When times are good it’s easy to feel like entrepreneurship is the only path for you, but what about the times when your hit with multiple crises at once? We wondered if all entrepreneurs have moments when they wonder whether they should have gone with (or stuck to) a more standard job where they worked for someone else.

Anthony Marquez

I can definitely say I am happier as a business owner than I was an employee. I do get the thought of ‘should I have a regular job’ sometimes, but that mainly happens when a slow time comes in my business. But then I always remember that I can control the majority of my income by just working really hard and being consistent. So in reality, all I have to do is work a little harder during those times to get more clients and everything will be okay! Also, the benefits of being a business owner is having freedom of your schedule and also freedom of the amount of money you can make, it all boils down to you and how hard you work! Read more>>

Marissa Holmes

There are so many times when I have the thought “What would I be doing as a salary employee, if I wasn’t in the real estate industry”? To be honest, there’s nothing that comes to mind that would be as fulfilling for me. That thought comes to my head when things get tough and sometimes I question whether I’m in the right career. I have worked so hard to get to where I am today, and I have to remind myself that…. a lot. More than you’d think! When there’s no “clock out” button, and there’s many times when I’m in the middle of dinner and have to take important calls, or miss a family function because I have clients in town. It can be tough to balance every day. It’s true when they say, “Nothing worth having comes easy”. I have to stop and remind myself of the upsides and positives to this career, where I can dictate my own schedule and truly be in the driver’s seat of my own success. Every day is a new challenge and chance to learn. I am not in this business to be successful for myself. I am doing this for my family and my kids’ future – they are my “why”. Overall, theres no “YOU’VE MADE IT!” milestone. There’s room for growth every day and I still feel that very deeply, even after 7 years in the business. Read more>>

Eva Calabrese

I honestly constantly think about this during my day to day life. As somebody who is a business owner and has a 9-5 job it would be easy to just commit to the regular job and be done with it. However, I love my business—I love it so much and eventually I do want this to become full time for me, I just need to have patience. Many artists are in the same position I am now, especially given my age (23) I’m still finding my feet in the world and what’s right for me. Like I said before, I’m constantly questioning whether I’ve made the right decision and if I’m happy with the chooses I’ve made. I’ve come to the conclusion that no matter how hard it gets and how strong the urge to give up is, I am indeed happy. The amount of people that I’ve made happy with my jewelry and all I’ve accomplished is enough to keep me pushing through. The journey is long and hard but as long as I know that I’ll get to my goal I don’t care how long it’ll take. I’m willing to do what is needed to in order to fulfill my dream. Read more>>

Rebecca Tamm

Entrepreneurship is not for the weak. When I started Michigan Massage and Wellness in 2004 I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going with it, and after doing it for 20 years, I think ALL THE TIME what it would be like to have a regular or ‘real’ job as I like to call it. To have a 401k contribution, paid time off, benefits, the ability to just leave my work at work, not worry about keeping everyone happy and successful and not having the world on my shoulders which is how it feels often for small business owners. Having to shut down for 3 months for the pandemic and not having a safety net left me spinning. What if I didn’t have a business to return back to? What if my employees quit? What if clients stopped coming in? Who in the world is going to hire someone who has been running her own business for 20 years and needs to make a career change? I have joked for years that after working for myself for as long as I have I am essentially unemployable haha! And I firmly believe that one of the reasons why I (and my business) are still standing after all of these years is simply because I never had a fallback plan. Or a second source of income so a fallback plan could just turn into early retirement. I’m responsible for myself and I had worked so hard to create something that I didn’t want to just let it go. Read more>>

Debbie Ellison

I have done the “regular” job for many years and love being a business owner, although it is not without it’s own challenges. My regular – after being involved with the interior design and furniture industry for over 25 years and working regular retail hours for many years I made the jump and launched my own design studio. When conversation comes up about my business – I always get the response that “I would love to do that” – And I truly do. However the perception of our work is all daisies and play is far from the day to day challenges. My business is my passion and I love that my work is creative in so many different oulets. Growing an idea into something that transforms someones day or home is such an amazing feeling. But it comes with a lot of weight of getting it right, not only nailing my task – but the emotion and feelings of a client. Also meeting the grueling time sensitive nature of both industries we work within is very intense. Whether it is home design, wedding flowers, or just working on a fun accent for something seasonal – the most rewarding part is bringing the projected full circle to the stage that clients are in love with the selection and design process. That is my favorite part. That makes the long hours and intensity of the design process worth it. The hours are long and unpredictable. There is nothing regular about handling all of the tasks of a new business – but I love being my own creative director. Read more>>

Rosemary Simpson

I have always had a corporate job as back up and did my business on the side, until recently. I have been a licensed cosmetologist, taking clients at home and traveling to them for over 12 years, but I also kept a job at an hourly paying salon AND/or(at times) at a call center/warehouse/ect. I decided in 2022 that I would let go of the corporate world for many reasons. The main one being that I had managed so many salons that I KNEW I was not being paid fair wages, not just in hair, but in any field. Once I understood the pyramid that is corporate America, I refused to stay in the rat race and decided to go and get my own cheese. Think about how many people are full time employees for mega companies, yet they still have to utilize government assistance because they cannot afford to live,eat and be social at the same time. Especially households with children and I have 5 of them! I am happy with the highs and lows of entrepreneurship because on my slow weeks, I still make more than I made on fast weeks in corporate America. I don’t have anyone keeping 100% and pinching me off hourly. I also don’t have someone keeping 60% and pinching me off 40% . I can honestly pick and choose my own schedule, so that takes away the time restraints of being on “the man’s” clock! Read more>>

Brandy Bell

To be honest, I’ve thought about just getting a “real job” (as I jokingly call it), MANY times in the past year. 2024 has been hard. I think most small businesses have felt that the last year or two, and if you haven’t, that’s AMAZING & you should count your blessings! But each time the thought creeps in and I feel discouraged about my business, I remember my Why? and that’s my kids. I started my business when my now, 13 year old, was a newborn- and now he’s a teenager, about to head to high school next year, and my youngest (12) is right behind him… I know that my years with them playing sports & participating in extracurricular activities are slowly slipping through my grasp, and the reason I chose to be a stay at home mom & small business owner was for the flexibility that it has given me, so that I could always be there to enjoy those moments with them. Many parents don’t get that with their kids, and I know how incredible fortunate I have been to have that, and I do not take that for granted. So every time I wrestle with getting a 9-5, I get a little sad, maybe cry a little, then I wipe the tears, and push harder to just make it work, because these are the years with them that I will never get back. Read more>>