The uncertainty of entrepreneurship causes many entrepreneurs to put off starting their business. For others, losing a job or other economic hardships push them starting their businesses earlier than expected. In our conversations with thousands of entrepreneurs we’ve seen so much variety in when, how and why people started their business and so we wanted to share a wide variety of views and reflections on the question of whether these folks wished they had started sooner or waited longer before starting their businesses.

Jennica Maes

I honestly believe the universe sets you up to succeed and that comes with time. While I would have loved for this business to have been full-time earlier in my career, I honestly believe I needed those other jobs to get me to where I am today. The recession that took place as I was in college and graduating left me in a place where Interior Design jobs were hard to come by. Luckily I took an internship for communications in radio which opened the career path I never knew I would fall into. Read more>>

Allison Sliwinski

More than anything, I wish I had started my business so much earlier that I did. Being fired from a major corporate yoga studio left me feeling burnt out and frustrated, and as a result I didn’t want to teach yoga for awhile. Looking back, I wish I would have put some of those feelings behind me and started maybe six months or so after instead of an entire year. When I decided to start my online yoga business, a lot of the momentum had disappeared. There was still interest when I did finally get things going, but I wonder if it would have been higher if I had just gone for it. But, everything happens for a reason, and it was a good learning lesson for me as I move forward. Read more>>

William Farago

Oh for sure I wish I could have started sooner and opened my own salon but the reality is the constraints of time and money can hold you back. I opened my salon in April 2019, I had an amazing first year then BAM! Covid-19 happened. I wish I could have opened years before and saved more money before the pandemic but thankfully here in Florida we were only closed for 2 months. I was so worried about reopening as well but when I reopened you would have thought I was closed for over a year how high the demand was for hair color services. Read more>>

Hiroshi Sosa-Nakata

I remember moving to Mansfield, Texas when I was just six years old. That seems like a lifetime ago, but I’m only thirteen now so I guess it’s a matter of perspective. Back then, in second grade, I started dreaming up stories in my head and sketching almost daily. I remember when I began formulating the characters in my head and putting pen to paper to create the very first version of my manuscript, an epic four pages in length. I’ve come a long way since then and have since published three books in my series, Read more>>

Kayla Scales

There are definitely times where I wonder what would have happened if I had started this portion (singing and performing) of my musical career sooner. My journey as a musician and artist feels ever stretching because it is hard for me to remember a time when I was not creating. I was always singing to myself, drawing, acting, dancing, etc. Breathing and art are basically the same to me. But if I had to pinpoint it, I didn’t truly start this leg of my journey until after I graduated from music school in 2015. I decided I wanted to put out all this music that I’d always been writing and start singing in front of people. Read more>>

Helena Faustin

I think timing is everything. Time allows us space to grow and evolve as individuals and creatives. I believe I started right on time. I was at a point in my career where I was suffering from burn out and needed a creative outlet to express myself. Creating a space where I could share my love for my culture and share my recipes was the key to creating the balance I craved. Read more>>

Mykel

I have been singing since I was 10 years old. My parents (who have no singing ties or ability) realized at a young age I was in love with it and had the talent. From then on I was in countless performing groups, jazz bands, and private vocal lessons. I performed anywhere and everywhere I possibly could. I eventually fell into musical theater. I grew up with that as my main focus, and I attribute it fully to my comfortability on a stage and my versatility with acting, storytelling, and dancing. Read more>>

Travon Childress-Smith

I definitely wish I would’ve started taking it serious sooner. I started painting my senior year of high school and I’d sell a few here and there but I only looked at it like a hobby or therapy for myself. I only just recently said to myself that I’m finna do this full time and actually commit to it, because I always seemed to gravitate back to art no matter what else I do in life. I’d like to think starting sooner would have put me further along by now and I’d be a more established artist but who knows? Honestly speaking, even though I would have liked to start earlier I do feel like I just wasn’t 100% ready from a mental aspect, so I suppose I’m still on time. Read more>>

Tsuzuki Kanaoka

That’s an interesting question. I’ve always wanted to have my own business even when I worked in the corporate world, but that being said, I don’t think I would’ve started my current business any earlier. To provide a bit of a background, I started From TK in March 2021, about half a year after leaving my corporate job and working as a freelancer. I was helping out at my parents’ restaurant and started making desserts for their business. Read more>>

Dr. Marquia Whitehead

Honestly, I believe in God’s timing. If it was too early, I would not have the same knowledge, experiences, connections, etc. We do not realize that as very young professionals, we have so much growing to do. I know there are awesome young professionals now; however, I know that I would not have been ready. My knowledge has expanded greatly. I know the importance of proper communication, networking, professionalism, and the list goes on. Failure and hiccups were necessary to my professional growth. I think when I started my own business was the right time according to God’s plan and my work. Read more>>

Tammy Smith and Bertha Miller

My sister and I started our business in March 2019. We always say that we started our business at the right time because we feel we wasn’t mature enough to start a business. Cakelipps is in honor of our grandmother who passed away in 2012. She is the reason Cakelipps came to life. Our vision started in the year of 2018 and it became a reality in 2019. Read more>>

