What even is a “regular” job? Semantics aside, the heart of our question is about those moments when the stress of entrepreneurship is mounting – do you ever sit back and wonder what if you had just been working for someone else, what life would have been like without all the stress?

Thomas Dow

Being a musician can be a very challenging way to make a living. It is not for the faint of heart and you really must be somewhat obsessed in order to carry it out. The amount of failures and rejections you must navigate on the road to success are many. I have sacrificed economically to keep this dream alive for sure. Lucky for me, my family accepts that this is my calling. Success measured by smiling faces is abundant. Read more>>

Summer Stokes

I get caught up in the “grass is greener” mentality way too often. I miss having coworkers, structure, a schedule, a way of knowing whether I’m doing well. I get tired of being the only one keeping me at work—the self-discipline is exhausting and there’s no real way to measure my success. There’s always more I should be doing, the work is never done. And what if you don’t want to do it? No one is making you. But you also know that if you stop, everything—years of work—could fail. That’s a lot of weight. Read more>>

Sheba Khodadad

I find profound fulfillment as a business owner, even amidst the daunting challenges. Wearing multiple hats and navigating the constant influx of new obstacles can indeed be stressful, but I embrace this stress as an integral part of my journey. The autonomy and flexibility that come with managing my own venture are invaluable to me. The structured routine of a 9-5 job has never been my reality; the very thought feels foreign. I’ve grown accustomed to the unpredictable yet invigorating life of managing small businesses – a lifestyle that has become fundamental to my identity. The idea of conforming to a structured routine feels limiting, especially considering my background in entrepreneurship. The unparalleled sense of fulfillment and purpose I derive from what I do is deeply gratifying. I genuinely consider myself incredibly fortunate to embark on this meaningful journey each and every day. Read more>>

AJ Jackson

Being a one-person small business owner has its ups and downs, but overall, I would not trade sharing a passion and gift I have with others to help change lives. I was actually talking about my partner’s job with him last night, and he was complaining about some of the issues he encounters with coworkers, such as safety issues because someone left a trip hazard or a person hogging a machine everyone should have access to. These were just some of the frustrations my partner expressed to me. I then flashed back through all my previous jobs, reminiscing about the good and bad parts all at once. I remember my first job as a lifeguard, thinking it was all tanning and people-watching, but then realized the responsibility it came with was a daunting one with all the chemicals and life-saving requirements. Read more>>

Haley McKay

After college I struggled to find myself and what I wanted to do in life. I had two degrees and one passion. I studied Marketing and Business in college, hoping to eventually pursue photography full time. I was very nervous after college to dive deeper into photography so I mainly just kept it as a side gig and hobby. I never had enough time to fully pursue photography because I was always working an 8-5 career. I felt a huge identity crisis in what I should have been doing in life. Read more>>

Kristen Phillips

I am so much happier as a business owner because I know without a doubt that I am living my true purpose now. Having bounced from sales job to sales job over the last couple of decades, I knew that there had to be more to life. I would be happy in a regular job for a little while and then I would get this soul-sucking feeling that I was wasting my life away and not making a difference in the world. When I finally figured out what I was going to do and got a business plan together, everything changed. Read more>>

Isabella Schmidt

Being a business owner is one of the most rewarding yet rigorous paths and I would not change it for the world. It without a doubt has it’s ups and downs but it pushes you to be the best version of yourself. You are responsible for everything created. You are responsible for the outcome of not just your business but what you create for your life. Read more>>

Jessica Castillo

As a personal trainer, clients will inevitably come and go. And with that, your income from time to time varies. It is challenging sometimes to keep your business going strong and your client list full. You constantly have to make sure to find new & creative ways to keep your current clients happy. On top of that, make sure you’re putting in just as much effort to recruit effectively for new ones! Read more>>

Nicolette Canady

Honestly, I am. I’ve worked some pretty demanding jobs in my lifetime and while I don’t mind the hard work, I find myself more fulfilled as an entrepreneur. Time freedom is priceless and while working at previous jobs, I didn’t have much time freedom. If it ever came down to it, I’d take a job temporarily but I know that’s no longer in alignment with who I am. Read more>>

Karina-Lynne Horton

Am I happy as a business owner? Absolutely. I think the ultimate scam is working 50 years for someone else and having a decade in retirement to “enjoy life”. Now that doesn’t mean that business ownership is alway butterflies and rainbows. It is certainly a roller coaster and one you have to learn to ride but I wouldn’t change it for the world. There are days when you have to have extreme self dedication because that bed is incredibly comfortable and it would be so much easier to stay there. Read more>>

Emily Penney

I absolutely love having a studio but it’s still a little weird for me being a business owner because I never thought I would be. as far as a regular job, I don’t think I could handle it to well because I am a workaholic and I always have my hands into different crafts. I know for a fact I couldn’t handle a 9-5 just because I get up, go to work, come home, and work more. at the end of the day, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love what I do and I truly enjoy working the way I do. Read more>>

Gwen Wright

That’s such a great question. Am I happy as a business owner… the majority of the time my answer would be YES!! Running a business keeps you aware, you need to be focused, tenacious, you are your business and your business is you. There are days of course that I feel like I want to just be done, walk away and not look back. That would be the easy way out. When those moments hit I give myself permission to walk away for a couple of days, take a break, to refocus and remind myself that there are far more good days than there are bad. Read more>>

Holly Corbella

I think about what it would be like to have a 9-5 often. I knew very early on clocking in for a 9-5 was NOT for me. When I graduated my masters program I worked a full time job for 4 years and new Quickly this was not it. I feel so incredibly happy that I made the life I wanted and literally created my career out of thin air. Every time I go on vacation or decide to just take a day for myself and not have to ask for pre approval I feel like I’m dreaming but I don’t want to pinch myself. Read more>>

Jackie Siggard

I absolutely love being a business owner. It is 10 times harder and a lot more work, but so much more rewarding! I came from working full-time at Walmart and I have worked at Walmart for six years before I quit to pursue photography. I honestly didn’t think you could make photography a full-time career. But once I had my first daughter, I did not want to send her to daycare and go back to a 40 hour work week away from her. So I decided to quit my job and pursue photography full-time while my husband kept his Normal job. Within five months I was able to supplement my income for the year at Walmart. A year later my husband quit his job and joined the team doing videography and we’ve been doing this full-time ever since 2017. Read more>>