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?

Antoinette Ransom

Being a small business owner and serial entrepreneur certainly has its rewards, but it also presents some tough realities. Let’s start with the advantages. One of the greatest aspects of entrepreneurship is the creative autonomy it provides. I love the flexibility in setting my own hours and the ability to shape my financial future. I’ve worn many hats in my business ventures, which has given me the chance to learn a variety of roles—from operations to marketing to management—and I’ve also had the privilege of working alongside a team that constantly challenges me and teaches me new things. Read more>>

Tim Benson

Overall, I am happier as a business owner – mainly because I feel that I have at least some control over my business and personal success. As with many business owners, there are days where I say to myself “man…just please somebody tell me what to do! It’s tough always having to be the one with the answers, haha!” I can’t point to a specific time when that scenario happened, but our company has so many moving parts, clients and services that we provide that when, on the rare occasion, something didn’t work out quite right at all, it was up to me and other senior leaders to “diagnose” the issue and then try to figure out how to adapt, solve and prevent for the next time. The REAL skill needed for entrepreneurship is the ability to problem solve. Read more>> 

Deborah Jacobs

I am a very HAPPY small business owner. Now, here is to defining Happiness: Happiness for me isn’t a smile glued on your face 24/7. Happiness is when you find balance between your hardships and joys. A balance that allows you to grow while learning from your hardships and focussing on your joys. Of course I sometimes wonder what it would be like if I had stuck to a regular job! Usually it happens when hit with what feels like a catastrophic unforeseen, like, for instance: getting a text from one of our tenants while enjoying a labor day brunch at a favorite local restaurant with our family, stating water is cascading through the ceiling (from the upstairs tenant’s bathroom,) backed with a video of the scene that was, I kid you not, playing Jurassic Park’s theme music in the background!  Read more>>

Lela White

I worked in retail my entire life since I was 15 years old. Being a business owner you are always working. If you take time off your business is not making money. When you are working for a corporation you can take time off and the business still goes on and makes money. You are often also offered benefits and paid time off. As a business owner, especially one who makes all of their products, when you take time off products aren’t getting made and you are losing money, by not being able to fulfill orders. Sometimes, it is tempting to want to be able to have the security of being paid weekly for your work. Also, to be able to have a break and not be worrying about what it will be like when you get back to work. People often tell me to hire help, but I can’t afford to hire help. I like the freedom of being a business owner and being able to be there for my family and not have to worry about upsetting my “boss”. There are definitely pros and cons to working for someone else and working for yourself. Read more>>

Julie Losole

Absolutely! I couldn’t be happier with my decision to own my own business. Honestly, I don’t think I could ever go back to working a “regular job” again. Taking this leap was the biggest chance I could ever take on myself, and it’s been the most fulfilling journey. I’ve been drawn to crystals since I was a child, collecting them long before I understood the energy that attracted me to them. As I delved deeper into my spiritual practices, I realized how strongly I could feel energy—I often joke that I can feel someone’s presence before I even see them. Working as the General Manager of our family’s restaurant for 30 years taught me the value of hard work and dedication. But even after starting my independent bookkeeping business two years before the restaurant closed (which I still maintain with a couple of clients), I felt that something was missing. There was a deep longing within me to help others on their own journeys of healing and spiritual discovery. Read more>>

Patrick Ang

I am very happy as a business owner but also scared of the insecurity of not having work. This year specifically was slow for myself and many of my colleagues so it’s kind of worrisome not knowing if I’ll have work so I can provide for my family. I do have to work hard and constantly build relationships with other vendors. Aside from the job security I love being a business owner and being my own boss. I create my own schedule and am self motivated to be better than I was yesterday. I especially love my schedule and having the time I have with my family. So, yes having a regular job would have a little more steady and predictable income but I wouldn’t trade the freedom and time spent with my family for anything else. Read more>>

Marina Soicher

I love being my own boss and the flexibility that comes with it! It was always hard for me to answer to someone else and be paid for my time rather than my efforts. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t also hard days! With a regular job the days are very consistent, and when things get tough you know there’s going to be a consistent pay check. While there’s no ceiling with what I can earn, there’s also times where I have lower months or my expenses increase. Read more>>