Posted May 28th, 2013
By Kris Powers
Have you ever looked at an existing product or service and thought to yourself, “I can do this better?” Do you have a skill or talent that can fill a need in the marketplace? In today’s ever-changing economy; the idea of being your own boss may be very appealing. You can follow your passion while building something that you can call your own. But before you take the plunge, think about why you want to start a business and what you want the business to provide for you. The truth is, owning your own business is hard work. You’ll probably work harder than ever – but the benefit is that you will challenge yourself to grow in ways you might never have thought possible.
Payscale.com asked members of The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC),”What is the biggest perk of owing your own business?” Below are a few of my favorite responses:
1. Lifestyle of Choice Some people value creative freedom above all else. Some value work/life balance. Still others have their eye on the big bucks. For me, success is the ability to be picky about the projects I take on while still making enough money to pay the bills...all on a part-time schedule that leaves time for myself and my family. Entrepreneurship has made that flexibility possible.
- Steph Auteri, Word Nerd Pro
2. Moving the Office Whenever I Want When I worked out of a cubicle early in my career, I used to daydream about going down the street to work from a coffee shop, just to change my scenery and stimulate my creativity. Now, I can work anywhere with reliable Wi-Fi.
- Allie Siarto, Loudpixel
3. Freedom of Thought I cannot play an instrument, sing, or dance well. I use entrepreneurship as my art of self-expression. It allows me to be creative and challenge myself to create something of value that the rest of the world will love.
- Lawrence Watkins, Great Black Speakers
4. Existential Joy When you are running a startup, you learn a lot of skills quickly and feel challenged every day. At a regular job, it's easy to get bored or just get by with little effort. Not so at a startup. The biggest perk I feel about owning my business is the feeling that I am living to my potential. When you live to your potential, you feel an existential joy in your life that is so satisfying.
- Eric Bahn, Beat The GMAT
5. I'm Building It for Me Working for someone else means that everything you do goes to make their company better and more sustainable. You may be improving your odds of having a job in a few years, but you aren't really building a future. But every hour I sink into my business goes toward creating something for me. That means I'm better able to take care of myself and my family and to live the life I want to.
- Thursday Bram, Hyper Modern Consulting
6. Freedom of Time While I work harder than most people I know in traditional jobs, I have way more flexibility and freedom than they do. If I want to take an afternoon off to go golf, I can. Or if I want to take my business with me and work from Thailand, I can do that too. Owning my own business has ensured I don't have to sacrifice lifestyle for a paycheck.
- Sean Ogle, Location 180, LLC
To read a full copy of the article, please visit http://blogs.payscale.com/salary_report_kris_cowan/2012/06/15-amazing-perks-of-owning-your-own-business.html.
