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 something you love 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 entrepreneurs and business owners what they love about running a business and below are their replies.
#1- Flexible Work Hours
As a business owner, I am able to adjust my schedule to work when I am most productive and when my clients need me to be available. Since I am most productive in the early morning, it is not unusual to find me writing proposals or articles for trade publications at 5:30am. On the other hand, many of my clients in the IT industry are based on the West Coast while my company is located on the East Coast. I can easily adjust my schedule to begin working later in the morning on days when I have client meetings scheduled for the end of their business day, which translates to my evening.
Thanks to Lisa Masiello, TECHmarc Labs, Inc.!
#2- Seeing products and positive feedback about them
As the CEO of a consumer hardware company, I love the constant ups and downs that come with making our product stand out from our competition. I have a diverse team ranging in various backgrounds and talents, and without working together, it would be much more challenging to reach our goals. Consumer tech is demanding, but seeing the product in others' hands and getting their feedback and seeing their reactions is so gratifying and makes everything I've worked for worth it.
Thanks to Clement Perrot, Prynt!
#3- Bringing ideas to life
I love working with people who have specific skills that I don’t have. As the CEO of FreightCenter, my vision is to simplify the way businesses ship freight. While I can imagine new, disruptive ways we can change the shipping industry for the better, I lack the skills to code and develop web and mobile apps that businesses – specifically eCommerce retail – are hungry for. It is exciting to see an idea turn into a physical product that fulfills a market need. I’ll never get tired of discovering how my team brings our ideas to life.
Thanks to Matthew Brosious, FreightCenter, Inc.!
#4- Building a new market and bringing change
One of the things I enjoy most about my role is that we are defining and building a new market, a new category, Software Intelligence. It’s challenging because not everyone likes the idea of shedding light into the structural quality and risk of software systems, especially when they have just spent $50 million to build it. On the other hand, CEOs and CIOs who want to know their risk exposure or want to stop guessing about the software that supports their digital transformation…these people love us. The other thing I love about my job is the opportunity to work with super smart people. Building a market and introducing disruptive change requires brilliant minds. In fact, that is the inspiration for our name – a CAST of characters in a movie or play, where many talented individuals come together around a common goal.
Thanks to Vincent Delaroche, CAST!
#5- I can think outside the box
I’ve never liked being hemmed in, particularly by outdated systems or models or by projects that drain energy from employees rather than filling them up. So running my own business means I can try new ways of doing things. Whether they succeed or fail, I always learn something that helps me move forward. Running an arts-based business is especially challenging. Artists aren’t supposed to be business people. We are supposed to be head-in-the-clouds, flighty folks obsessed with the art we create. So proving to others that arts-based businesses CAN contribute to the larger business community has been fun for me. It’s all about having the freedom to find my place in the business world. That freedom comes from being on your own!
Thanks to Teresa Funke
#6- Endless opportunities
My business has gifted me with the opportunity to make a living and support my family. It continually offers me the chance to assist clients in designing legal ways to accumulate wealth and economic peace of mind. Finally, it provides me with opportunities for seeing and appreciating other cultures, learning additional languages, and expanding my understanding of the human condition.
Thanks to Stanley Foodman, Foodman CPAs and Advisors!
#7- Growth
Being an entrepreneur allows you to grow in the best way possible. You’ll need to think outside the box and get out of your comfort zone if you want to succeed. The most important thing for me is that you can decide how to spend your time. You can delegate at least some of the jobs that you don’t like doing to others, make time for the things you like and focus on the skills that you are particularly good at.
Thanks to Val Slajus, VIS Exterior!
#8- The adventure
The mifold Grab-and-Go booster created the ultra-compact car-seat category. Today, half-a-million children, parents and caregivers use mifold on a daily basis to protect children in cars, when they usually travel unprotected: carpooling, with grandparents, on vacation, in taxis and rentals and more. Traditional boosters are just too big and bulky. I love running this business because it is an adventure. I wake every day and work with a wonderful team of dedicated people, who are so much more talented than me in their areas. The whole is much more than the sum of the parts. Together, in our own small way, we are changing the world and saving lives. Our vision is a child restraint for every child, in every car, on every journey, at every time. I truly love that.
Thanks to Jon Sumroy, mifold!
#9- Picking what I'm challenged with
Being a business owner isn't easy. But, one of the things I enjoy most about running my own business is being able to pick what I'm challenged with. I get to steer the company in a direction that I think is interesting. If I want to learn more about something, I have a reason to. Not everyone has that luxury – to pursue topics, job roles, or subject matters they think are interesting. I get to dictate what I'm challenged by and what direction the business is heading in, integrating my own ideas and interests into our daily projects.
