As a business owner it’s easy to feel like your work is never done – because no matter how much you do, there is always more that could theoretically be done. Many business owners we’ve spoken with also feel that they have a responsibility to be available to their team and that if they step away they are putting an undue burden on their team. So, we wanted to hear from a broad range of business owners on whether they take vacations and we’ve shared some of their responses below.

Emett Sclabassi

Yes, I absolutely do! Vacations help me stay in touch with who I am outside of what I do and offer to the world. It allows me to experience new things, meet new people, and see the world in a refreshing perspective. Vacations help me look at work in a fresh perspective, too! Read more>>

Kelsey Ent

I absolutely take vacations! I think taking a break from your work is absolutely beneficial to being a good business owner. Read more>>

Stevie Rozean

I really struggled with taking time off in the early years of starting Wildly Collective. A lack of work-life balance is very normalized in the wedding industry. When I was first getting started in the industry I was working everyday of the week at all hours of the day. I worked on vacations and was constantly checking my email from my phone during personal time. Read more>>

Brian Jones

Taking vacations are a must for any full time or part time entrepreneur. As the old saying goes, you can’t be good for anyone else if you aren’t good to yourself. Vacations provide the recharge and refuel time necessary to be able to focus on your business and come up with innovative ways to grow. Vacations are even more vital if you have family. As a photographer, vacations sometimes provide inspiration for a shoot set up, or allow me to discover great places to shoot at. That’s an added bonus to spending quality time with my family. Read more>>

Kelly Johnson

My family and I enjoy taking vacations together. As a business owner, I always prepare for time away from work by preparing as much as possible in advance and having team members help out when I am away. I am always available to respond to client messages while I am traveling. Read more>>

Kannika Costello

I really like to travel, but it has been difficult to do since I am the only employee for my company. I feel like I have a strong relationship with my customer base and they will understand if I need a vacation. This December I will be gone all month to visit my family in Thailand. I announced that I would be on vacation in October to give plenty of notice to my customers. I think vacation and time off is very important. Without it, it is very easy to get burnt out. Read more>>

Marilyn Tierra

I absolutely take vacations as much as I can. As a business owner, I always feel there is a task that can be done or there is something new I can learn to elevate my business. However, I specifically carve out time to step away from my business to vacation to create lifelong memories. My advice to entrepreneurs who feel they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation is to change their perspective. Read more>>

Lucero Rivero

This question means a lot to me. I used to work in restaurants for many years, and I was lucky to have a boss who cared about making people happy. My happiness was all about traveling – at least once a month short trips and two big trips abroad every year, each lasting a month. Read more>>

Denise Harrison

In the beginning of building the business, the business ruled my life. Long days led to even later nights. I rarely took time away and when I did, I always brought my work computer and phone with me. I would answer calls while on vacation, reply to emails, or do whatever it took to keep everything going. I was living life but was very distracted with work. I was not very good at having a work life balance. Read more>>

Zack Bowen

Pre-covid I was definitely taking a good chunk of time off for vacations. That was the beauty of working for myself. If I found a cheap ticket to a destination I had yet to see before, or to one that I had loved and wanted to explore more, I could simply purchase the ticket on a whim and say I was “booked” on other jobs during that time. Read more>>

Shreena Shah

Yes I do take vacations. To take vacation, I plan ahead, set clear expectations with clients, if i can delegate tasks I would do that, establish automated responses for emails, messages or any other communication platform used. Making sure to disconnect and prioritize self-care. It can be tough to step away from your business, but taking a short vacation can actually help you come back refreshed and rejuvenated. Remember, taking a break can recharge your batteries and benefit your business in the long run. Read more>>