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With the holiday season fast approaching, we know this can be one of the busiest and most stressful times of the year. Those long hours get even longer, the days get hectic, and it can be hard to keep up with customers as they zip around running last-minute holiday errands.
While there are a lot of challenges, it’s not all bad. In the spirit of the holiday season, we wanted to remind you of five reasons to be thankful that you are a business owner.
1. You are your own boss.
Having freedom and ownership over your life and business is a luxury that many wish they had. As the owner of your own small business, you are empowered to make choices that drive the success of your business.
2. You get to connect with your customers.
Small businesses and their owners have an opportunity to really connect with their communities and customers. This makes everything from daily interactions to remembering your regulars’ favorite items more rewarding. Even if you have multiple locations and can’t remember everyone by their first name, you can use customer management technology to take notes on your customers each time they visit your business.
4. You set your own schedule.
Achieving work-life balance is something that everyone strives for, and as a business owner, you can set your own hours. While studies have shown that small business owners tend to work longer and hustle harder, you have more flexibility in when and where you work.
5. You are determined.
It takes a lot of determination and resilience to start a business, and that is something you should be proud of. From getting your business idea off the ground to the daily maintenance of running a business, it takes determination to keep momentum going every step of the way.
6. You can be a risk taker.
In fact, you already are. Starting a business is taking a risk. You’re in the best position to make important decisions and try new things for your business.
From our sellers
In the spirit of thanks and reflection, we asked some of our Square sellers what they are the most thankful for as entrepreneurs and business owners.
Ian VanDam, owner of Civil Alchemy, in St. Louis, MO
“The independence and creative freedom. Also, overcoming challenges and meeting goals is so rewarding when it’s your ideas and vision coming to life.”
Laura Lemon, Owner of Lemon Laine in Nashville, TN
“Flexibility. Being my own boss gives me the freedom to make my own schedule. I’ve never been a good nine-to-fiver. I like to wake up early and end my day late but leave the middle of my day to do things that bring balance to my life like cook, do yoga, take walks, meet a friend for lunch.”
Becky Miller, owner of Modern Nomad in Denver, CO:
“I am thankful I get to do what I love every day and work with amazing like-minded, hard-working business owners.”
Aylon Pesso, owner of Pesso’s Ices and Ice Cream in Bayside, NY
“As a small business owner, I’m incredibly thankful for the customer relationships I get to build. When my customers come into my store, I get to see how happy they are when they taste the ice cream I’ve worked so hard to make, which makes everything worth it. I get to know them and their stories, and they get to know mine, which is so incredibly rewarding and really makes me feel like part of our amazing neighborhood community.”
Kenya Brantley, owner of Greenhouse Mercantile in Newnan, GA
“I absolutely love the fact that I, hopefully, am a role model for my daughters. I want them to see that women can be anything, achieve anything, and do anything that they set their minds to.”
Yvette Jenkins, owner of Love Travels Imports in Detroit, MI
“I am thankful for all the lives we have touched in a positive way. At the end of the day, it’s about people and how you make them feel. So many of our customers come back and tell us all the time about how much they love their purchases (for themselves or as gifts).”
