Almost every entrepreneur has had to decide whether to take the leap now or wait– perhaps they wanted to acquire more capital, experience or connections. Given how common this predicament is, we asked some successful business owners to reflect back on whether they wish they had started sooner or waited for a better time.

Michelle Bennett

Yes! I was a single mother and worked for in government with the State of Ohio. It was a great opportunity and provided stability for me and my family as at the time I was a single mother. Eventually the bureaucracy of the agency became toxic and made it unbearable to work there. However, I was terrified of what my options were to take care of myself and my family. I was introduced to the idea of becoming a notary through an interaction with a coworker. She described her experience with a notary coming to her home and it seemed interesting to me. I looked into it and decided that I would be a great side hustle. So I moved forward with the process of getting my commission and the other steps that I would have to take to make it happen. What I have learned through my journey is that I love to work with the public and I appreciate how my career choice is necessary and useful to my community. Everyone needs a notary at some point and I love that I can provide this service. I wish that I had the ability to have these options sooner as it would have provided flexibility for me while I raised my children. Also, the mental health benefits of being able to create my own schedule is amazing. I am constantly meeting new people which is also a bonus. Read more>>

Sharon Lewis

If I could go back in time, I wish I would have started sooner… Part of me believes that we are all where we are supposed to be, and we make decisions based on where we are in life. However, when I started helping clients with their finances, I held a full-time job. I enjoyed that job but in hindsight, it became a crutch as to why I did not pursue my business. I made a decent salary at my full-time job, and I was very comfortable and did not want to give it up. Looking back, I often wonder how much further I would have been in my business, had I taken my part time business seriously and developed a plan to transition into a full-time business. Read more>>

Liana Zavo

The ideal time to start a business varies for each individual and depends on various factors such as personal circumstances, career goals, financial stability, and market conditions. Some people may choose to start their business early in life, while others may wait until they have gained more experience or resources. Now looking back I don’t wish that I started my business sooner, I wasn’t seasoned enough to take on such responsibility. I have tried doing so many jobs starting off as a real estate agent, then working for NY Life as an insurance agent and then transitioning to become a stylist for celebrities and top executives. I have established a strong work ethic, combined with an amazing network of individuals who helped me get to where I am today. Becoming a PR executive took many years of positioning myself as an authority and credible professional in my industry. Read more>>

Mika Mooney

I one hundred percent wish I had started my firm sooner than I did but the timing never felt right. I went to law school straight out of college and had an internship at a law firm at which I went to work for as an attorney right after law school. It was exclusively a litigation firm, and great training and experience but I knew in my gut that litigation wasn’t for me. Yet, I was too scared to shift practice areas and to make a change. Forget even contemplating starting my own firm, I was too scared to even look for another job. Change is always scary . . . It took me almost 15 years of practicing in litigation to finally take the leap. Crazy, I know! I reached the very bottom of unhappiness in my career and when so much time is devoted to work I realized that I should actually enjoy what I’m doing in some way regardless of how scary making the change would be. I explored alternative legal careers and spoke to a number of lawyers that had transitioned into different practice areas but nothing felt right. Then I had the surprising thought to open my own firm, to do things my way, to be mission driven and to use my many years of practicing law and legal knowledge to help female founded businesses. As a minority woman in an incredibly male dominated industry and as a mother of three daughters I felt that it was my calling. While I wish I had started sooner, I think I needed the comfort of having substantive legal experience behind me, and to know what I stood for and what direction I wanted to go in. Read more>>