Naomi Greenstein-Gulotta

As a 26-year-old in business, it’s not uncommon for me to hear “oh, but you’re SO young! You have all the time in the world.” In some ways, this is true. However, I often wonder how my life would be different if I’d started my business years ago. From the moment I graduated with my MA degree from NUI Galway, I was on the hunt for marketing jobs. From my first position as an SEO Strategist to my final one as a Marketing Account Manager, I’ve certainly done my fair share of job-hopping over the years, trying to find the perfect combination of happy co-workers, a great boss, and work that I love. Read more>>

Tarshianna Morrow

If I could go back in time, I would not change when I decided to start my business. I am one who believes that everything happens in its own divine timing. I ventured out and started my business in 2016. I had been employed with Nordstrom Spa for roughly 3 1/2 years. In the spring of 2016, they made the sudden announcement that the spa would be closing in exactly 30 days from the announcement. Some of the spa workers, whom had been there 10 plus years, were devastated by this news. I, on the contrary, began dreaming instantly! Read more>>

Elizabeth (Eli) Blanco

My answer will always be sooner! In fact, many entrepreneur peers tell me the SAME! When I first started my business, I was lost in the sauce. It was 2018, my work experience out of highschool, up until that point, had been: a Miami Dolphins Cheerleader for three seasons, Red Bull Wings Team Member & Student Brand Manager, Brand Ambassador for Diageo, United Airlines Flight Attendant, Corporate Incentive Travel Planner, Event Planner, and lastly – Account Executive for radio sales. ALL OVER THE PLACE! Wouldn’t you agree?? Read more>>

Mallory Green

Looking back, I wish I had started my business just a year earlier. I started my digital marketing agency 10 days after my second child was born, and while I took my time in setting up my business and spending as much time as I could with my daughter, all of my free time was poured into finding clients, freelancing, and launching REINS Marketing. It wasn’t until five months later, when I had a decent amount of clients and could balance life as a mom and small business owner, that I finally fell into some kind of a groove. Read more>>

Andrea Martinez

I started at the perfect time , I learned from previous jobs how to manage a bussiness. Looking back I have nothing to regret because where I am now I dreamed 5 years ago , to manage my own time . Read more>>

Rebecca Lee

Although the majority of my working life has been as a creative, starting my journey as a metalsmith sooner is something I think about often. It wasn’t until my mid 20s that I considered making a shift towards jewelry making. I imagine that if I had been lucky enough to start straight after grade school I could have taken advantage of the resources afforded to college age students. Many grants, residencies for those studying and expanding on their craft skills are geared towards folks under 25. Starting earlier could have meant more time to study under master craftspeople. However I do think starting later allowed me to really commit to this path. Read more>>

Angela Oltmanns

I believed I started my creative career at the time I am meant to do so. Not a minute sooner or later! For many years, I poured a lot of my creative energy into building a home and family – these are the things and people that matter much to me. Now that my children are older and more self-sufficient, I am able to create a number of online shops, offer digital design services and interview people for my writing work. Read more>>

Marcos Dj Cos

I got in the DJ game kinda late compared to most DJ’s. I didnt start doing it professionally until my late 20’s. At first it was a challenge gaining some respect and notoriety from some of the other dj’s in the city. But I kept grinding and in the time I have been doing this I have reached many goals and made a name for my self . I still have alot more I want to accomplish. Read more>>

Zach Attwood

I honestly try not to think about that too much. I do think I would be further in my career had I started earlier and gotten plugged in with the right teachers and people. I really didn’t start thinking about acting until my junior year of high school. I had always done school plays since I was a kid, but I never considered it a career path until then. If I hadn’t become so fascinated with acting I would probably be in the military. Read more>>

Alex Heinrikson

Honestly, I’m not the type of person that believes in regrets. I think everything happens when it is meant to and that you learn something from every experience. I did not start my career in hair until after I had my son and I definitely believe he really inspired me to be more successful and be a better person. I do not think I would have had the same career had I started before I had him, because my motivations would’ve been completely different. Read more>>

Kerrie Joy

If I could go back to when I was about 11 years old, I would have begun singing and performing then. I’ve always been a writer; I’ve always been able to sing. However, I never believed in myself. For the most part, I was taught not to. I have found a lot of confidence in my voice and my presence, but it took a lot of unlearning and detoxing to get to this point. I didn’t really start performing until I was 21 and I didn’t take it seriously until I was about 27. I know I would be farther in my career if I started sooner but I’m grateful for the lessons that make me the artist I am today. Read more>>

Harryette G.

I officially started my business Dream Catchers, A Travel Boutique LLC. in January of 2021. It was one of those things that I thought about, prayed about and talked about for years. After much encouragement from my friends I finally decided that I would just do it. There is a lot of work that goes into becoming the owner of a Travel Agency. You have to study, test and really learn most of the ends and outs of the travel industry. At the time that I was studying I continued to work my 9-5 (I still do), raise my now 7-year-old and travel as much as I could. Read more>>