What Freedoms Do You Experience as a Business Owner?

[katieand]

The beauty of being a small business owner is that you are your own boss. You get to work for yourself, call the shots, and run the show.

What are some of your favorite freedoms and/or responsibilities of being a business owner?

[dtlkatrina]

I love the freedom of being able to manage my own time. Not that client time and projects aren't important, but I love being able to say when I'm working and when I'm off. Not being bound by corporate sick leave approval and accrual policies.

Because I work from home, I have the privilege of being able to split my work day if I need to take care of personal things - doctor's appointments, volunteering, grocery shopping, etc.

I find that this allows me to be more productive and effectively serve my clients, as I'm not attempting to force myself to complete an 8 hour workday when there isn't much to do. I am still able to get my projects done and meet deadlines, but with less errors, pressure and fear.

[CrazyLarry1]

Your question pretty much sums it up for me, the freedom to do what I want when I want too.

I own a popular B&B/Hostel on the Appalachian Trail. My biggest responsibility is to back up what I advertise and to treat each person that chooses to stay with me with respect and acceptance, in other words, I accept that person no matter their political party, sexuality, color, nationality, where their from, or their past if they so choose to share that with me. There are certain behaviors I will not condone though like being an **bleep** and treating me or my other guests to your ways. 

I love people and that is why I do what I do. I don't make a whole lot of money doing this. I guess I could but I know what a lot of money is and I do not want a lot because I do not need much to be happy. In fact, the less you have the happier you will be.

I love the fact that I can just put the no vacancy sign up and go do what I want. Anytime I so choose to do so, unless I have a reservation or guests, then sometimes I trust my guests to respect my personal space when I take off and to lock up when they leave. I live here too. The town has been packed with hikers with the other hostels and B&B's packed and running out of space and if I decided to take off I did. You need to have time for yourself as well.

[cmusicshop]

As someone who has a retail location I do not have some of the freedoms that the other posted as we are somewhat bound by expected hours of operation year round.  But within the day I like that I control my workflow.  I can work on different projects as my interest and physical state dictates.  There are times I dream of working 40 a week for some corporate giant where I don't have to worry about 10 different facets of maintaining a business, where insurance and benefits are the norm, vacation time, steady consistent paycheck and the life and death of the business isn't squarely on my shoulders.

In the end though, being able to direct my business, work as it suits me (within reason) and not having to answer to anyone outweighs it (I think, lol).