Sure. As independent entrepreneurs and business owners, we experience many ups and downs. But the good outweighs the bad, don’t you think?
I certainly do. In fact, when someone recently asked me why I started my own business, it was difficult to articulate a single concise reason. But it made me think of all the wonderful things that come with being an entrepreneur, and it filled my heart with gratitude.
So, just for fun, here are 99 awesome reasons to be an entrepreneur. What is your favorite? What did I miss? Be sure to leave us a comment. We would really like to know!
1. You think work should stimulate you, not exhaust you
2. You’re too old to have to ask someone if it’s okay for you to go to the doctor’s or dentist’s (or therapist’s) office.
3. You are NOT too old to need an occasional nap in the middle of the day.
4. Makeup, pantyhose, and heels are overrated.
5. You think you have the right to make chocolate chip cookies any time your heart allows, please.
6. You realized that job security does not exist
7. Your children are growing up too fast and you don’t want to miss it.
8. If you had to buy cookies, wrapping paper, candles, popcorn, Christmas decorations, pizza, or chocolate bars from one more co-worker’s kid, you were going to scream.
9. Things like laptops, your car, long distance, childcare, internet access, and more become tax deductions (Disclaimer: This is NOT tax advice!)
10. John and Marlena could get back together…again and you don’t want to miss a minute (and no, Days of our Lives is NOT the same without them)
11. Fresh air should be enjoyed more than walking from the parking lot to the office
12. You’ve NEVER participated in a productive departmental meeting… aside from enjoying some free bagels or donuts.
13. The cable guy, plumber, and electrician only come between 8am and 5pm (if you’re lucky)
14. When people asked you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” you thought to yourself: “Do I really have to choose only ONE thing?!!”
15. It’s ridiculous that companies can force you to work unlimited overtime and yet you don’t have unlimited vacations.
16. You never had time to use all your paid vacation time anyway.
17. Finger painting is a perfectly legit date to schedule at 2pm.
18. Your dog deserves someone to keep him company (and not have to wait all day to go to the bathroom).
19. You want to be the one in control of your earning potential…not some HR exec three floors up who doesn’t know how many nights and weekends you’ve had because your boss is a jerk.
20. His last three bosses were assholes
21. Giving people gifts like homemade fudge is so much more rewarding than shopping online during your lunch hour (speaking of which, I could really use a little more of that fudge, Toni! smiley)
22. Professional development and personal development are now one in the same
23. Sometimes you just want to play hooky.
24. You just wanted to see if you could do it
25. You believe that being successful at your job and taking care of your health and well-being should not be mutually exclusive
26. Entrepreneurship is in your blood
27. You are a firm believer that another person’s lack of planning should not constitute an emergency on your part.
28. Sometimes the only thing you have energy for is the right price.
29. The pace of your progression is totally up to you
30. You love being “ahead” of new trends and being a solopreneur forces you to be
31. Annual performance reviews do not have a section dedicated to The Law of Attraction.
32. You are very good at what you do and you can reach more people with your passion, your gifts and your experience on your own
33. You weren’t using your title anyway
34. You wanted to rediscover the creativity you had as a child
35. You always understood that failing to plan was planning to fail, only now you have the ability to control the planning yourself.
36. At some point you set an intention, even if you don’t remember exactly where or when (I recently remembered the exact moment I set the intention to start my own business…I was 19…)
37. You never did well with authority
38. Office windows should be made to open
39. Coworkers (enough saying)
40. There is no greater challenge (other than perhaps parenthood)… and you are more than ready for it.
41. You are someone who gets bored easily
42. Your title can be whatever you want it to be… which means it’s ALWAYS a higher title than “you know who.”
43. Traffic Sucks
44. You realized that the concept that “every employee is replaceable” is true, but you know that YOU most certainly are not.
45. His latest job makes NBC’s “The Office” look like a highly functional, high-performance workplace.
46. Having a unique personality is considered an asset, not something to manage
47. You understand that the corner office is really just a corner in an office building, while now you can work from any “corner of the world”
48. If your friend calls at 6pm and asks if she can go to Italy for two weeks, all expenses paid, you can say “YES!” (…and yes, I said “yes”!)
