom
The absolute best thing I love about being an entrepreneur is it gives me the ability to create my own opportunities and forge my own destiny. It allows me the freedom to work when I want, where I want, and with whom I want. Sink or swim, it feels good to be the captain of my ship as I sail towards a purposeful life.
Thanks to James R. Nowlin, Excel Global Partners!
#6- Building something bigger than myself and make a positive impact
“For me it’s always been about creating a company and a culture that would have an indelible impact not just on my family and loved ones, but on the community at large. I founded my company based on a deep-rooted desire to amplify my marketing skillset in a way that would support the growth and success of organizations that are using their business to make the world a better place. Additionally I wanted to be a resource and a trusted advisor to those that had been burned by digital marketing agencies who over promised and under-delivered, and I thought that there was a better way to do business. I truly believe in using the power of business as a force for good. That through our services, practices, and profits we should aspire to benefit all. Social impact is contagious. If I can help fellow purpose-driven businesses in my community reach their goals, then I can have an exponential impact on the planet too — and that’s awesome.”
Thanks to Julien Brandt, OrganikSEO!
#7- Control and fun
“For me, it’s all about control. I love being an entrepreneur because while it may be unpredictable at times, at the end of the day it’s me who is calling the shots. When you work a traditional job, the future is not always yours to decide. Ultimately, what happens next for the company and even your role in it will be someone else’s decision. I needed more.. As the owner of a marketing agency, I like having the ability to make changes as I see fit and truly set the path the business is taking. Not to mention, entrepreneurship really is fun and thrilling. Sure, nerve-wracking is also an appropriate descriptor, but that’s part of what drew me to this journey. The possibility that you are working on something that can turn into greatness can be intimidating, but it’s also incredibly exciting — and that’s why we do it.”
Thanks to Laura Ure, Keenability!
#8-Creation and development process
I've known that I wanted to be an entrepreneur since I was 12. Given that I always knew I'd own my own business, you would think that I can easily explain why I love it. But it's not that easy. It sounds corny, but it's such a part of who I am, I can't ever see myself doing anything else. There are days where I don't always love it, but it never enters my mind to regret it or what life would be like if I didn't become an entrepreneur. But if I had to pin down a few of my reasons, I would say that I love the creation and development process. I love taking an idea, creating it, executing it and watching it grow. I find it extremely satisfying. My love is also part of the whole idea of being a master of your own destiny. I have the freedom to control where I go in life, what I do and what I accomplish more than working for someone else. Can't imagine ever doing something else!
Thanks to Paula Welsh, 7 Charming Sisters!
#9- The buzz I get from making a deal
The number one reason I love being an entrepreneur and why I am still as motivated now as I was when starting out 40 years ago is the buzz I get from making a deal, I love chase and not knowing what the day ahead is going to bring it's like like survival of the fittest and hunting it is inbuilt in me.
Thanks to Elaine Wilkinson, Decorelo!
#10- Several reasons
Being an entrepreneur opens up a whole new world of opportunities, it also brings with it many new challenges, which I love. I have always loved problem solving, learning new skills, making decisions and being in control of my own destiny. So starting a business was just too big a lure to ignore. That leap of faith and journey into the unknown when you first start a company is a real buzz. Then setting out a clear vision of where you want the company to go and working towards that goal is incredibly rewarding and a real driving force. The sense of achievement you get when you have successes and achieve goals can be very addictive. Even the challenging times can be rewarding as you figure out the right strategy to move forward. The fact there is always a long list of things to do and achieve is exciting, I love being busy and entrepreneurship fulfils that need. Waking every morning feeling super excited about getting to work, getting on with the day and seeing what we can accomplish to make our products and services even better is a great way to live and extremely fulfilling.
Thanks to John Moss, English Blinds!
#11- Power to solve problems
The thing I love the most about being an entrepreneur is I have the power to do whatever I think needs to be done. In my past life at large corporations, whenever I noticed big problem or something incredibly inefficient I'd inevitably run into a million reasons – some good, most bad – why I couldn't or shouldn't fix it. As an entrepreneur, me and my team are the ones deciding what problem to solve. Hate a process we're running? We scrap it. Wasting time on the wrong things? We change the schedule. Big, important problem looming on the horizon? We solve it. For better or worse, entrepreneurship puts you in control.
Thanks to Will Davis, Conlego!
#12- Freedom to scale and create anything
The best part about being an entrepreneur is that you do not have through bureaucracy or chain of command to get something done. You can create an idea and run with it within minutes. In Corporate-America its the exact opposite. You have to submit a ticket, have at least 10 board meetings, wait about 6 months, ensure the branding team is on board, get funding approved and then get things going. One of the best perks about of being an entrepreneur is the freedom to scale and create anything.
Thanks to Cody Schuldt, Spartan Digital!
#13- Freedom and flexibility
I get freedom and flexibility to do what I want and how I want it. Working for someone else, I was limited to the ways they said I was supposed to work. Working for myself, there are no rules. If I want to innovate a new way of doing things in my industry, working for someone else wasn't going to allow for that. Working for myself has allowed me to be creative and solve my client's problems in ways others haven't thought of before. It's great and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Thanks to Shirani M. Pathak, Center for Soulful Relationships!
