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.

Esmeralda Ramirez

Absolutely!! I’m happy as a business owner. After 15 years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps, I’ve had my fill of people telling me exactly what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. Running Busy Grizzly gives me the freedom to make my own decisions, build something meaningful, and align my work with my personal values. Read more>>

Michael Callejas

I am happier as a business owner, but I’d be lying if I said I never thought about what it might be like to have a regular job. The last time that thought crossed my mind, it was rooted in a little bit of fear. Any entrepreneur can relate. There is often a waiting period before clients, sales, or calls start rolling in. In that gap, you have to stay mentally strong. It is a test of patience and trust in yourself. Read more>>

Lorin Beller

Being a business is the most valuable decision I have ever made. Working for someone feels so claustrophobic to me… but being a business owner, for me, feels like freedom. I work hard – but I choose it. I set my own hours. I choose my work. I choose my offerings. I choose my impact. I feel that being a business owner is something that if someone wants it, they are capable of. It teaches us personal and professional growth. I literally never have the thought of what it would be like to work for someone else. I am grateful every day for my life, my life style and the impact I get to have in the world and on my family. Read more>>

Matthew Moore

get tremendous satisfaction and fulfillment from being a small business owner. While that certainly has its own set of challenges, it can also be positively life changing. Before I more fully answer the second question, here’s some context. Prior to my first business, I worked full-time at an acute care hospital in the Portland-metro area as a clinical social worker. It was a great gig in many ways offering stability in a world and time that feels increasingly unstable. It can be really easy for folks to want to hunker down in the comfortable and I am no exception. Luckily though, my partner had already gone through the process of starting a business the year before. Read more>>

Dave Blake

Oh geez, this is a daily thought for me these days. Running a company can be very rewarding, but mentally it’s a 24/7 job and that’s exhausting. Not a hour goes by I’m not thinking about something I need to do or how to do something better.

If this was a joby-job I would have switched years ago looking for new adventures but exiting a business is something that takes months if not years of planning and months of actual ‘exit work’ – you can’t just give a resignation letter and be gone in 2 weeks. Read more>>

Holly Randall

I’d say yes, I’m happier as a business owner — but it’s complicated. The truth is, I’d probably be bored to death in a regular 9–5. I need the unpredictability and energy of the hustle; it feeds me. But it also drains me.

In fact, the last time I thought about what it would be like to have a “normal job” is literally right now, as I’m writing this. It’s late at night, the house is quiet, everyone else is asleep — and I’m still working. That’s when I feel a little jealous of people who get to clock out at 5, leave work behind until Monday, and spend holidays with their families without their phones buzzing with business calls. Read more>>

Miryam Fossati

Yes, I’m much happier now that I am a PassionPreneur, because I don’t feel like I’m working; I feel like I’m doing something that excites me and keeps me curious every single day.

After building a career in product development and international business, I eventually transitioned into consulting. I enjoyed it, and for many years, I thrived as an entrepreneur, but something was still missing. I often found myself wondering: “If I make it to ninety, in good health, what would I want to be doing every day?” Read more>>

Lily McGregor

I think about this all the time! I am constantly evaluating how owning a business works impacts my personal life. Having worked for someone else prior to being an entrepreneur, I can say that the worlds couldn’t be more different. Each have their pros and cons. I find that I focus on these differences most during major life events. When I became pregnant with our son, we had to really sit down and figure out what our personal and professional life would look like. Read more>>

Tiara LaNiece

As a creative person I always wanted to run my own business. I learned a lot of skills working for a company (when I started) that only had 15 store locations. I watched (worked) as they grew to now 250+ store locations. They were focused a specific client/customer in a specific community. Watching the company incorporate the elements of the community in their branding, marketing and promotions gave me insight on how to run a business. Working within the company for so many years also pushed me to start my business. As a business owner the weight of owning and running a business makes me appreciate those days and that’s why I still continue to partner with businesses and corporations but as a sub contractor because what they offer is unique and my services is a positive add on! Read more>>