SSome 91% of 1,290 business owners recently surveyed by employee scheduling software maker Homebase said they were happy with their jobs. Who are these happy people? And why are they so happy?
This isn’t the small business story we’re used to hearing. The National Federation of Independent Businesses says small business owners’ optimism has been below average for 29 months and their uncertainty is at its highest since 2020. Small businesses are “struggling” to pay rent and “mounting” credit card debt. Many are “facing a recession,” some say they’re “unable to survive” and others say they’re “feeling the pinch” or “stuck in an economic nightmare.”
My clients complain to me all the time. They say their employees are not showing up for work. They say their suppliers are not delivering supplies on time. They have customers who are bidding on their profits, delaying payments or not paying at all. Their accountants are making them pay taxes on money they spent on inventory. They are struggling with health insurance, workers compensation, logistics, duties, levies, finance charges, commissions and all the other little costs that add up to big expenses. They are often working long hours in dusty, dirty industrial complexes. They hate their competitors and their competitors hate them.
But with all these challenges, all these headaches, all these worries, the Homebase survey says they are basically all happy? Is this possible? Yes, it is possible.
Those same clients of mine who complain, bitch, and moan? The fact is, they wouldn’t have it any other way. Even with all these problems, most wouldn’t have it any other way. They love running their business. They’ll never go back to being someone else’s employee. Happiness is relative. And they’re relatively happy.
Is it because they’re “passionate” or “fulfilled” or “making a difference” or “changing the world”? That’s what people who dream of starting a business say… until they quickly realize it’s a cold, hard world out there. Most of the business owners I know are not “entrepreneurs.” They’re not “launching a startup” or “following their dreams.” They make sandwiches, fix car engines, mow lawns, fix roofs, and pour cement. They drive trucks, cut cardboard, distribute machine parts, and install pipes. Many do this out of necessity, not choice. But that’s okay. They’re still happy.
Is it because money makes them so happy? Of course not. Sure, we read about billionaires who started their businesses in their parents’ garages. But that’s only one in a million. Most small business owners make an average of $100,000 a year, far less than many executives at large American corporations can earn. Plus, they don’t have to worry about health insurance, retirement, and where their next paycheck is going to come from.
But they are still happy. Why? Because of control.
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Like most people who run a business, I can handle all the crap, all the headaches, and all the stress. I can handle the hours, the responsibilities, and the risks. I can handle all of this because the decisions are mine. Every problem I face is my responsibility. Every decision I make affects my life. My 600+ clients are my bosses, not one person. Running a small business means having more options, more choices, and more flexibility in one’s life. You can choose to work 20 hours a day or not. You can choose to work at 2 a.m. because you went to your kid’s soccer game that afternoon.
My father once told me that employees are only out of work for two weeks. At least as a business owner, you have more time than that. And you have the ability to change direction. The more control you have over your destiny, the happier you will be.