Thanks to Dave Carmany, OnlineLabels.com!
#10-I am surrounded by inspiration, great vision and different ways of looking at the world every day.
I work with objects and people I love. I see different pieces of art every day – from real mysteries to great masters to works by the most in-demand contemporary visual artists working today. I interact with passionate people – the art collectors and experts (curators, archivists, dealers, artists).. I help people manage their wealth and work with their advisors (estate, insurance, legal, wealth). I also assist those going through difficult times in cases of death or divorce. I need spirit, energy and highly developed people skills to read each situation. I am a qualified personal property appraiser and art advisor and I started Fine Art Appraisal and Services because of my love of art and business. What some people may not realize is that my company partners with a wide range of professionals including lawyers and economists for complex assignments as well as librarians and researchers. My team is engaged and must keep their knowledge current about the markets, economy, related tax laws and style trends. It’s busy, challenging and rewarding. I also love learning something new each day and sharing the stories about beautiful objects.
Thanks to Kelly Juhasz, Fine Art Appraisal and Services!
#11- Seeing people love my products
What I love about this business is it keeps you constantly on your toes whether it's creativity, technology, sales and marketing and social media promotions. At the end of the day with all the work we go through, it's the most rewarding thing to see your products in the wild and someone else sharing their love for your design. I usually don't tell them it's my company, cause I want to hear their honest truth. The good thing about being in a niche sector is that the people who use your products really appreciate what you provide. Their responses give me motivation and courage to keep producing better items to excite them.
Thanks to Mikey Wu, MIKOL!
#12- Freedom
Running my own business means freedom in the largest acception. Freedom to handle my hours, freedom to experiment with new business ideas and choose which ones to keep and which I can happily throw away. Freedom to care for my physical and mental health issues without having to fear getting fired for being unable to adhere to strict deadlines, or being accused to be a lazy worker. I love being able to shape and mold my own business according to the changes in my life and in my health. Being my own boss, I can always give my best even when best comes with variables. Also, as a writer and an artist, I feel there's no other way to stay true to my calling. Artists need the freedom to create, even when we do it for money.
Thanks to Luana Spinetti
#13- We are masters of our own destiny
I think what we- my husband and I- love most about running our own business is that we are masters of our own destiny. And that we were able to combine our respective skill-sets to create a successful business. In founding our business- the Elkhorn Inn & Theatre, a historic Coal Heritage Trail inn in Landgraff, West Virginia- in 2003, at the ages of 57 and 44, we reinvented ourselves- and not for the first time! Owning your own business allows you to do that! My husband is US Army Ret., and had careers in both corporate aviation and disaster response before he restored our historic building and we launched our Inn- after which he became a Chef, and put us on the Bon Appetit Appalachia foodie map! I am an illustrator, writer, and disaster response manager by profession, and a former art gallery owner- who then became an Inn-Keeper and Marketing Maven! Owning a business is truly a creative endeavor- but it is NOT easy! And you really do have to be flexible and think outside the box ALL the time!
Thanks to Elisse & Chef Dan Clark, Elkhorn Inn & Theatre!
#14- Opportunity to create something
I get to talk to people everyday whose lives are different and better because of the product that I envisioned and led the team to build. Entrepreneurship is the only thing that I can think of where you can see a problem, and create a business model around fixing it. It’s hard for me to imagine a greater level of responsibility and accountability in a career. As an entrepreneur, the most positive and rewarding change in my life is becoming a coach, teacher, and mentor for my team. My career has been in Sales but I feel like my main job as the CEO now is in the HR department, hiring, working to remove roadblocks, teaching and coaching the team. I’m having a ton of fun helping people be their best in their career, and there has been so much personal and professional growth in the team at Badger over the last few years.
Thanks to Steven Benson, Badger Maps!
#15-Putting my self-care and goals first
I definitely think many out there still feel this is selfish to admit but deep down, it is what they want and know they need. Over the years of running my own business, I've come to accept that if I don't put my self-care and my goals first, I cannot do my best for those I work with. From setting my own schedule to defining my own boundaries and taking an unexpected day off without feeling guilty to reaching for what I want to achieve, this makes the crazy journey as a business owner completely worthwhile. I have learnt that putting yourself first is something to be proud of. For so many years, saying you are really busy was believed to be a sign of success, but now it is about being someone who loves what they do and gets to create a life they love. That for me is about my self-care and my goals.
Thanks to Rebecca Viner, Sparked Passion!
