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.

Jesus Henriquez

Starting a business is a constant learning process in life! Because you learn both personally and professionally! You have to be consistent in your business! Sometimes we want to get a job and quit our ventures! It’s normal to think like that! But when you really want to do it and love what you do, you have to fight until the end. In the balloon world, it is a very competitive industry: Not many value the work it takes behind the preparation for an event. Some balloon designers’ low ball themselves to win a sale. It can be crucial on for the ones who actually invested on the craft to be at a certain level with balloon art. Read more>>

Amber Jones

Man! There have been many times when I have sat back and wondered what would it be like if I could go to work, clock out, come home and not think about it until the next morning. What would it be like to turn my brain off just for a little while after “clocking out”? Prior to these feelings I was working small jobs just to keep some money flowing in, when deciding to take on full time entrepreneurship I had no idea I was going from working 8 hours a day to sometimes 20 hours a day! For a while I was on a high because I was working for myself but then soon realized its a lot more to this! Read more>>

Jordan Giles

Thank you for reaching out with such an insightful question. As a business owner, I often reflect on the journey and the choices that come with it. To answer your question, yes, I am happier as a business owner. The freedom to create, innovate, and directly impact my clients’ success is incredibly fulfilling. However, there are moments when I wonder what it would be like to have a regular job. The last time I had this thought was during a particularly challenging week. We had multiple deadlines for social media campaigns, website launches, and a major event for the Stafford County NAACP. The pressure was immense, and I found myself working late into the night, juggling various tasks and responsibilities. Read more>>

Savannah & Ivy Sheely / Mazza

I would say that yes, I am happy as a business owner. It’s stressful at times and can be unpredictable, but so is life and I appreciate the wiggle room. To be honest I haven’t had a “regular” job since I was 19 and have generally worked in spaces where I was a 1099 contractor who could make my own schedule so it’s what I’m used to at this point. From 2010-2019 I was a stripper and occasionally I thought I should stop and get a “real job”, but after crunching the numbers it seemed like a net loss to trade 40 hours a week for a fraction of the money I was making as a dancer. I lived in New Orleans at the time and had a very lovely apartment in the French Quarter and worked maybe 20 hours a week (from the reasonable hours of 10pm – 3am) and spent the rest of my time exploring the city and doing things I enjoyed.  Read more>>

Geena Trainor

I’ve worked a wide range of odd jobs—from being an oral surgeon assistant and a machine shop parts loader to a nanny and a cafe manager. To be honest, during my last job as a cafe manager, I was adamant that I never wanted to own a business. I thought it meant long, stressful days, financial struggles, and strained relationships with loved ones. But the more responsibility I took on, the more I longed for something of my own. I never felt valued enough for the time and energy I invested, and I realized that even if I made less owning my own business, at least it would be mine. No one could take away that feeling, and at the end of the day, my face would be connected to the brand. Read more>>

Joanna Cosentino

I had always questioned what career path would be fulfilling for me, especially in my last year of high school. I loved to be creative, but I worried about having enough money to be comfortable in life. I always heard that narrative that an English or Art degree was useless and would get me nowhere in life, so I felt pressured to find a different, more secure path. So I majored in marketing management my first year of college. I soon realized that it wasn’t something I was passionate about, so I made the leap to switch schools to study to be an English teacher, although I knew that path wouldn’t be easy. Read more>>

Cody Maria

Owning a small business is one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve had, even though it comes with its fair share of challenges. The journey is often demanding, but the rewards make every obstacle worth it. I have had many other jobs in the past working for other people and it all lead me to where I am now. Things like taxes, marketing and maintaining consistent income have been some of my biggest hurdles, but to me the benefits greatly outweigh to challenges. Read more>>

Alaina Mahoney

Probably once or twice a week I think about what it would be like to have a regular job, where my responsibilities don’t carry over into my personal life, and where my paycheck is not based on the performance of my business. A couple of times I’ve done a talk at MassArt (where I got my BFA), and both times I’ve relayed to the students that if they think they’re going to start a business and have time for art making as a result, that they should think again. Making artwork and running my business is still my goal, but there’s a reason the goal is ongoing and not checked off yet! Read more>>

Taeler Hammond

Wow, I love that question – I love it because it makes me take an introspective look at my career choices and the alternative to doing what I do. It reminds me that even though I did not always have the courage to be an entrepreneur, but I feel blessed that I am one. Read more>>

Jesi Lee

I’ve ran and operated my own businesses for over twelve years now but it wasn’t my full time source of income. I decided to go full time in 2020, a year after my son was born. Being a business owner gave me the opportunity to be home with my son and grow my business at my own pace. It has also provided more autonomy and freedom to make big creative decisions- so in that sense I think I am happier as a business owner vs. working for someone else. Read more>>

Amanda Lockrow

I am one hundred percent happier as a business owner. I have had regular jobs that I learned so much at and am so glad that I had them. I was always working on my business on the side with these jobs. Running a business has changed so much since I officially started mine in 2007. Recently I even went through the interview process to work at an amazing company. I felt exhausted by all the changes with running my business, with trying to stay afloat during covid and with two different rounds of so many of the shops who carry my work closing. I felt overwhelmed by making the math add up with costs of doing business and materials rising. Read more>>

Marie Isabel Hernandez Mcmanus

The journey of being a business owner started when I was ghosted by an employer after getting pregnant and started to go broke from lawyers fees. I began paving my way to seeing clients by myself but it was a slow build. Months went by and I was pregnant, sick with Hyperemesis gravidarum, and needing maternity leave bad. It was then I felt this immense feeling of desperation. I was bringing a child into this world and our savings was dwindling. Read more>>

Yoli

I am truly fulfilled as a content creator and entrepreneur because I possess the freedom to curate and share my vision with the world. Although I occasionally consider the notion of having a “regular job,” it’s because, in fact, I still do! As the child of immigrant parents, the importance of job stability has been deeply ingrained in me. My ultimate aspiration is to transition away from that and dedicate myself entirely to my business, networking, and creative endeavors. For many of us, the journey can be challenging without a financial safety net, as life’s expenses don’t pause to allow us to fully immerse ourselves in our passions. Read more>>

Eunsook Choi

I am both a business owner and a full-time registered nurse. I work 40 hours a week as a nurse while running my business alongside. The question is, am I happy? Yes, I feel very fulfilled. My company provides new sneakers designed for nurses and healthcare providers that help improve their performance, empowering them to deliver quality care to their patients. The benefits of doing this massively outweigh any potential negatives. Read more>>