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- Three things
Personally, I love the flexibility, creativity and the challenge. Also, I immensely enjoy tackling the newest challenge, sorting it out, then moving onto the next (ie. not being pigeonholed into a certain skill set or career path). I have thick skin and I'm always, always, always looking to improve.
Thanks to Katie Horgan, Giving Assistant!
#2- Lot's of fun
I cannot imagine going back to my corporate career because I am having so much fun as an entrepreneur. Being a co-founder of a real estate investment company allows me to set my own objectives, determine my work hours, and reap the rewards of my actions. Before becoming a business owner I used to be a manager at the Boeing company and managed a team of engineers working on the 787 Dreamliner. No matter how well my team did I knew that at the end of the year I would earn a predetermined salary with a small bonus that was based on the company stock performance. Now, my hard work and ingenuity are directly related to what I earn. As an entrepreneur, you control how much you earn and how you conduct your business and I love it.
Thanks to Alex Romanov, www.iwillbuyhouse.com!
#3- Flexibility to dedicate myself to my family and philanthropic initiatives
I never in my life envisioned becoming an entrepreneur. I absolutely loved working for big corporate companies. The organized chaos, the pay, our team, and so much more. So when the opportunity to evolve into an entrepreneur evolved, I was very hesitant. In time, I learned to embrace it because of the flexibility it gives me to dedicate myself to my family and philanthropic initiatives. If I had to work the standard 9-5, our charitable efforts at Dare2B, Inc. would not have grown as significantly as it has. I'll never forget the day my true appreciation for entrepreneurship happened. A couple of years ago, on a Sunday, my dad had a stroke which led to him having to go through a long recovery process in Florida. The same day I got the news I booked a flight to be with him. My only worry was getting to him vs the need to report to work and request permission to take time off. Soon after I relocated to Miami to be close to my family without disrupting my business.
Thanks to Roxana Colorado, Kandula International, LLC!
#4- Power to act upon the opportunities
For me, the best part of entrepreneurship and owning my own business is the ability to seize an opportunity and act upon it without having to answer to anyone else. I am a man of opportunity. Throughout my early career, before I even owned my own business, I always found myself looking for areas to improve. Whether it was product and service offerings or the way we conducted business, I often wondered, what could we be doing better? Everything had potential, but as an employee, my power to act upon the opportunities I saw was limited.
Thanks to Sid Soil, Docudavit Solutions!
#5- Learning and development
I started my Marketing company in the year 2017 and it has been a challenging during the growth phase, but what I enjoy most about it is learning and development. I always believe in continuous learning and development and this is exactly what I have experienced during my journey. When you start a business you definitely wont know everything. But the process of having to learn, equip and conduct research myself has been a daily process. It started from the very beginning to registering a business, submitting tax returns, creating a marketing plan, creating effective proposals to creating a consistent occurring client base. The exciting part is when you fail, its an opportunity to learn, amend and to apply moving forward. As an entrepreneur you constantly looking at new ways to improve your business to grow and satisfy client's needs, but the best moments comes when you fail, learn, change, implement and the change works.
Thanks to Rucien Petersen, Spottmedia Pty Ltd.!
#6- Gaining success for your employees
The best thing about being an entrepreneur is gaining success for your employees, not yourself. That success can come in your own company as employees improve their own skills or it can occur when they get a new opportunity outside of the company. Sure, it's difficult, especially in the short term, when a key employee leaves the company, but it's also extremely rewarding to know that you've had a significant impact on enhancing the career path of an employee.
Thanks to Bob Bentz, Advanced Federal!
#7- Bringing ideas to life
Being an entrepreneur has given me the opportunity to bring an idea to life and create a solution that I truly believe in. When I experienced the loss of a close relative due to misdiagnosis, I felt that there was a need to have a free, round-the-clock service, where people can chat with doctors. I am happy that I was able to work with leading North American doctors and create Your Doctors Online. Creating this platform has given me the ability to play a small part in bringing healthcare to the people and that's what I love about being an entrepreneur.
Thanks to Nauman Jaffar, Your Doctors Online!
#8- Several things
Being a business owner and an entrepreneur has been the most humbling experience I have ever had. To watch an idea come to life, to have others believe in the idea and support you through and through, and to see the opportunities that it creates and the impact that it has on you and your team's daily life is a reminder how big an idea can be and what people when interdependent can accomplish. I am constantly inspired even in times of challenge and pressure. Even when the pressure can feel like it is suffocating, to know that your team stands with you and also believe in the vision and the work that you have started, it is a cheer and support that will get you through the days and nights that feel like an end.
