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?
Blair Nikole Fox
YES! and no, absolutely not. It’s hard for me to work a “regular job” as I suffer from mental illnesses including depression, anxiety & bipolar disorder + I’m a narcoleptic. To say keeping a regular schedule is next to impossible I think goes without saying. Plus on paper, I’m “un-hireable”. The “work” I do now affords me the flexibility I need to be successful; and I do quite well for myself to boot. Read More>>
Heather Johnson
To become a business owner, that was a choice I made early on in my life. I am an apparel product developer. What is that? I help fashion designer bring their designs to life. I draft patterns and sew samples. I oversee the technical design of a product before it goes into production. I am a serial entrepreneur and have had many iterations of a sewing business. My most recent iteration is The Pattern House; I started in 2019. The short answer to this question is yes, I am happier as a business owner. I love the freedom, flexibility and the feeling of control. I do wonder what it would be like to have a regular job. Read More>>
Morgan Mickel
As a rancher, doing what we do for a job, is less a job than it is a lifestyle. Growing up I watched my friends have summer off school, weekends to go do whatever they wanted, and lots of free time! My summers growing up consisted of time in the hayfields moving irrigation lines, driving tractors, trucks, semis, motorcycles, four wheelers, and heavy equipment at an early age. Read More>>
Diana Hernandez
I’m the happiest being a business owner. At my last job, I was a server at Denny’s. I loved being a server, it’s what I’d done most of my career. I loved it because I love taking care of people and helping them. I was doing my business during the time I was there. I got really mad because it felt like I was doing double the work for half the pay because my tables were suffering from running around like a chicken with my head cut off. As a manager told me, no one asked me to do what I was doing. Read More>>
Dayne Cullen
From my first job at 16 answering phones at a law firm, to my last job working in Human Resources – my work background has always been corporate. While I appreciated the stability of a 9-5 reliable paycheck, I often found myself burnt out and stressed. Read More>>
Alice Sullivan
I love being a business owner, and I do not anticipate going back to a corporate position. Being an entrepreneur has its challenges, but I feel the benefits far outweigh the negatives. I set my own schedule so I can take time off whenever I want. I can time-block my days and weeks in ways that best support my creative process. Read More>>
Chandon Sanders
Yes, I do enjoy being a business owner. There’s a tremendous sense of fulfillment that comes from building something from the ground up, watching it grow, and creating opportunities for others. But, at the same time, it can be incredibly stressful. As an owner, you’re not just wearing one hat—you’re juggling a hundred. And while I don’t often dwell on what it would be like to only have a regular 9-to-5, I’ll admit there are moments during particularly challenging times when the thought crosses my mind. Those moments make you wonder how much simpler life could be without the constant weight of decision-making and unpredictability. Read More>>
Valari Westeren
I started my business while still in school (a college alternative I completed after traditional college), so after I graduated from my third major schooling experience, I couldn’t help evaluating the life choices I’d made and wondering how things would’ve turned out if I’d made different choices, especially entering the workforce and having a “regular job.” Read More>>
Rayjene Pickett
I must say that I truly am happier as a business owner! I’ve worked traditional jobs since the age of 17. From the start, I’ve always been an extremely hard worker—a trait I inherited from my father. But, don’t get me wrong; the skills that I’ve acquired over my 10+ years of working have definitely helped me to become the business owner that I am today. Read More>>
Ami Davis
I am incredibly happy as a business owner and I constantly think about going back to the workforce. I think about how stable that would be for me and my family. I think about how “nice” it would be to not have to worry about the back end of things, to just go and do a job and go home. It is very tempting. A lot of people think that being an entrepreneur means you make your schedule and get to work less, but really, I work every single day. I have to. I may take a vacation but I am always answering e-mails or updating my website or doing something Acadami related. Read More>>
Priya Nalkur
Honestly, being a business owner makes me happier in many ways, but it doesn’t always feel easy or natural. For a long time, I resisted identifying as a businesswoman or entrepreneur. I never had formal training, never worked a full-time corporate job, and starting a business felt less like a choice and more like a necessity—there wasn’t anyone else doing the work I wanted to see in the world. Read More>>