#14- Creativity, freedom and personal growth
I love using my creativity in structuring business process to enhance a company's competitiveness and effectiveness in the marketplace. This, along with the freedom of my time, is what I truly enjoy. Startups and small businesses are the backbone of this country, and being able to work alongside founders and owners to create value to their customers while seeing incredible personal growth is simply an incredible experience.
Thanks to Abhi Golhar, Real Estate Deal Talk!
#15- Funding my passion
I love being an entrepreneur because it has allowed me to fund my passion, which is to work to bring an end to childhood cancer. Business has been very good to me, and I retired at 40 years old. Then my son was diagnosed with stage IV childhood leukemia, and we entered a world I had never faced before. My son survived, but the experience changed me forever. I thought briefly about working for a foundation, but it was way outside my skill sets. I am an entrepreneur. Therefore I started my businesses, all in real estate, to become revenue generating machines to fund the needed research. My company slogan is, A business worth owning, to fund a cause worth fighting.
Thanks to Kyle Alfriend, Alfriend Real Estate Group!
#16- A number of reasons
Entrepreneurship allows me to express myself, be free, create, and control my own destiny. I have the unique opportunity to design my life the way I want to, travel the world, and live here in Costa Rica. Most of all, I get to work on a mission that I'm passionate about and use my energy to build something that makes a difference in the world.
Thanks to Matt Wilson, Under30Experiences!
#17- Freedom, the ability to create and to make an immediate difference in my everyday life
There are some days when the benefits of being an entrepreneur outweighs the challenges and others when I wonder why the hell am I doing this? But, I do love the freedom, the ability to create and to make an immediate difference in my everyday life. If you can live with the highs and lows of being a small business owner it can be greatly rewarding. Learn from your failures and reap the rewards of all the hard work.
Thanks to Brook Parker, Cotton Carrier!
#18- The unpredicability
Being an entrepreneur is like being on the world’s fastest and best rollercoaster every day. Each day you can rise to the occasion, fearing at any second the mishap of descent while desperately hoping to cruise along to the next ascent. And, you fully realize that your car can derail in failure at any second. In fact, you watch cars derail each minute you are on the ride. Entrepreneurs are truly extreme adrenaline junkies.
Thanks to Mary Ellen ‘Mel' Spera, Parker's Voice!
#19- Control of my life
What I love most about being an entrepreneur is that I get to wake up every day and work toward my own goals and dreams instead of getting paid to work toward someone else’s. I love being the boss of my own life and having the opportunity to make a positive impact in the world instead of spending my life in a cubicle stuck behind a sea of data (like I used to be at my 9-to-5). Nothing compares to the freedom of having complete control over my own schedule, who I work with, and how I spend each and every day of my own life.
Thanks to Catherine Wood, Unbounded Potential!
#20- Embracing my ability to improvise and create
What I find so valuable about the entrepreneurial journey is the ability to leverage creativity at every turn. Whether it's building a new marketing campaign or finding human capital with a limited budget, creativity is essential. Sometimes even the simplest decisions encourage the use of imagination. For me this is different than other professional experiences. In most situations, I felt being creative might upset a system or established approach. Starting Skratch has inspired me to embrace my ability to improvise and create in ways that I never thought possible. I have enjoyed the challenge of thinking differently.
Thanks to Scott Bennett, Skratch!
#21- Following my dreams
We started Aingel.ai to help early stage investors predict the success of founders and to make sure they were not passing up on the next big startup with the use of Artificial Intelligence. I am passionate about AI, entrepreneurship and helping others. As co-founder and CEO of Aingel I have been able to follow my dream of demonstrating how machine learning can help humans. By building a team of the industry’s finest, I am able to be a part of an exciting time in technology and investing.
Thanks to Amr Shady, Aingel.ai!
#22- Independence and financial freedom
I have been an entrepreneur for many years after working in City Government. The independence and financial freedom of making my own schedule and deciding my income is a freedom I would never give up. The independence in scheduling my classes with Tenlis Education and deciding if I want to work with third party companies allows me to schedule my time around my family and not the reverse. I choose what income I want to receive on a weekly or monthly basis. This gives me confidence in planning for my future retirement. And, as a result being an Entrepreneur with independence and financial freedom is like a breathe of fresh air.
Thanks to Geneva Pugh, Tenlis Education!
#23- Choice of something purposeful
Every day you wake up knowing that you're pushing yourself to the limit and doing what you have chosen to do — not what someone else told you to do. Moreover, if you've chosen an entrepreneurial mission that is something purposeful, as is the case with my company (whose social mission is to improve the workplace for women), you also the knowledge that your business downside is that you've left a world better than the one you've entered.
Thanks to Georgene Huang, Fairygodboss!
#24- Freedom and positive impact
I love the fact that the family business is ours and that I can make decisions and turn on a dime without getting approval from someone else. I love the freedom to not only make my own decisions, but to run the business and succeed on my own. The company’s success is directly linked to my success. And I also love that we’re making a positive impact on our clients and by training their employees we can help those businesses interact better with their customers. I love being an entrepreneur!
Thanks to Nancy Friedman, Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training Inc!