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.

Logan Peterson

Stepping out and creating my own business has been one of my best decisions. Prior to being a personal trainer I was a middle school teacher/coach. I loved teaching but it was physically and emotionally draining on me by the demands and hours I was putting in. While I was home with my girls I realized that when I was teaching I was showing/teaching children how to be healthy and take care of their bodies. But they are not 100% in control of their bodies and what they can do. Read more>>

David Pratt

I am absolutely astatic when it comes to being a busines owner. I’ve been in positions to where I’ve worked my butt off for companies, and when it was time for my own personal growth, I was denied time and time again. What I really love about having my own business is that I don’t have to answer to anyone. I don’t have to ask for time off, I don’t have to ask to leave early to go to my kids games, I don’t have to worry about firing myself, etc. The stress of relying on someone to dictate my future and finances is no more. Read more>>

Alexandria Griffin

Recently I reflected on the idea of how I would feel doing another career, one where I wasn’t the boss with all the pressure. At 25 years old it’s hard not to feel like you need to keep up on the same timeline as everyone else and 6 months ago I took a long look at my current lifestyle and wondered, “Should I look for something more stable? Is it the more ‘adult’ thing to have a job where they will provide benefits for me? Read more>>

Cathy Johnson

I am naturally a happy person but in this moment I am not a happy business owner. Fighting between my day to day life and running my business lately has been a struggle. The economy has impacted everyone including myself so I am always constantly reminding myself I’m not alone in this hard time. With my business I offer a beauty service and if my clientele cannot come as often or even come at all I had to become creative on ways to still run my business but also be sensitive to everyone’s situation. Im human, I understand. Read more>>

Jeanicia Elder

I wonder what it would be like to have a regular job everyday. The “team aspect” of a “regular job” seems attractive. My business staff consist of me and ever so often an assistant. That means when it comes to any decision everything falls on me. After the COVID shutdown I wanted to get my training started again. At a regular job, the personal trainer would usually not be the person who calls former clients; “regular jobs” have a receptionist or customer service agent on staff who takes care of that. Read more>>

Kathy Heilman

There is often a misconception that if you own a venue, you don’t have any “real” work with an event. You simply open your doors, let everyone else plan, oversee, and execute everything. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Imagine hosting a party of 100 people in your home. Do you need to do anything to get ready for the event? Now imagine after that party, you have another party the very next night for 200 people. Read more>>

Luke Price

In high school, I didn’t go to many football games! I had multiple jobs. Usually 2-3 at a time. I started my first business at 18 years old. I had just graduated, started college, and I was working as a server in a hometown restaurant. Fortunately, it didn’t take long for me to get Luke Price Studios off the ground and serving was the last job that I had. So for the last four years I have gotten to taste what it is like to create my own work schedule, set my own salary, and not report to anyone but myself and my clients. I always knew being a self-employed business owner was the path for me. Read more>>

Dejeuné Harris

I am a pleased business owner. I have definitely experienced highs and lows however the positives outweigh the negatives. My love for Your Style Is Forever continues to grow I am so fond. The more impact I have the greater my happiness is. Fun fact I also work a 9-5 in addition to my business so my days are never dull. My 9-5 impact the youth I was raised in, so the beneficial impact is intrinsic. Read more>>

Maureen Brown

There is nothing more challenging nor more rewarding than working for yourself. Every day you are the master of your own fate. While it is unbelievably freeing to chart your own path, it is also at times terrifying! The reality of being your own boss, and employing others, is that the responsibility of leadership is with you day and night. It does not leave you on vacation, it does not leave you when you are at lunch, and it does not leave you when you’re out grocery shopping. You have times where you get a mental break, however, it is always with you. Read more>>

Andrea Stainbrook

Life often leads to reflection and curiosity. Building this business Amy and I have poured our hearts, our time, and our passion into it. There were lessons of boundaries, time management, and education on how to grow a business. We hit the 7 year mark this past August. That is a HUGE win. We have crested most of the milestones that many small businesses don’t make it to. Especially a female led business. This has lead us to ponder…. is all our hard work making us happier? Is this where we want to be? Read more>>

Pancho Rucker

Overall, I am happy as a business owner. It is never a dull moment. Does it have its peaks and valleys? Absolutely, however, I wouldn’t trade this for the world. I can literally turn a thought into a tangible good every day. I am a magician of sorts if you think about it. Any entrepreneur will tell you that they think about returning to a “regular” job sometimes, but if you are one of the dedicated ones you snap out of it, put your head down, and get back to work. Read more>>

Nicole Scott

I love being a business owner!!! Believe me it can be challenging at times, with school, work, and balancing social life. As n entrepreneur you have to wear so many hats; you’re the owner, the marketing team, the production team, logistics, shipping, receiving, cashier, sales associate, etc. It gets overwhelming, there are times when I think about it being too much. But then I realize my passion for design and how much I truly enjoy making garments and being able to create something bigger than myself. Read more>>

Jazmine Tricoche

Entrepreneurship is hard but working for someone else with no purpose is even harder! Throughout my 10 years as an entrepreneur, I have experienced so many challenges and so many great accomplishments! I actually think about quitting my business and resuming my corporate career at least once a year … but then I think about my corporate career experience… They never asked me what my goals were, about my aspirations or even how they can help me accomplish my own dreams you know! They only cared about the money I made them never the value I possessed that was far way more valuable! Read more>>

