The concept of having a business has gotten WAY more popularity since COVID-19 came into our lives. I think after people had no choice but to stay in, they also had no choice but to think, learn, create, reflect like never before, as well as all the other things that it takes to consider something as serious as becoming a business owner. I guess what it took was a change in routine, or just life change in general, for many people to find out what they really wanted to pursue. According to uschamber.com, business application numbers doubled in 2020 compared to recent years, and 2021 and 2022 saw over 5 million applications filed, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The trend only accelerated in 2023, with a record-breaking 5.5 million new business applications filed. I don’t know about you, but I’d say this is definitely our “go for it” era.
How I was introduced to the world of business:
I come from a family of small business owners. My mom owns a short term rental company (which is the one I mentioned I worked for in my intro post), my late father had his own business as a general contractor. My maternal grandfather purchased properties and became a landlord when he was young, and my oldest aunt has followed those same steps as a landlord and bought property of her own since his passing. Three of my uncles have their own practice in real estate, and my fourth uncle has his own business as an IT Specialist. Some of my older cousins have followed that same entrepreneurial path (this is all on my mom’s side by the way). Growing up watching my family, I’ve learned how important it is to tap into the ambition and creativity that each and every one of us have. Including you!
What type of business have I chosen:
Well… there were just so many to choose from, I chose them all! Just kidding. I do have a little variety though. Besides the obvious (blogger), I’ve started a business as a pet-sitter (fun fact: I’m dog sitting a little princess as I’m writing this post), a nanny, and a vocal performer. I would absolutely LOVE to become a full time content creator along with these things! Which is also one of my active projects today. Everything I’ve involved myself in is part-time and most of my bookings have been through close friends/family, as well as connections made by those friends/family.
Let’s be real:
Have you ever wanted to look inside the life of a girl jumping into business with both feet- either out of curiosity or to consider it for yourself? Well you’re in the right place because I’m about to share the good, the great, the bad and the ugly.
But before I go into my observations, I want to be super real and acknowledge that the position I’m in is actually quite a privilege. And that privilege is that I live at home. You could definitely say that I’m able to keep my costs low and am eternally grateful for it. My mom has been an absolute angel in supporting my dreams and encouraging me through these ambitions. But I know that this won’t always be my reality. I know my mom will never stop being supportive, but it’s inevitable that I’ll have to stand on my own someday. And that fact alone makes the time that I’m granted to build and create as precious as gold.
How it’s been:
I’ll share three main pros and cons of entrepreneurship that I’ve noticed so far. I personally feel like the cons are totally worth it when you get to experience the pros. So let’s bring those cons out into the light first.
Feeling like you’re being judged
I’ll be honest, sometimes it’s a little difficult to feel like you know what you’re doing all the time when you’re starting a business. And that’s because you actually don’t know what you’re doing yet. Because you are still gaining the experience and knowledge. It’s a pretty vulnerable place to be in life. But what really doesn’t help is also feeling like people expect for it to not work out, or think it’s a bad idea overall. You’ll always have someone like that. And it’s not fun. It’s double not fun when you’re an hsp, highly sensitive person. So if you’re thinking about starting your journey as an entrepreneur, you may want reflect, be extremely realistic with yourself and question if the feelings that will come are something you’ll be able to handle in the long run. Think about starting your business like having your first kid. Sure there’s some doubt, and sure there are people that have their opinions. But you have to be strong! Because if you’re not, how will you keep showing up physically and mentally? Sure you can study up with books, video and courses. These things are super important, but there’s nothing like actually living to experience it. If this downside doesn’t scare you away, I would advise you to decide who’s going to be within your support system. For me, this always includes my Lord (Jesus Christ), my mom, and my therapist.
Sporadic Payments
We know that when you work a 9-5 job, you’re sure of when your next payment is going to be, as well as the size of that payment. And that’s what gives us a sense of security. A sense of protection and safety. You could probably set up a budget plan for the next two months due to that assurance in your finances. And being a full time entrepreneur doesn’t provide this. At least not at first. Overtime, you may have clients that form a pattern with consuming whatever you’re selling, and you may be getting a regular payment from some. But for the most part, you will need to work to grow your clientele and you will need to advertise & promote your business in order for the money to come. Which I’ll admit can create quite a bit of pressure. But this is where your faith in God, confidence in yourself and hope in your business can make this natural part of entrepreneurship feel a little lighter.
