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.

Rebecca Murphy

I absolutely love being a business owner. It gives a lot of creative freedom while being hands on to give my clients the best experience possible. Of course it requires 24/7 attention compared to a 9-5 where you can clock out but I wouldn’t ever trade to go back! I love that I made my passion my job. Read more>>

Asmeret Tesfay

Unquestionably! Currently, I feel like I am standing in my vision a little more. Initially my vision was to open a brick and mortar in a different industry twenty years ago, but fear and taking a risk got in my way. I have been playing it safe for way too long. I have always worked 9 to 5 jobs in social service organizations and recently I left a position as their values did not align with mine. Time and time again I would be disappointed on how social service organizations were performative and lacked systemic leadership, so I simply chose me and my nervous system. Read more>>

Roxanne Reitler

Overall I love being a business owner. I own this business with my husband and we always joke that if we weren’t in this together, we would never even see or get to communicate with each other. Read more>>

Monisha Jordan

There’s always times where I just wanna throw in the towel and be done with being a business owner. This is definitely not for the weak but it’s a learning experience and it does teach you to be consistent, persistent, patient and grounded. Starting from the ground up, it does get hard because no one knows who you are and so you have to basically prove your worthiness, gotta build that trust with strangers lol. Read more>>

Marissa Rodriguez

I absolutely love being a small business owner. But a studio salon is really the only kind of salon I ever want to own. I manage myself and my client base really well. I don’t think I have it in me to be in charge of hiring, firing, and managing other people in general. Read more>>

Luisa Siguenza

This is something I think about every day. Since moving here from Guatemala, I’ve been working 2-3 jobs. Even during the first several months of starting my business I worked two other jobs. Unfortunately, I injured myself badly and could no longer work. I’m eternally grateful to be able to put all my focus on my business and have the time to make it better. Read more>>

Dexter Washington

I really wanted to talk about this question because there’s a lot of chatter about having a job vs being a business owner. I don’t see it as it being an occupation vs occupation, I see it as myself vs my financial situation and securing different routes to success. Read more>>

Launa Penza

“If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life…” When I started my photography business, I would think about this saying and it would make me laugh out loud! I could never say working for yourself, even if it’s doing what you love, doesn’t feel like or require hard work. The difference is the smile on your face or in your heart when you lay your head on your pillow at night. I absolutely LOVE working for myself especially as a photographer. This is my passion and my love. Read more>>

Angie N Sandoval V.

Many times, as a small business owner, you have to wear many different hats and go the extra mile to obtain the desired results in your business. Sometimes in what is considered a “regular job” you can live comfortably and not have a big weight on your shoulders compared to being a business owner with a lot of pressure on you. It’s quite rare to have anything resembling a “regular job” in the entertainment industry anyway. We’ve all heard about the hours, consistency, and everything about our jobs being crazy, and it’s all true! Read more>>

Pam Briordy

I think about it every day! Sometimes, it’s easier to just work a typical 9 to 5, where you can just go home at the end of the day and forget about it all. However, being a business owner is much more fulfilling than any other job I’ve ever had. I (along with my husband) have complete control on what we do as a business and have no one to answer to except ourselves. Read more>>

Katie Van Note

I am extremely happy as a business owner. Read more>>

Lindsey Moccio

A year ago I had a regular 9-to-5 job that I was happy with. However, I felt something was missing. After the pandemic, the medical field getting more demanding and not having a full team of medical professionals made it hard to help people the way they truly deserve. Doctors, nurses, and medical assistances were stretched very thin everywhere. Read more>>

Dali Ma

Being a business owner definitely changes the mentality of work and life, in a better way, at least for me. Gone are the days when you know exact when your next pay check will hit, and how much you will be hit, but you get something more, something exciting. It’s up to you how and how long you wanna work, and if done right, your effort will pay off based on how much you worked, how smart and talented you are. Read more>>

Daniela Rodriguez-Firmani

I am 1000% happier as a business owner. Despite the uncertainties and unpredictability that come with entrepreneurship, there’s so much personal satisfaction from developing a product that actively makes a difference in people’s lives. Unfortunately, from my experience working a regular salaried job as a consultant, I felt a disconnect between the work I was doing and the real-life impact that it had. Read more>>

Jaida Pervis

I am extremely happy and content as a business owner. Business ownership encourages innovation and creativity. I have the freedom to experiment with new ideas, and services, fostering a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Through my business, I also have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with my clients and these connections can be incredibly rewarding both personally and professionally. Read more>>

Nancy Scott

I am happy to be the owner of Z Fabrique and can be of service to so many, our community, and everyone else who comes in whenever they come back to Long Beach. I am humbled and heart warmed that Z Fabrique has become a space for more than just buying beautiful and unique things. It is a place for creating sacred spaces in the mind, body, and home. Some of my regulars talk about being a part of the Z Fabrique community and the friends and family that they have found through Z Fabrique. Read more>>

Shirren Luong

1000% yes, without a doubt! I find so much joy in being my own boss. The most rewarding aspect is the freedom from answering to anyone but myself. I no longer need to request time off or attend meetings that don’t resonate with me. Each day I wake up with a profound sense of purpose and fulfillment as I engage in my “work.” I’m fortunate to be pursuing my true passion, surrounded by wonderful people and meaningful connections on a daily basis. Read more>>

Tiffany Woerz

My business is my passion and I absolutely love what I do. The journey to get where I am now has definitely been rocky and hard at times, but it’s been so worth it. There has been times when I’ve thought about what it would be like to just work a regular job. Read more>>

Lizz Allen

In the grand scheme of things I would say yes I am happier as a business owner. With that being said, I have absolutely thought about what it would be like to just have a regular job. Actually that thought had crossed my mind more recently. Being in business for a year has definitely had it’s learning curves. Some wonderful and others that take a toll on a person. Read more>>

Maggie Lum

I love being a small business owner. I worked as a preschool teacher for several years and loved my classroom and working with kids. But as our own family grew it became harder to manage. Being my own boss, I am able to work around our families crazy schedule. I am able to be present for our kids but also able to run my business. Read more>>

Rachel Currence

I absolutely love being my own boss in the world of real estate investing; although there are many hardships that come with the territory. However, I am definitely happier than I was having a boss at a regular job. I am very driven, motivated and determined and even though I’ve had some failures in business- those experiences are what have shaped and molded me into the individual that I am today, with the knowledge that I have. Read more>>

Courtney Wilson

I am in a unique position as a business owner because this is not my first career. I was in AmeriCorps NCCC, did Teach for America, and was a public school teacher for 10+ years before I decided to totally turn everything upside down and start my own Wedding Planning business. Read more>>