What is it like to run a small business?
What’s it like to run a small business? As a small business owner and daughter of an entrepreneur, I’ve spent my entire life surrounded by the daily ins-and-outs of nurturing a business. It’s hard for me to imagine anything different.
And yet, I know there are pros and cons to the entrepreneurial life. In this post, I’d like to speak to young entrepreneurs and give a realistic view of what this life is like!
Pros & Cons of Being a Small Business Owner
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- There’s never a dull moment – My job as a web designer, blogger and online advisor keeps me on my toes. When a website crashes or a client emails me with issues, I need to drop what I’m doing and attend to the issue. I check my email pretty constantly as you can imagine!
- Income can be unpredictable – If you’re really concerned about living expenses and steady income, don’t become an entrepreneur. Work can be unpredictable and it’s usually “feast or famine” with projects. I’m blessed to be able to live with my family and have greatly benefited from this.
- You are your own boss – This is both a pro and con. On the one hand, you can set your own schedule and take trips or afternoons off as desired. I’ve been able to take my job with me and have enjoyed traveling. However, if you struggle with self-motivation and organization, small business life will be more challenging. It’s doable, but you’ll have to be willing to grow in areas that might be uncomfortable.
- Learning is constant and on-the-job – As a small business owner, you’ll be learning how to accomplish a wide variety of tasks, from invoicing and time management to computer skills, marketing and more. Learning how to do many tasks can be very rewarding, but can be overwhelming as well. You’ll need to grow in delegation and in accepting your strengths and weaknesses.
- Entrepreneurs can be lonely – Working as a small business owner can be lonely. You may or may not work normal business hours, which means that Saturdays might be spent working. Don’t forget to take time off…this is crucial for family time and for personal sanity. Workaholics will burn out.
I’m so thankful that God has blessed me with the ability to run my own business. It’s been such a growth journey for me and has challenged and blessed me in many ways. I hope to encourage other entrepreneurs to seek God’s will and, if He’s called you to small business life, to trust Him for all the unpredictability and blessings!