Being a business owner isn’t easy. There are amazing highs, but the lows are often quite intense as well. Somedays it feels like the problems never stop – regardless of how much success you achieve. The problems just grow, evolve, morph. So we asked business owners if they sometimes wonder what it would be like to just have a regular job and have shared some of the highlights below.

David Dahl

Yes, very much so…HaHa all the time. I cannot pinpoint an exact moment, but there are those times that the stress and problems you can encounter makes me pine for a simpler life. With owning your own business there are certain risks you do not have as an employee. You cannot easily walk away without severe consequences: IRS, lawsuits, etc. For me in those moments instead of taking a break I dig in and work on the problem; that has worked best for the business. One frustrating issue we had with the radio station was problems with Google on our app and then later with Apple. That one really hurt and almost wiped us out. We eventually got it sorted out and live to tell the story. Read more>>

Andrew Cipolla

I think every business owner has this thought cross their mind a few times a year, especially when business is slow or difficult. ARC powered by Proforma is a company that relies on businesses to purchase printed material, promotional items, and eCommerce sites. As is the case in most businesses, there are slow times and very busy times. It is during those slow times that the nerves get going and self-doubt arises. Read more>>

Nikki Smith

I absolutely love owning a business- it truly makes me excited to wake up everyday and grow the business while having fun! The flexible hours are amazing, it gives me more time to be with my kids. I’m able to get tasks done whenever I can fit it in versus being gone all day everyday. I had a regular job before starting my business and I learned a lot within that environment and during the phase of life before kids I didn’t mind the all day schedule. But now, this is such. better fit for my lifestyle. Read more>>

Randall Hartman

Yes, 1000%. Although I do have to remind myself of that fairly often. I’m the type of person that took emotional equity in every company I worked for. This often meant making my life uncomfortable for the good of the company. With Groundwrk, we’ve put mental health and self-care front and center. For me, this means a 10 am start to allow for reading and gym time on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays along with bi-weekly therapy. I encourage our employees to do the same and they each take care of their mental health in different ways. Read more>>

Hesok Pittman-Boyd

I am very happy as a business owner. I did at times think that maybe I should work for someone else but then I was like NO! Having to meet deadlines, adhere to the company rules and so forth was just not my thing anymore. Being able to be on my time and spend all the time I want with my family is priceless! At the normal 9-5 I had to request time off and hope it got approved. Now I’m able to go wherever and whenever I please, I’m on my own time now and I’m loving it! Read more>>

Carlos Foster

Becoming a business owner was always a personal goal of mine. My parents have been business owners for most of my life, and watching them build their business, hire people, and establish themselves within their industry was inspiring. Of course, it’s also a lot of work! You don’t really get to “shut off” when you leave the office, and you’re constantly thinking of ways to improve your business, or process, or outreach. It becomes an extension of you in a way. And because of that, you can’t help but think sometimes “what if I worked for someone else?” The responsibilities would be much less, and maybe you really could have a greater separation from your work when the clock strikes five. Read more>>

derek derbigny

Being a business owner is stressful. It requires significantly more work than a ‘regular job’ and knows no limitations or hours. Many people begin their entrepreneurial journey with the hopes of attaining financial and time freedom, only to walk into years of 100+ hour work weeks just to keep the business afloat. Even with that in mind, most studies show that people who define themselves as self employed report higher levels of happiness, even those that make less money than they would if they had a ‘regular job’, which further illustrates the fulfillment being a business owner provides. Read more>>

Tracey Garrett

I’m not happy as a business owner…yet. I have a long way to go before I feel that I can be content with what I do and how I am. That mindset keeps me level. I often think about a regular job, but then I think back to when I was in the military and realized how miserable I was. Everything about my situation was depressing. No freedom, asking permission to take time for myself, finding out my superiors got more credit for doing nothing than the people who actually put in hard work. Read more>>

Tavit Daniel

My last full time job was January 2014. After 6 years of hobby shooting, I quit my job after the new year. Its a scary feeling working for yourself, but you have to take risk in order to redeem the rewards. This far into my career, I have no idea how I could ever work for someone else or do the 9-5 thing. Working 9-5 isnt bad. There is no such thing. That mentality is subjective. If you work 9-5, make income and are able to survive and receive benefits, then I dont know what the problem is. Before I quit, photography was just a hobby, but once I realized I was making enough side money and needed more time to invest into my business, I knew it was right for me to make the switch. Read more>>

Beth Jeffrey

As I sit up late at night editing until three o’clock in the morning, I often wonder what it would be like to go to work full time and come home and get to bed at a normal time and more importantly to have the nights and weekends with my son and husband. Freedom comes at a price. I have to stay up late most nights and still wake up early to get my son ready for school or go surfing. Many years I spent editing while he’s in the background wanting my attention. On the contrary on my slower months, Read more>>

Jason Feather

The thing about being a business owner is you don’t have time to think about anything else. For as long as I can remember I wanted to work for myself. I grew up watching my father and grandfather work together at their Century 21 franchise and watching my father lead the company really made a huge impression on me. The great thing about my business [aka] is it has grown organically, and day by day, year by year, every day is a new challenge keeping it exciting and fun to manage. I mean, my business partner (Javi Nunez) and I have moved our business 3 times in just 9 years… and all for good reasons you could say. Read more>>

Michael McGoey

For every empowering, enlightening day I experienced in the corporate world, there were at least five days of frustration and stress. Adding up a career in tech that spanned over twenty-one years, the balance tips sadly towards a lot of wasted energy. The amount of positivity, insight and inspiration that was sacrificed to conform to short sighted ‘leaders’ or dysfunctional business processes is difficult to account for. Read more>>