Pondering the idea of having your own business? In this article, we are going to reveal the top reasons to start a small business.
While this may not capture all the motivations pushing people to start a business, it at least gives you a clear picture and an assurance that yours may not be that weird.
If you ask around, people will give a myriad of reasons why they ventured into entrepreneurship.
While there may be one or two nice reasons why you shouldn’t get into the business, truth is, there is no right or wrong whys.
But then also, whatever it is pushing you towards this other side, it has to be really strong.
Reason being, running a business isn’t as rosy and cozy as you might have been told.
Once in a while, you will hate your Monday, and even waking up will be a challenge.
In some instances, you will dread even a phone ringing.
And when that happens, only your ‘why’ will be your ally.
With that said, here are some reasons why people venture into entrepreneurship.
#1. Flexibility and freedom
Starting a small business gives you a chance to control your own schedule.
All over a sudden, you no longer have to answer to anyone.
No more working schedules and you can work anytime you want.
In fact, freedom is the promise of entrepreneurship.
According to a study conducted by International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal in 25 countries, here is what they found;
- An average of 38% of the business owners interviewed acknowledged independence as a motivation to start a business
- In the US, 35% of business owners started a business to chase freedom and so does 39% of business owners in the UK
- In Australia and Japan, 57% of beginning owners cited craving for independence as their motivator.
Why is everyone chasing freedom?
It turns out, having freedom means having control over your life. And not just yielding to someone else whims.
#2. You can solve a problem
Instead of complaining about a problem, you can solve it yourself, if it makes sense.
That is the power of starting a small business; you have the power to do things better.
Are you experiencing a challenge or a hurdle?
Ask yourself, does a solution already exist?
And if yes, is it adequate?
See, looking at a problem through the consumer’s eyes helps unearth things these big corporations might have missed.
Additionally, the fact that you are experiencing this problem is a sign that you are not the only one.’
For example;
In the 1970s, a group of young men experienced a problem with running and using computers.
So, they decided to come up with something simple for everyone. And that is what you know as Microsoft today.
#3. Makes you money
It is safe to conclude that this is one of the most popular reasons to start a small business.
A lot of people look up to entrepreneurs like Bill Gates, whose now net worth is standing at cool $110 billion, or Ariana Huffington, who is worth over $100 million.
While theirs is no longer small businesses, you can bet they were once where you are today.
Remember the International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal study we mentioned earlier?
They found that at least 23% of business owners were motivated by money to venture into entrepreneurship.
Despite this fact, not everyone is after the money.
Here is a sampling of those with money motive as per countries;
- Chile and Greece: 42%
- United States: 35%
- Mexico: 30%
- New Zealand: 26%
- United Kingdom: 15%
- Australia: 11%
All in all, you get the picture; most people get into business because they want to make money.
#4. You learn new skills
As they say, life is a teacher that never stops throwing lessons your way.
Just like life, business never stops teaching you new things.
Thing is, you do not need an MBA to start and run a successful business.
Heck, you don’t need any money.
In fact, most of the most respectable entrepreneurs around the world are school dropouts.
You may think that having no college certificate is a recipe for failure in life.
Look at this list;
- Bill Gates. Net Worth: $92.5 Billion.
- Mark Zuckerberg. Net Worth: $74.4 Billion.
- Larry Ellison. Net Worth: $54.2 Billion.
- Sheldon Adelson. Net Worth: $42.3 Billion.
- Francois Pinault. Net Worth: $32.8 Billion.
Did failing to complete college thwarted their dreams of growing billion-dollar companies?
See, all you need to start a business is an idea.
Everything else you can learn in the job.
Moving on with our reasons to Start Small Business:
#5. Creating jobs
Did you know that two out of every three new jobs created in the United States are from small businesses?
At first, you may need to do everything by yourself to keep the expenses down.
But as you grow, you may need to bring in an extra hand to help serve your clients fast and efficiently.
#6. A chance to explore your passions
Look around you, everyone is talking about following your passions and doing what you love.
Why?
See, today, it has dawned to most people that you don’t have to be miserable in the name of working.
It is now clear that you can have both ways; make money and be happy while at it.
And in the process of exploring your passions, you may come to realize that it has the potential to be a source of income.
When that happens, you can simply turn it into a business.
For example;
If you love writing, you can easily turn that into a business where you write blog posts for website owners.
Additionally, turning your passion into a business helps when you need motivation and especially when things aren’t going as planned.
Truth is, when things get tough, most people give up.
But it is hard to abandon something you love since your source of the drive isn’t material stuff.
#7. You can leverage the internet
Who’d have thought the internet would one day revolutionize how we conduct business today.
As Fortune Magazine put it, there is no better time to be an entrepreneur than today.
No matter what industry you are in, you can tap into the riches of the internet.
For example;
Social media is exploding with engagement.
If you can position your business well in there, you can grab attention and drive sales.
Look at these numbers;
- There are approximately 4.20 billion social media users
- 4.66 billion people around the world use the internet as of January 2021
- Facebook still attracts 1.8 billion unique visitors to its website each month
- The users aged between 16 and 64 spend an average of 2 hours 24 minutes globally on social media.
What does this tell you?
Your target market is already online.
Better part?
They are super engaged.
As such, if you are not leveraging the internet, you are leaving money on the table.
#8. Meet new people
Starting a business gives you a chance to travel and meet new people.
As an entrepreneur, your network is your net worth.
For this reason, building a connection with fellow business owners is vital to your success.
For example;
You get to learn from their mistakes and draw lessons from their successes.
Additionally, a network helps reach opportunities you wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
#9. You get to become an expert
As you grow your business, you will pick a thing or two about your industry through the first-hand experience.
And as you gather more years as an entrepreneur, do does your expertise.
Later on, you can start giving back by guiding those in just starting their journey. Learn the ropes of your industry through first-hand experience.
What is inspiring you to start your business?
As you have learned, there are a ton of reasons to start small business or get into entrepreneurship.
Some get it because of the money, while others go in to chase their passions.
Which one is yours?
Get your free website now here.