I've been a full time entrepreneur for just shy of 4 years now. And let me tell you, it's been a WILD ride, to say the least! By now, I've heard pretty much every stereotype imaginable about being an entrepreneur and I'm here to set the record straight!
So pull up your chair and get ready to hear what every single entrepreneur wants you to know, but was too nice to say!
Listen, we entrepreneurs have ENOUGH to deal with already. We certainly don't need the "concerned questions" about our future from family, when they hear we've started a business.
Or the "friendly email" forwarded to us about an upcoming career fair. Seriously?
Stop. Just STOP.
So to every last person who has asked me when I was going to get a "real job", or implied that I hang out around the house all day doing NOTHING, this is for YOU!
Myth #1- When you work for yourself, you work less.
HA! I know every entrepreneur reading this just laughed with me. Guess what 9-5? When you clock off for the day, you leave your job behind right?
An entrepreneur NEVER leaves work.
We may not work 24/7 but there's usually not a time that our business is far from our minds.
Heck, I even keep a notepad next to the shower because I often get some of my best ideas in there!
An entrepreneur's work ethnic is BEAST! I've never worked so hard in my life, but I LOVE IT! Because to me, it's not work. It's a way of life... It's my purpose and my passion.
"Entrepreneurs: The only people who work 80 hour weeks to avoid working 40 hour weeks." - Lori Grenier
Entrepreneurs are some of the MOST hard working people. Why? Because running a business is not work to us, it's a way of life!
Myth #2- Being an entrepreneur is not a "real job"
This myth is one that annoys me the most (hence the side eye gif).
I spend my day coaching business owners, composing and sending out emails, creating amzingly juicy content, marketing and generally working my booty off for my business, so why is it not considered a "real job"? Just because I don't clock in and out?
It makes absolutely no sense to me. I feel like people have started equate hating what you do and being chained to a desk as a "real job" nowadays.
And that's a shame. Because entrepreneurs WORK HARD and make REAL money.
It's the realest job out there if you ask me!
Myth #3- You have to be born an entrepreneur.
I was never one of those kids with a lemonade stand or some really cool entrepreneurial traits growing up... Actually, I was pretty corporate minded. And I was really driven. First one in the office, last one to leave and always with a smile on my face.
So no, I wouldn't say that you HAVE born an entrepreneur. Yes, it's certainly ideal if you know early on that you'd like to travel this path (when I think about how much I could have accomplished had I started my business BEFORE having my son.... ahhhhh!), but it's never too late to reinvent yourself!
Jack Ma was 35 when he started Alibaba, a multi-billion dollar publicly-traded company.
Marc Benioff was 35 when he started Salesforce.
Reid Hoffman was 36 when he started LinkedIn and 44 when it went public!
Even if you never had the dream early on to start a business, that doesn't disqualify you from becoming an entrepreneur. Many entrepreneurs have degrees completely unrelated to their businesses because they didn't PLAN to venture into business ownership, it just happened. So please, don't remind us of the thousands of dollars we spent *ahem* and try to make us feel guilty for chasing our true destinies!
Being an entrepreneur isn't easy, but I wouldn't trade it for ANYTHING in the world. Because, it's kind of awesome! So please, for the love of all things good in this world, put these 3 myths to bed... mmmkay?
Entrepreneurs, what are some of your least favorite myths? Post them below in the comments! I'd love to hear from you. Until next time....
Stay Savvy!
Chanel, The Savvy Business Belle, is a Business Success Strategist and Clarity Coach. She coaches FIERCE, freedom driven entrepreneurs who crave success in business AND in life.
Through masterful coaching and strategy sessions, she helps entrepreneurs whip their businesses into money making powerhouses, in TOTAL alignment with their unique passions. Chanel's mission is to empower, ignite and influence entrepreneurs to achieve their OWN version of success and TRUE freedom!
And when she's not off creating marketing plans and diving into businesses, you can find her chasing after her toddler, or indulging in really good gelato and the occasional Netflix binge.
Meet Chanel and get ready to change your business AND your mindset forever at www.thesavvybusinessbelle.com