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.

Josh Feinkind

Being a business owner certainly has its perks. The ability to call your own shots. Having the final say on business decisions. Deciding when you work, when you take vacation, how much to get paid and how much a raise to provide yourself. The satisfaction of creating something from nothing. Building and growing a business… and reaping its rewards. With that said… the flip side is you can be a slave to the business. Web site crashes while you’re on vacation and developer is nowhere to be found… it’s on you. Company needs more funding, on you to raise it. Make a wrong decisions on which product or service to launch could be disaster for your business and your employees whose livelihood may rest on your choices. You may think you set your own hours but really the business dictates them to you. Your business’ success rests on the time you put into it. Read more>>

Amy Stephens

As a portrait photographer who specializes in babies and families, I always tell people I have THE best job in the world. Honestly, it doesn’t get much better than working with brand new humans and their sweet families! My job is incredibly fulfilling and meaningful to me. But it also faces challenges as any business does. As a sole proprietor, it falls on me to tackle every single aspect of my business, from planning and executing marketing plans, creating a dynamic experience for my clientele, dealing with the financials of running a business, building and maintaining sets and props and backdrops, and even the top-to-bottom cleaning of my studio after every session! It can be exhausting and demanding…and lonely! Read more>>

Victoria Small

Honestly, I love owning my own business. I feel we are truly filling a need in our community. The reality of thinking if I need to leave and get a nine to five is minimally once a week. My wife and I joke about “Why do we own our own business?” or “Maybe I could go back to a regular degular job and be okay.” I have moments where I cry in the backroom because I am overwhelmed. I come home throwing tantrums like a child because I feel so frustrated and that nobody hears me. Owning a business is not as glorious as it seems. I don’t have extra time to hang out with my family, see the kids’ sports, go on trips, etc. It is time consuming and a lot of hard work. There’s paperwork, marketing, inventory, janitorial, and so many other positions you play as the owner just starting up. You go into debt trying to start up too. Not to mention the time you will have to put in to even revenue money. What makes it worth it is knowing you are helping people. You cannot start a business in the mindset of just making money, you have to be in business to help others. I love what I do and I would not change being a business owner. Read more>>

Saloni Doshi

I think most business owners grapple with this question regularly! I find myself wondering (sometimes even fantasizing) about having a “regular job” when very specific things happen: (1) there is a very major product, customer, or team member issue to work through, and (2) during times of economic challenge or sales dips. Read more>>

Amanda Wan

Being a business owner at the age of 25 has been the most fulfilling venture I’ve ever been on. Fresh out of University I quit my part time job and jumped into my business full time and personally, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done – that being said there of course were some struggles. Read more>>

Alexa M Santy

I have this thought almost everyday. Having your own business and also juggling multiple jobs is very hard and extremely draining. I actually do have a part-time “regular job” that is super flexible with my schedule and I’m grateful for that but sometimes I do just want to go full time in a 9-5 and say forget it all. Creative work takes a lot out of you and consumes your life almost 24/7. However I know if I couldn’t work as a creative I’d absolutely lose my mind because it’s a part of me and it’s what makes me happiest. It’s the most rewarding job to see people excited and happy to see the work you produce for them. Read more>>

Tatyana Prieto

I absolutely love being a business owner! I currently own my bakery, Sweet Treats By Tatyana, as well as my 360 Videobooth business, Studio 26 Productions, AND I am in the works of remodeling a paleta cart to add that to our rentals as well! Read more>>

Belva Chan

I am happier as a business owner, that’s no doubt. But with all the freedom that comes along with it, I sometimes find myself lost, especially when things are slow. It has been brutal this year. Waking up every day without a boss to tell you what to do, you’ll have to become your own boss to keep the work/business going. Read more>>

Luz Gaona

I am my happiest as a business owner of a pediatric outpatient clinic providing exceptional therapeutic services to the diverse population in our community. I spent the first twelve years of my career working in the public school system, home health therapy in the community, a hospital-based outpatient clinic, and as a state-based clinician. While I credit the different work settings and experiences facilitating me in becoming a well-versed therapist, I will not sugarcoat the systemic racism, classism, and other biases that exist. During my graduate years and the first years of my career, I was unable to find role models who looked like me within the field. I cannot speak enough on the importance of representation from mentors for new clinicians. As a new clinician from a marginalized background trying to hold my own combined with the pressure to excel in a workspace that lacked support exacerbated self-doubt and a sense of not belonging. Read more>>

