Compelling Reasons to Start a Business

Are you toying with an idea for a business? A lot of people think about starting a business, but for whatever reason the idea never becomes a reality. If you’re an entrepreneur who is on the fence about starting a business, we have the encouragement you need to take the first step.

We asked 30 business owners to offer persuasive reasons for entrepreneurs to launch a business.

Reason #1: Work on things that matter to you
When you own your own business, you get the freedom to work on projects that have meaning in your life, says Sarah O’Toole, owner of The Seasonal Diet, a business that helps people eat healthy.

“Being an entrepreneur means that I get to work on things that really light me up inside,” she explains. “I’m not stuck doing busy work or tasks that no one else wants to do.”

Connect on Twitter: ‪@TheSeasonalDiet‪

Reason #2: Get a personal education
Starting a business comes with a lot of on-the-go lessons, but Jeremiah Boehner, a serial entrepreneur and senior director of sales at MyLikes, an advertising platform, says the most important lessons are those that teach you about yourself.

“As an entrepreneur, you’ll learn what kind of work you enjoy and start to understand how you can make a difference in your community,” he says.

Connect on Twitter: @sfboehner @MyLikes

Reason #3: Make more money
As an employee, there are limits to how much money you’ll make. You are defined by a line item in an accounting ledger, says Matthew Reischer, CEO of the website Lawyer Reviews, a site that welcomes feedback on lawyers across the country.

“An entrepreneur who starts his own business can break free from this actuarial perspective and redefine the value he brings to the market,” he says.

Connect on Twitter: @LegalAdvice

Reason #4: Job security
While some people would argue that working an office job in the 9-5 world has more security than starting your own business, Nick Loper, owner of Side Hustle Nation, a company that helps people earn money outside of their day jobs, says diversifying your income with various clients is a smart play.

“Is starting your own business really any riskier than relying on one source of income for your livelihood?” he asks.

Connect on Twitter: @nloper

Reason #5: Flexible schedule
Want to go to a baseball game in the afternoon? Does your child have a doctor’s appointment in the morning? If you start your own business, you’ll have the flexibility to do all of these things. For Will von Bernuth, co-founder of Block Island Organics, a family-run sun care startup, the flexible schedule allows him to help his parents.

“With our parents getting older, living far away, and one of them having health difficulties, the ability to work from wherever we want on our own schedule is a huge benefit,” he says.