How you spend your time is up to you
Now if you are anything like me, you have to be VERY careful with time that is up to you. I have a love/hate relationship with my social media. Especially when I’m having an off day. My instagram or youtube feed is suddenly a thousand times more interesting when I’m dreading an issue or tedious task. I could look up and three hours have passed. That was three hours that I could’ve spent learning and improving in some way. And don’t even get me started on working from home. DO NOT DO THIS! If you are a new business owner and you plan on working remote in some way, that’s great! Just don’t work from your couch. If you are a naturally withdrawn person (like me), working from your couch could easily turn into a disguised episode of depression. Your body will become accustomed to not moving much, then you won’t even want to go out. Which is horrible for your mental health. And if your mental health begins to suffer, so will your work. Stay out of the house for as much of the day as possible. Maybe set up a morning routine of going for a walk around your neighborhood or local park. Bring your laptop and lunch with you to your favorite local cafe, or to the library. This will wake up your brain, and get you some fresh air.
Now for my favorite part, the pros! Hold onto your hat mate, because I think you’ll be blown away (I can’t promise that this is my final cringy joke, we’ll just have to push through.) These are the main reasons I chose to pursue entrepreneurship.
Limitless Opportunity
This pro is so exciting to me! So do you remember when I said that as a business owner, you’re in charge of your own income? And mentioned the fact that it can be scary? Well it can also be the absolute best news of your life. It could take a while for you to learn your own groove in making money for yourself. But once you’ve put the work in, to the point of people noticing what you’re selling and expressing interest, you could grow until it’s hard not to. Meaning that if you have access to internet and an electronic device, you have the potential to grow and promote something that you’re passionate about. What it takes is creativity and grit. After my first few consumers, I bought an LLC with the help of that money. I continued building a brand. When you keep your mind open and optimistic- when you continue to put your best foot forward and push for success with all of your might, your efforts WILL become fruitful. Find out how your business could benefit others, set your own price and your own hours, present what you have to your audience of choice, and don’t stop. There is no limit to how many people will get to know your business and how much you can expand. It’s totally up to you. I never thought I would make the same amount of money working as a business owner that I did working my previous job. But I was shown that it’s possible. Different areas in life are much simpler and smoother for me now. I’m more in my element, and I’m working to evolve even more. You can do the same.
Flexibility
When you work a 9-5, you could be told how much you’ll get paid, when or if you get a raise, what you can or can’t wear, what work you’ll be doing and where you will do it. You could even be told when to eat/rest and how much time you have to do so. But as an entrepreneur, you are the one providing that information. And while respecting your audience and consumers, you could make changes to any portion of that information if you need to. For example, there was this hair braider that I often went to for my appointments. One day, I reached out to her to schedule an appointment, and she kindly shared with me that her service had changed and that her studio was now for kids only. She did that because she could. She did that because it’s what was best for her. And I respected her in that moment. I also realized that we could all be just as free. I don’t know about you, but working a job that I’ve created for myself sounds much more enjoyable than working one that someone else has made for me. I’d much rather perfect my own crafts and make my own connections, rather than working to make a dream come true for someone that I’ll likely never meet. I’m sure they rest whenever and wherever they want (possibly overseas). Everyone else is worthy of that too. You have to first invest your best time and energy in what you want. Just like any successful business owner did some time ago. And if you’re really passionate about it, it feels less like work and more like simply God’s will.
Confidence Booster
This journey has been so healing for me! All of the things I have learned about myself and about my potential has made me realize that I have things to be proud of. Being a business owner has shown me what I’m made of and how much God has put inside of me. I honestly think that working the way that I am now has allowed me to meet this awesome new side of myself that I never even knew was there. And I have a feeling that it’s just the tip of the iceberg. All the years I didn’t think I was good for anything has been totally wiped from my reality. I carry myself differently and I feel differently about myself. I have more confidence. I believe in myself more than I used to. My faith in Christ is stronger than what it used to be. I would recommend anyone to give owning a business a try. Because it may do the same thing for you. If you’re considering it, just know that Nyah and I think you should go for it!
Final Thoughts:
Something I do want to point out is that I am not a coach or motivational speaker/writer. I’m just a girl with dreams and strong opinions. Some of the things I’m pursuing now will evolve into something more or something completely different in the future, but right now I’m just getting comfy finding success in what I’m doing here in the present. For those of you who could relate to this post, or felt inspired in any way, I’d love to hear from you! What is your dream, and how will you move forward after reading this? I would never want anyone to think that I see entrepreneurship as the only way for everyone to be happy career wise. I just realized that it was the answer for me and will be the answer for some others. On the other hand, if you don’t feel like becoming a business owner would be the right move for you, then it’s not. And I know there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m gonna talk about pretty much everything on this website, so just know that we’ll relate in some way. Anyways, I really hope you enjoyed this read, because I absolutely loved the write! But in case you didn’t see anything relatable, or anything that’s sparked your interest, reach out in a comment or email and tell me about a topic you’d like for us to discuss. I’m all ears! Until next time blog buddies! 😉
Check out my links!
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/highly-sensitive-person