#16- It doesn't feel like work to me
I love running JV Agency because it doesn't feel like work to me. That saying, Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life, certainly applies to me. Loving what you do gives you the satisfaction of being in charge of your own future by doing something meaningful. Working with an amazing team and very talented clients is what motivates me to wake up every morning and hustle,
especially because what we do impacts culture starting on an emotional level and that makes all the difference in the world.
Thanks to Jazmine Valencia, JV Agency!
#17- A number of things
I love running my own business because it allows me to pursue my passions full time. Being a designer, I feel extremely fortunate to be able to work on projects that speak to me and are creatively fulfilling. I also enjoy the freedom it brings – to take risks, to dream big, and ultimately to have control of where the business goes next. I feel like the potential for growth is limitless and exciting. Another perk is the flexibility of setting my own schedule. There are definitely days where I'm glued to my desk and working until midnight, but there are other days where I can work from a coffee shop, or take a few hours off and go hiking. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I find running my own business so personally rewarding. Knowing my designs are appealing to people on some level, whether it be to spruce up their home or brighten their mood even for a second, makes me feel truly successful.
Thanks to Sara Berrenson
#18- Helping people
I love helping people stay committed to make better choices each day, outside of the gym, where it really matters, in their everyday lives.
Thanks to Andy Petranek, The Whole Life Challenge!
#19- Responsibility
Something unique that I enjoy about running a business is the ability to know that it's up to me whether I succeed or fail. I played team sports as a kid. Baseball, basketball and all those things. I liked it, but as I got older I was drawn more to golf. And as I've gotten into my working life I was always drawn toward running a business and I've been doing that since 2012. I think a big reason is that in both golf and business things are more in my control. Or at least it seems to be that way.When something happens for the business I only have to look into the mirror.
Thanks to Dayne Shuda, Ghost Blog Writers!
#20- Money
I wish I had some sort of profound answer, but my favorite thing about running my business is making money. The amount of money I make is a direct indication of how much value I am providing to the world. So naturally I strive to provide as much value as possible to my customers, because that increases the money I receive. And with that money I am afforded the freedom we all seek as entrepreneurs. We all got into this game so we could design our own life and live on our own terms instead of someone else’s. I want to provide a comfortable life for my family and be present in my kids’ lives. I want to have a world-changing impact by solving systemic problems all around the globe; and I just can’t do that without big piles of money! Money is not the root of all evil…it’s the root of change.
Thanks to Steve Scheetz, Moonbow Baby!
#21-Helping others reach their goals
The bottom line mission of my business is to help women, which is my favorite part about running my company. There is nothing more motivating and inspirational than seeing my audience work hard and become the person they have always dreamed of being. I've seen women lose the weight they wanted, get that dream job, get into their dream MBA school, and find themselves in powerful ways that make the hard work worth it.
Thanks to Anna Wood, Brains over Blonde!
#22- Three things
Running your own business means you’re responsible for managing your own time, budget, and resources to deliver an outcome. It eliminates the bureaucracy and micromanaging I experienced in corporate America. And it means I’m solely accountable for delivering results. At the end of the day you know what you contributed and you can easily discern whether you were successful. You never know that in a large company.
Thanks to Alexander Lowry, Gordon College!
#23- I have no staff
No noise, no interference and no interruptions. I have over $30M in gross turnover and robots in factories and warehouses worldwide that do as I say when I say. I trust everything to a cloud and live far from the action. If I was happy with inventing just one product and that’s all I was ever to think about then I could do four hours a week instead of twelve as I seek more reason for my existence outside one product design. That design came from luck. Maybe I should just settle for that as my life’s purpose. My baby is called Rice Cube and everything else I design is just me trying to explain how I got here and why I should stay. Did I mention I have no staff.
Thanks to Ross Patten, Rice Cube LLC!
#24- Giving things away
I usually choose projects that matter to me. One of my core values is kindness and I love to bring a smile to peoples’ lives with an unexpected gift. I spend most of my time hustling to make sales, so it feels so good to simply pay it forward occasionally. I’ve given my jewelry to good causes and on Instagram. All I ask in return is that they too pay it forward. I also do swaps for artwork and beautiful things. My job involves making silver jewelry to empower fellow creatives, which is pretty awesome too!
Thanks to Sally How, How Fine Designs!
#25- Inspiring friends and like-minded travelers
I love running my own business to inspire like-minded travelers who love the design and out-of-the-ordinary experiences and give them the best advice – exactly when they need it. I also love making new inspiring friends worldwide that know all the best things in their city, and that share amazing secrets. I am eager to meet the cool friends and see the amazing places I will discover in the future.
Thanks to Francisco Pujals, Coolmapp!