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. 

Yesel Gutierrez

I’ve actually lived both sides of this, which I think makes the answer a little more honest. I used to teach in a public school, so I know exactly what a “regular job” feels like. The structure, the predictability, but also the lack of flexibility. My days were planned down to the minute. Read More>>

Oscar Word

I can honestly say I’ve never been happier than I am now. It definitely hasn’t been easy to get to this point, but I wouldn’t trade this experience or life for anything. I will never go back to working for somebody else now that I know what it’s like to own my own business. I do not miss being employed by somebody else. Read More>>

Becky Lee

For most of my professional career, the idea of business ownership felt intimidating; something I never allowed myself to fully sit with. I moved on auto pilot, confident in my ability to do my job well. Comfortable in the rhythm of rinse and repeat. Read More>>

Makayla Spielman

I’m so happy as a business owner! Going back to school and choosing to become my own boss was truly the right decision for me. The timing and circumstances played a big role too. Starting a business isn’t easy, and if things had been different—if I didn’t have the support and resources I needed—I might feel differently. I also understand that everyone’s situation is unique. Read More>>

Maranda Peters

There are definitely moments where I think about what it would be like to have a regular job. Being a business owner comes with a lot of pressure, especially when your income depends on you showing up every day. Read More>>

Andii Amaral

If I’m being completely honest, yes, I am much happier as a business owner, but that happiness comes with a weight that people don’t always see. There are moments, especially when business feels a bit slow, where the pressure starts to creep in. I’ll look at my calendar and see those empty gaps, and suddenly, my mind is racing. Read More>>

Veronica Vigil

That’s a really interesting question. Overall, I’d say I am happier as a business owner, but it’s definitely a different kind of happiness. It comes with more freedom and a deeper sense of purpose, but also a lot more responsibility and pressure. There are moments, though, when I do think about what it would be like to have a “regular” job. Read More>>

Janelle Doyle

I am very happy being a business owner and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Sometimes I do wonder what it would be like to go back to a 9 – 5 as there are certain things I do miss. I never worked on weekends in my 9-5 but as a business owner I can never not work on weekends. Read More>>

Dr. Anastasia Lander

Am I happy as a business owner? The honest answer is… it depends on the day. There are days where I absolutely love what I do. I get to walk into a space filled with people I genuinely care about—my husband, my best friend, our team who have become like family. And then there are the patients. Read More>>

Dayna Lee

I am a visionary entrepreneur who redirected my passion for leadership into the business Earthbound Elements For Earthwork LLC® I am happier as a business owner where I can have the creative control and freedom to pursue my passions. After years of traditional retail leadership, I struggled with alignment. Read More>>

Elizabeth Chang

If I’m being honest, I evaluate every year or every few years whether owning a business is still in alignment with my life. Anytime I have a demanding stretch, I catch myself wondering whether the grass might be greener on the other side and whether a 9-to-5 with a steady paycheck and benefits might just suit me better. Read More>>

Regi Ozah

One thing I’ve come to realize about entrepreneurship is that once you truly step into it, there’s no going back. I went to university, earned a degree, and never used it in any traditional sense. About ten years ago, at 25, I made a decision, I was done with dead-end jobs that felt like they were building someone else’s life instead of my own. Read More>>

Mary Catherine Lilley

Honestly, I never thought being a business owner was for me. I always wanted a job where I could go to work, do what I needed to do, and then go home without thinking about it until the next day. Work is stressful enough without having to worry about every aspect of a company. Read More>>