What even is a “regular” job? Semantics aside, the heart of our question is about those moments when the stress of entrepreneurship is mounting – do you ever sit back and wonder what if you had just been working for someone else, what life would have been like without all the stress?

Ali McColl

The short answer is yes I am happier as a business owner then I was as an employee! But the long answer is that this is not my answer every single day, because some days are really really hard as a business owner. On those hard days I do think about what it would be like to have a regular job. The first few months of 2023 I was in a major life pivot and it made my business feel stale. Read more>>

Tiffany Lowery

When I started selling my pottery I was 20 years old, still in college and wide eyed to the world of business. I was very fortunate that after I graduated I was able to jump into my business full-time. However that also meant I never actually had a 9-5 full-time job. Sure, I had part time jobs or odd jobs but never a job with a “grown up paycheck and responsibilities.” Read more>>

Chelsie Bammer

I absolutely love being a business owner. Being a business owner is the most rewarding thing I have done in my life (besides raising children). I find it surprising that I regularly feel creative as a business owner and that is one aspect of my life I never want to lose. Read more>>

Tiffany Schaefer

This is an interesting question, I think about it all the time. I thought by beginning to run my own business I could work as little as I wanted, creating my own schedule. Now, with determination I want to be invested as much as possible into it whether that is mentally or physically involved. Would I want to change my life and work a 9-5 so I can come into work and leave with no worries at the end of my shift? Read more>>

Brittany Gilliam-Fields

As a business owner, I truly love having the autonomy to make decisions based on my own values. While there are certainly challenges that come with running a business, I find the rewards to be worth it. That being said, I have definitely had moments where I wondered what it would be like to have a regular job. Read more>>

Samantha Gauthier

I love being a business owner. I love being able to have control over the quality of products I use and schedule. There are times that I sometimes think it would be easier to work for someone else rather than ve a business owner. I feel like when you work for someone else it takes some of the accountability off yourself. I think as a business owner I take more pride in my work and the way I handle situations good or bad. Read more>>

Jesse Alexandre

The short answer to that question is yes, I am happier as a business owner. As I dig deeper into that answer, I will admit that it has it’s challenges. As a Travel Advisor, you are always “on” as you constantly have clients traveling either for business or leisure. In an ironic twist, this means that my vacations are not truly vacations. At any moment a client may need a last minute trip, in destination assistance, have a canceled flight or really anything that could happen while or before traveling. Read more>>

Tiffany Jamison

I could not be happier as a business owner, not just for the flexibility and 100% improved work-life-balance, but for the endless opportunities for my business. After 15 years of working for marketing agencies, and brands and retailers across the world, I started my own business. I’m at an advantage of being able to apply all I’ve learned (good and bad), to my own business. For years I watched agency owners and leadership offer the latest trends they thought clients would want. They did this without knowledge on how to execute to the strategy and also without 100% believing in what they were doing. Read more>>

Sophia Baloch

As an independent travel concierge, I can confidently say that I am happier as a business owner. While the journey of developing a business from scratch can be challenging at times, I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have joined a ready-made brilliant team who has meticulously planned out the structure for our business partners. This invaluable support system has enabled me to focus on what I love most – curating unforgettable travel experiences for our clients while enjoying the benefits of a flexible work-life balance. Read more>>

Ericka Brown

Being in business for myself wasn’t something i just always wanted. When i was younger i always thought i would be in law enforcement or a professional athlete. Once i got into the corporate industry i was very displeased with how so many companies treat their employees or even who these companies have in higher positions. Read more>>

Sarah Gormley

Happy is a loaded word – being an entrepreneur and business owner is a huge change for me. While it is not happiness and joy all the time, opening and managing my own business is by far the most fulfilling and rewarding work I’ve ever done. Hands down. I worked in corporate marketing and had a “regular job” for 25 years, with some incredible brands, and I made the shift to running the gallery full time at age 46. Read more>>

Carolyne Hadden

One of the best things I have ever done for my family and myself is to start my own business. I had an angel investor and we made a large profit our first year and I was able to pay my angel investor back the first year we were open in 1999. I had worked for another recruiting firm prior to opening my own business that was bought out twice and had a dysfunctional work environment. So, I have never looked back and still love waking up in the morning and going to work and working with the people I love. Read more>>

Rebecca Russell

I absolutely love being a business owner! It is truly a dream come true to be able to work every day in an industry I love; designing, creating, sewing and reproducing historical and vintage clothing. I get to live out my childhood dream of being a clothing designer and costumer and make money doing it. I mean what better occupation could there be? Read more>>

Danni Harper

YES! It can be a rollercoaster, but I’m in a great place right now. It took me a few years to get a decent footing, but I’ve found a better groove and more confidence which has made things much easier and more enjoyable. I have a very small but mighty team, incredible clients, contractors and builders that I love to work with, and vendors that I can rely on. Read more>>