49. Saying “no” to things you don’t want to do (besides taxes) is a plausible option.
50. Migraines… bumps can’t “see” them, but you sure can FEEL them!
51. It’s okay to take credit for a job well done
52. You will meet much more interesting people than you ever thought possible.
53. There’s no better way to land a “job” designed exactly around your own passion, strengths, and experience than creating it yourself.
54. You no longer have to hide your shopping bags or go back to the office after a long lunch break.
55. The first really warm day of spring is meant to be enjoyed… outdoors.
56. Every job you’ve ever had will eventually come in handy (and if you don’t know why, then you really need to take our Brilliant Profits™ course!)
57. You really want to make a difference in the world no matter how cliché it may sound to some.
58. You can choose who has the power to judge your work
59. If management makes a dumb decision, at least you know “what they were thinking” smiley
60. You think that not knowing exactly what possibilities tomorrow holds for you is one of the most magical gifts that the Universe gives you
61. You never have to ask permission
62. There are many more intelligent people in the world than really rich people, and you want to be both
63. And you also want to be happy
64. Now you have fresh flowers, candles and music in your office every day…
65. You had someone who always believed in you and you want to show him how right he was!
66. Whoever thought cubicles were a good idea never had to work in one
67. Taking the afternoon off to play the back nine after lunch shouldn’t just be reserved for those whose job titles begin with the letter “C.”
68. Writing funny lists like this is technically considered a “work” emote.
69. To earn money. A lot of money.
70. The decision to work nights, weekends or holidays should be completely yours
71. You found out there’s a WHOLE WORLD of people “out there” who also don’t work 9-5 and are actually at places like the mall and the park in the middle of the day! (This was a big surprise to me after I ran away from Corporate America)
72. Being richer, smarter and happier is without a doubt the best revenge!
73. You believe that the best way to overcome a fear is to face it head-on
74. You realized that the path to all the things on your vision board would come through your business journey
75. Bad hair days are irrelevant (most of the time anyway)
76. Packing up your “office” and working from the beach all summer long should be entirely plausible (right, Toni?)
77. Compensation should not be limited to one “volunteer day” per year
78. Too much of a good thing… is a REALLY great thing
79. You -and only you- decide the value of your work and your time
80. Going back to college for another degree just wasn’t going to happen.
81. You can give yourself a promotion whenever you deserve it
82. Showing emotions, like crying and laughing, is not only acceptable, it’s practically a requirement for success.
83. Now you have the time and the reason to write that book
84. Virtual assistants make dealing with all that “technical” stuff a breeze (Thanks Annette, we love you!)
85. You realized that the problem with having a job is that it feels like a job
86. If you want to have popcorn, cookies and a Coca-Cola for lunch you don’t have to defend yourself from anyone
87. The connection between your action and your level of direct earnings is the best motivator of all
88. You can work as fast or as slow, as hard or as little as YOU want.
89. The cost of gas, parking, professional clothing, childcare, dry cleaning, and eating out every day gobble up your paychecks (and they’re not even tax deductions!)
90. You had a dream… and you knew you could make it come true.
91. You can have all the degrees and letters after your name that you like, and still you will not be successful if you do not love what you do
92. Your cat doesn’t care if you’re still in your pajamas at 3:00 in the afternoon.
93. Dropping children off at school and starting work “on time” are not mutually exclusive
94. There are so many times you can hear Rihanna singing “Umbrella” before you want to kill the person in the next bucket.
95. Your laptop works just as well by the pool as it does in a stuffy office.
96. Creativity trumps policies and procedures any day of the week
97. More overtime = more Botox
98. Now downsizing means losing those extra 20 pounds you’ve been unsatisfied with.
99. You owe it to yourself to build a business that is part of a life you love™
by Angelique Rewers, ABC, April
Rich. Smartest. Glad.