Thanks to Christine Hoh, SuperSnaps!
#9-Control your income
There is a lot to love about being an entrepreneur, from flexible yet long hours, having your creative gene always turned on, answering to only yourself and your family, handling daily unique challenges which keeps everything fresh, ability to choose your partners, clients, and those you work with, having the rewarding capability to impact the lives of your clients and employees. However, my number one love about being an entrepreneur is the ability to control my own income. In my late twenties, it finally hit me that trading hours for dollars was only going to take me so far. In order to achieve the professional and financial freedom I desired, I changed my outlook, took a risk, and out worked others to become a sustaining entrepreneur.
Thanks to Kerry Gilligan, OAK'S LAB!
#10- Giving back
Being an entrepreneur has been one of the hardest thing I have ever done but I honestly love it. There is no greater reward than building a business that you can wake up and feel excited about every day. Not matter the hurdles I go through to keep my company going, I love that my business helps others in need. We create collections that give back and fund initiatives. We focus on creating products that people will love while giving back with each purchase. Building this company has been so rewarding and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Thanks to Diana Garcia, House of Darlings!
#11- Going with my gut
I love being an entrepreneur and being able to go with my gut and try things that working for yourself would only allow. Learning to fail has been a life long process and taking those losses and making them into wins the next go round. I'll never work for anyone other than myself.
Thanks to Paula Blankenship, Heirloom Traditions!
#12- I am in control
Yes, you do make your own hours, and yes, financially it's a blessing to have full control over how much money I make, because after all, it's all about how much I push. That's what I love, I am in control. I am not at someone's mercy with an earn ceiling limit. I decide how well I do and that's what I love. I also do make my own hours, and I know that the harder I push the higher the outcome. Being an entrepreneur comes with the gift of going as far as you'd like; no limits.
Thanks to Joanna Jozwik Serra, Birdy Boutique!
#13- Having my children grow up in and around the business
The greatest thing about being an entrepreneur is having my children grow up in and around the business. They not only see what it means to work hard and own/create something, but they are learning that in this country you can accomplish just about anything if you are willing to put the work in. My parents emigrated from the Soviet Union in 1979 and worked their way up from nothing to provide a better life for us. My children can see that in one generation we went from poverty to business ownership. I love being an entrepreneur because it teaches my children that you own your own fate.
Thanks to Michael Reznik, TriFold, LLC!
#14-Doing what makes me come alive
There's a great quote by Howard Thurman, Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do that, because what the world needs is more people who have come alive. For me, being an entrepreneur is about being driven by this amazing internal energy. I get to help others be more successful while also creating something that is completely authentic to me and my way of life. My work gives me energy. As the creator of my own business, I have the ability and flexibility to listen to that inner voice. When I get the sense that something or someone isn't in alignment, I can adapt quickly. There's also no need to worry about work / life balance because my work inherently makes my experience of life more fulfilling.
Thanks to Charlene DeCesare, Firewalk Sales!
#15- Growing through the tough times
I love being an entrepreneur because I'm becoming a far better man through tough times. They don't teach this stuff in school and you can't learn it by reading a book or by listening to a leadership podcast. You need to experience it and grow through it. Wisdom and success often only come through great struggle.
Thanks to Dave Munson, Saddleback Leather Co.!
#16- Freedom to think BIG
The best part about being an entrepreneur is having the freedom to think BIG and act on your ideas with the only limitation being your mind. The possibilities to scale your business even faster with online and social media marketing make this era of the greatest to pursue any passion.
Thanks to Patrick Osei, Hot Money Studios!
#17-Having a high achiever spirit
WhatI love about being an entrepreneur is having a high achiever spirit. I have to be a high achiever in order to be successful. As an entrepreneur, I have to reprogram my thoughts by forgetting negative things said and realize “I can” do anything I set out to do. If I focus on negative things how could I expect to achieve great things! I love being an entrepreneur because it sets me apart from the average and ordinary person by giving me determination, patience, and confidence to believe, first and foremost, that I can be successful.
Thanks to Dr. Madeline Ann Lewis, Executive Women's Success Institute!
