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.

Dancette Pratts

I’m extremely happy being a business owner. Like anything business goes up and down. Consistency, dedication, staying humbled, always learning being a student always. Being open to new ideas and never settling has always been my motto. I sometimes wonder if I worked for someone at a regular job. Read more>>

Tori Arnold

Absolutely! This job is a dream of mine. Since I was younger, I knew that I wanted to be a business owner. Originally, I wanted to own a pie shop. Even though Summer Moon Coffee, does not serve pie. It does serve some of the best Oak Roasted Coffee and the creamiest Moon Milk. Being a business owner can be hard, every week there is always something new. Read more>>

Robin Pettus

Being a business owner means everything to me. It’s extremely hard work, and you end up working 24/7 (rather than 9-5), but it’s work that goes towards the growth of something I’ve created so I’m happy as hell to give it all my love and attention. I have worked in the past with corporate skincare companies like HydraFacial, and while I loved working with my marketing team there, I absolutely hated the 9-5 schedule, the forced hour lunch breaks, long business meetings that could’ve been summarized into a short email, and just the same routine of it all. Read more>>

Ashley Blalock

What a great question! Yes, I am very happy to be a business owner, and quite proud; however, like most things in life there are always two sides to the story. Read more>>

Laura Gagliardi

It usually happens while I’m sitting peacefully with my cup of decaf latte or tea. I could be at home, watching the ocean from my window, or at a Starbucks watching cars and people going back and forth. I think of the pros and cons of being my own boss now and I wonder what it would be like to once again having to drive for hours from one corner of LA to another, to work a 9 to 5. Don’t get me wrong; I appreciated the routine, but I always dreaded setting the alarm to wake up. Read more>>

Jennifer Velez

That’s a fantastic question. You know, being a business owner is really like riding a rollercoaster. It has its ups and downs, and it’s not always smooth sailing. But there’s something incredibly fulfilling about seeing your vision come to life, about having the freedom to make your own decisions, and about the excitement of not knowing exactly what each day will bring. But I won’t lie. There are times when I see friends with regular jobs enjoying their weekends without a care in the world, and I think, “Wow, that must be nice!” Read more>>

Liz Tavarez

Juan and I both came from very structured, corporate businesses, so we know all the ins and outs of being a cog in the machine for someone else’s empire. This is part of the reason that drove us to have our own business and give up the stability we had previously. Owning your own business is not for the faint of heart, but I can’t say there aren’t any perks. You are basically working 24/7. Read more>>

Jovan Scott-Walker

I am extremely pleased with my decision to become a business owner. The opportunity to pick my own hours and settle on choices for my organization is liberating. Obviously, there are times when the burdens of possessing a business can be detrimental, so I contemplate what having a normal job would be like. Read more>>

Heidy Hernandez

Sometimes as a business owner it does get lonely but you have to remind yourself about the amazing support system you have behind you even when you are not looking, and I don’t just mean this by your family and friends but the clients who put in as much effort as the team does. With that being said, I am happier as a business owner, I have created a niche of people who are always with me and look happy for the success of the company. Living paycheck to paycheck eventually gets tiring, therefore breaking this was an amazing feeling. Read more>>

Never Falling Under

I’m extremely blessed and thankful to be a business owner plus more ! I’ve had a regular job before & not to say that it’s horrible for everybody but for my journey / greatness it wasn’t the right route . I’m grateful to be able to help people from all around the world & to be able to have my businesses doing great things so everyday I wake up & maximize extensively . It’s also great to have the freedom to make my own schedule and work from any place in the world ! Read more>>

Fly Navarro

I absolutely love being a business owner. I love the freedom, I love having the choices, I love having the ability to control my own destiny. At the same time it is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. The feeling of not knowing, the lack of security, And the feeling that the next step you take, could be catastrophic. Read more>>

Kim Winberry

I couldn’t be happier as a business owner. The thought of going back to a regular job Flies through my brain on occasion and I cringe at the thought. I launched my art business just before Covid hit and was balancing a 8 to 5, my three special needs adult offspring. Read more>>

Stephanie Molinar

I definitely would say that being a business owner— you have to be well rounded and structured. I have a regular day job 40/hrs a week as a barista in one of the busiest local shops in the city. Being a business owner and vendor is where I find myself in my happy place. I connect with so many wonderful other creators. Read more>>

Holly Smith

I have this thought at least once per week. A lot of the time it’s after an incredibly hard day or a day where I’ve felt an immense amount of pressure. Granted, I often put this pressure on myself, but it doesn’t feel great either way! Read more>>

Carly Rogers

I always wanted to own my own business. I had a hard time finding a job that felt fulfilling for me. Even once I landed on my passion and was working in the industry, there was always something lacking and I bounced around quite a bit. I knew early on that the only way I would get to work in my ideal environment was to create it myself. Read more>>

Brian Hoover

Owning a business can be rewarding, discouraging, aggravating, and enjoyable at any given second. As you cycle through the emotions, one thought is always wouldn’t it be great to just be an employee of my company. Sometimes it might sound great to do what you enjoy for a living and be able to turn it off when you get home. Read more>>

Paulina Cardiel

The thought of working a regular job, with regular hours, and clear job roles is a thought that passes through my mind during the days when things beyond my control impact my business. This past week has been a week of these types of thoughts. Our shop kept having power outages recently; after having different electricians and technicians come out, we seem to have figured out the issue. Without electrical power we wouldn’t be able to print and embroidery the orders that must meet their in-hands date. Read more>>

Kim Hildebrand

While being a business owner isn’t for everyone, it’s certainly a great fit for me, my family, and our lifestyle. I’ve been able to slowly and deliberately grow and scale my business as my kids have grown up and become more independent, which was a necessity for our family. Prior to the pandemic, my husband and partner traveled 3 out of 4 weeks a month, so I had to manage the house and kids while also running a business. Read more>>