Ciara Farmer

One of my greatest joys in life has been being my own boss. We live in a society where people make business owning look super glamorous but it indeed is the hardest job I’ve ever had. Owning a business has a lot of moving pieces. You are customer service, payroll, the employee, the admin, and so much more! Even with saying all of that, I would not trade this for anything! Read more>>

Tyler Mills

Coming up things were easy for me, I have a dominant personality so whatever I saw, I went after and the only question I asked is ” Who’s going to stop me?” Nighltlife guru, party host, charity founder, while also assisting in many other business ventures makes up a pretty extensive resume. Today, owning your own company, creating your own schedule, being your own boss, etc. is the new norm. But sometimes you wonder did you make the right decision? The opportunities are endless, but so is the stress of building. Being a business owner makes me happy because it is what I am destined to do, and I enjoy the hustle and bustle of creating something from scratch. Read more>>

Steph Strode

I would say I am much happier as a business owner. Busier, yes, but so much happier. I have two small children and being able to create my own schedule to have more of a work/life balance is a must for me. I have thought about what it would be like to have a regular job. What it must be like to be able to clock in or out and not be constantly thinking about hair, color formulations, about your clients, about constantly educating yourself on the newest techniques and trends. Read more>>

Shannon Savoy

As the owner of my own coaching business & ministry, I help others overcome abuse and regain their life’s focus. I am definitely happier as a business owner. I empower others to break the chains of abuse through empowerment & education. While my life’s work is fulfilling, that does not mean that owning my own business is all highs. There are ups and downs, whether you are an entrepreneur or work a 9 to 5. It is all about navigating & sustaining through the lows and riding the waves of the highs. Read more>>

Cameron Cullers

Being a business Owner is one of the most challenging and rewarding decisions I have ever made, but I love it. Outside of the peace of mind you find in being able to make your own decisions, it challenges you to really evaluate whether you are doing what you are doing as a hobby, or a true passion. My college football coaches used to say, “Alright, it is time to see who wants it more!” The martial arts industry is a phenomenal industry that serves the community especially here in Georgia. Read more>>

Peter Carollo

You know this is one of those questions that I think every business owner goes through and thinks at least once a day. I think in this industry and really any smaller independent business owner has days where the amount of problems start to outweigh the benefits of making your own schedule and being your own boss. Likely in the same way that others that work standard 9 to 5 jobs just wish they could be their own boss and life would be so much better. I largely think it’s the old saying “the grass is always greener on the other side”, playing out in real life. Read more>>

Ashley Hasty

Before I dive into something new, I ask myself: “Do I really want to peek under this hood? Do I really want to know how this sausage is made?” Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes it is no. The one time I didn’t ask myself this question, I ended up really disappointed in my career. I was the student who *loved* school. I loved school so much I went straight through all the way to my Ph.D. without a break. Then, as many Ph.D’s do, I began teaching at a university. This was my first “peek under the hood” so-to-speak and I did not like what I saw. Read more>>

Kimberly Brooke

I think about what it would be like to have a “regular” job ALL the time. Sometimes I think about what I do on a daily basis and I am so beyond thankful that I get to set my own terms, schedule, projects, prices, interactions, time with my family, etc. And sometimes, I think of the same idea, and I feel stress over the exact same things. Some days, the stress of ALL of it being on me, no one else, is a lot. There are days when you need a sick or personal day, and sometimes you can have one, but other days you have to push through because there’s just no one else who can do the work for you when you are basically the entire company. But at the end of the day, when I really think about it, Read more>>

Mario Ochoa

I am extremely happy as a business owner; however, over the course of 12 years, there have been moments where I found myself thinking about what life would be like if I went back to being employed by someone else. When I talk to many of my peers, many of them say the same thing. So to me it seems normal to be curious about what life would be like if I didn’t directly have to worry about hiring, firing, sales, cash flow, profit and loss, labor costs, marketing, AR, AP, and more. Read more>>

Evingerlean D. B. Hudson, Ph.D

I am happy as a business owner. In fact, I’d go on to say that I’m happier than I’ve ever been. The road of entrepreneurship has given me space to be who I am, just as I am, wherever I am. It’s allowed me to create and give to the world in a way that feels authentic to me. For years I felt muffled, but now I feel freer than I have ever before. I was telling someone recently that this journey has allowed me to see I was standing on the greener grass the entire time. You know, sometimes “watering the grass where you are” may mean that you ought to bet on yourself. I’m glad that I did. Read more>>

Machelle Gibbs

Im extremely proud of myself for being a business owner! But I must admit that sometimes it’s so hard! There are times that I do actually think about getting a “regular job” because I have my busy moments then I have my moments where I’m slow! It’s the feeling of being extremely happy, then someone lets you down! Lol…But I think to myself that I’ve came this far (5+ years self employed) and business been good so there’s no giving up! Theres no turning back because God gave me MY vision for a reason!! It’s just up to me to keep pushing forward with it!! Read more>>

Naomy Grand’Pierre

Both my parents are entrepreneurs, so I think I was destined to do the same whether I wanted to or not. I spent a lot of time in the car with my parents as a child, watching and helping them build their business from the ground up. We went to every corner of Atlanta, GA passing out business flyers and cards — determined to break through, hungry to succeed. And they did. Their story is a long one, but it’s served as my biggest source of inspiration. They are the blueprint. Read more>>