#18- Two things
If I had to sum up what I love about entrepreneurship in a word, I would say Freedom. Freedom in the sense of control to do what you want, when you want to do it, and with whom you wish to do it. I personally lived 20 years in the gray jail cells of corporate America as an engineer before I escaped. Mind you, I climbed the ladder and had quite a successful career, but one day I realized that I didn't have Freedom and my safe and secure job could be snatched away at any time without cause or warning. I made a firm decision that if I win or lose in life, I just need it to be my fault and not that of my boss who might have had a bad day. 2) The gift of entrepreneurship, in my opinion, is that it measures who we are as a person. It's the opportunity to give our best shot with the success or failure of the business being a direct reflection on us. It's the ultimate test of identity, skill, and mental toughness. If we have what it takes, we win the prize – a great business and life. If we don't, we win the lesson. Either way, we can't lose until we quit. While this often scares many people away, the true entrepreneur is excited to jump in and see what they're made of. Unlike in corporate America, these results never lie.
Thanks to Josh Zepess, Broke Is No Joke!
#19- Taking time to be with family and me
I got into business for myself for the lifestyle benefits, but it took me a decade to accept that I should take advantage on occasion. Sometimes you have to remind yourself that you worked hard to build the business, and you shouldn't feel guilty for taking time with your family and for yourself. Yes, I grind out 65+ hour work weeks, but then I head to Vegas to clear my head. As an entrepreneur, you can spend your time on efforts that have the best payoff. Yes, you want to fight for every account, but after a while, you realize that not all accounts are ‘good'. As an entrepreneur, you have the luxury of making that decision for yourself.
Thanks to Omar Karim, MAB!
#20- The creativity
I love the level of creativity that comes with being an entrepreneur. It's up to you to figure out what you want to accomplish and how you'll get there. As a business owner, you're the marketing team, the finance specialist, and the creative department all at once. You wear all the hats. I love that, because it allows me to be the multi-faceted person that I am. I'm not boxed into working on just one thing I'm good at. Instead, I'm inspired to continuously learn new skills and funnel that passion into building my business.
Thanks to Taylor Mack, Small Biz Refined!
#21- Creative collaborations and reactions from people
I would have to say there are 2 things I find most rewarding about being an entrepreneur: The creative collaboration: Having come from a background of Hollywood Special Effects, I have always enjoyed collaborating with creatives. Especially those that are considered experts in their field. I find that allowing creative artists to do their work, often yields results that surpassed my initial expectations. I, of course, have to art direct and guide the creativity, but I have never been one to micro-manage. When working with the best, you don't have to. 2. The reaction from parents, grandparents, and children when they open and experience our product. That was really the inspiration for me to start this business. As the father of 4 daughters, we would often play games, and act out imaginative stories. I would often create costumes and props to help with the immersive play. Those are some of the fondest memories, my daughters had of their early childhood. I wanted other kiddos to have these experiences who's parents are not professional FX artists.
Thanks to Mark Viniello, Overactive Imaginations, Inc.!
#22- The doors and opportunities it opens
What I love most about being an entrepreneur, especially in the music industry, is the doors and opportunities this opens. I became a full-time entrepreneur in 2015 and since then, I was able to immigrate from Europe to Canada, obtain a visa for the U.S., have lived in Prince Edward Island, New York, St. Louis and now Texas. I was able to travel from coast to coast, Boston to LA, Chicago to Florida, to meet investors and other interesting people who ended up joining our advisory board or are some other way involved with my company. Some of these people, I would have never even dreamed of meeting while I was at my 9-5 job back in Europe.
Thanks to Chris Erhardt, Tunedly!
#23- The challenges
Getting to experience a wide variety of challenges related to different areas of a business is my favorite part of being an entrepreneur. Although it can lead to a lot of frustrations, I know more about employment law, tech stacks, and email marketing automation then I ever thought I would. Helping others thrive and grow more confident and skilled is also an aspect of leadership that I I find very fulfilling.
Thanks to Jessica Lynch, WishRoute!
#24- Everyday is different
I love that every day is different – I can be working on the product, trying to figure out sales, networking, or administrative things. I also love that I am constantly learning. You need to know almost everything about your business, and you get to use creativity as well. I also love that it’s a community, and how entrepreneurs help each other. But the most thing I love is that I am following my passion, financial literacy for young girls, and my favorite moments include observing them play with our Financial Fun Boxes during the beta-testing phase, and laughing at their clever remarks and answers.
Thanks to Dina Shoman, inherQuests!