Last week a friend surprised herself when she became very passionate about her willingness to pay the price for being a business owner.
“There’s a price to be paid no matter what choice you make”, she said. “There is a corporate price and there’s an entrepreneur price. I am willing to pay the price to be an owner.” She hadn’t realized how strongly she felt until she started talking about it.
I laughingly say owning a company is the American dream unless you actually do it. The amount of work, worry and responsibility can be overwhelming at times. Still, I have been doing it for a long time and can’t see myself doing anything else because of the freedom. I am willing to pay that price.
Corporate America is no longer the safety net so many of us had when we first started out. Mergers, buyouts, downsizing has caused many a new career. When I first read twenty years ago that people could have up to seven different careers I didn’t believe it. (Kind of like 50” plasma screen TVs in dorms – I know it happens but my brain can’t seem to comprehend it.) When corporate work is good it can be really good and a weekly paycheck always comes in handy. I give all the credit in the world to those folks who are willing to pay that price. Just not me.
They don’t explain this in any school. Too bad. It would probably save a lot of heartache on both sides. Making the leap to owning and growing a business is so much easier when you know the price is right.