Imran Rai

I began my own business very organically as my life as a model took me toward a path of impact and change. I wanted to make changes in the industry and knew I had to start by helping people who entered it and creating a more positive future. When I first began to manage myself as a model, I became extremely vigilant of how people treated me, if they took me seriously or not, and the ways that people tried to take advantage of my position. I used myself as a guinea pig so that I could take these skills and lessons and promote others in a healthy way and train them to become the future change makers that I wish I could’ve been at the beginning of my career. When I signed my second model, I told myself that I would give her my all and protect her energy. She gave me the confidence to take on more and this role became extremely fulfilling for me. Read more>>

Corie Campbell

As a parent of a special needs child I am definitely happier as a business owner than I was as an employee. I knew when my kids became school-aged I would need to go back to the work place and by this time I would have an 8 year gap on my resume. I knew it would be difficult to re-enter the work force after such a significant time off and be able to find a job that allows the flexibility I need to be home for my kids and available for anything my son may require due to his disabilities. Read more>>

Aleatha Lindsay

I absolutely love being a small business owner! It allows me the flexibility of utilizing all my skills and building my own schedule – I am definitely happier. Granted, running a small business is hard work but I love what I do! When I was first starting out, I did have my moments where I wondered if it was the right decision. The joy I get from doing this as well as all the positive feedback, kept me going. I have fun curating an experience for my clients that exceeds their expectations. Read more>>

Jess Fowler

As a business owner I struggle with things like stability, confidence in my work, and finding clients who align with my mission. It can be difficult to make ends meet sometimes but when I utilize all my resources I’m able to always pull through for my personal life as well as my business. When I feel stuck or struggle my mind tends to lean towards finding a ‘regular’ job to make things easier for myself. But then I struggle with my energy as an entrepreneur and lose motivation in the artistry of my content creation. At the end of the day I am happy as a business owner because I don’t rely on anyone but myself to find solutions to all my problems. I also get to set my own schedule, add on what feels right, and expand in so many different areas of business. Read more>>

Audra Springer

Before taking the risk and working for myself behind the chair, I had always worked for other businesses. I had great experiences, had awesome people to work for and built lifelong friendships. Read more>>

Ashley Williams

I’m still working a regular job to support my dreams, so when I’m finally clocking in for myself, I’ll send you guys the update! Seriously, I’m living for the days when I can say that I’ve left that life behind! I think as a working creative, it’s hard sometimes to find the balance between paying the bills and feeding your passion. It’s important though to never ever give up on that journey toward total freedom. If you’ve got what it takes and you stay focused and diligent, the opportunities will come. My friend Niecee X once said if you have a dream, but you spend your time maintaining your “real life”, that dream will never come true… those words sit with me when I consider slacking on my creative mission in exchange for the “ regular job”. Read more>>

Kathy DeFrancisco

It may sound cheesy, but I love what I do. Is this business or owning any business hard…you betcha, but I get to come to work everyday working alongside my husband and I get to be a part of our clients big events. I had a “regular” job, and was miserable. I hate corporate politics and I hate not keeping the rewards of my hard work because its not time for merit increases or the department was only allotted X amount. I did take away that I want to be the boss that changes lives. I want to be the woman that my employees write about when they answer the interview question about the best boss they ever had. I want to change the world one charcuterie board at a time. So am I happy, yes, what’s the saying, do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. Read more>>

Lauren Ciaglo

Am I happy as a business owner? The overall answer is yes. I am happy to be working for myself and on my own terms, but being a business owner does not come without its own difficulties and challenges. My fiance and I decided to start our business not only because we were tired of working for others, but primarily because we want to do something we love and to have a work life balance in an industry (hospitality & food service) that demands so much of our time. We have been operating our business for just over a year and every day is an adjustment. We are still learning and adapting based on our clients’ wants and needs along with those of our young family. The early years of any business are always difficult, but I do not think that any of them are easy. While certain tasks may become more streamlined, we as business owners are constantly working to improve, adjust, and stay relevant and fresh. Read more>>

Gianna Prestol

I would say I am much happier as a business owner. Although it has its downsides, there are many more positives it adds to my life. Up until 2022, I had worked multiple “regular” jobs. I spent 6 years of my life working for a dine in restaurant and worked my way up to management. I have worked for Walmart, been a nanny, spent some time unemployed due to covid, and I’ve even been an event coordinator on a railroad. Absolutely nothing even comes close to bringing me the joy that owning Gia’s Balloon Buddies does. When I was 20, I was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, followed later by Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Fibromyagia, and all the mental and physical co-morbidities that come along with those diagnoses. With new limitations, employers were suddenly not so understanding and unwilling to accommodate my disabilities. My work days were feeling longer and I was extremely depressed. I was in an unimaginable amount of pain day in and day out and nobody seemed to understand or let me catch a break. Read more>>