While running your own business is a dream come true, it isn’t without its challenges, as you well know. Sacrifices are made, including time away from family and friends, and there is no shortage of stress.
A survey from Constant Contact released in conjunction with National Small Business Week reveals just how considerable the sacrifices are for small business owners just like you:
- 56 percent say they feel like they can never be away from their business
- 51 percent say they don’t have time to focus on themselves
- 43 percent say they don’t take vacations
- 41 percent say their money is tied up in their business
As you well know, the concerns of small business owners are many. According to the survey, the top stressors are:
- Finding new customers (66 percent)
- Having enough time to do everything that needs to be done (65 percent)
- Retaining existing customers (40 percent)
- Paying bills (32 percent)
- Keeping up with technology (30 percent)
Despite the negatives, small business owners find the rewards outweigh the sacrifices made. Here are the top reasons given:
- Ability to pursue my passion (62 percent)
- Freedom to control my professional life (59 percent)
- Flexibility (50 percent)
- I don’t want to work for anyone else (41 percent)
And perhaps maybe the most important statistic of all:
- 84 percent say if they had it to do all over again, they would still choose to run a small business
Does any of this sound familiar? How would your answers compare?
Click here for complete survey results.
