The reasons you started your business?

Because of the following reasons:

1. Wanted to be my own boss and do things my way.

2. Cut down upon commuting time to office.

3. Spend more time with my family.

I initially had no intention of starting my own business - it happened by default. I moved to Portland in the fall of 1980 - just as the economy tanked. Design firms and ad agencies were closing their doors and laying off staff. Not the best timing to start a career.

Through a series of informational interviews a great deal of contract work started coming my way - and I suddenly had a business. Over the past 28 years I had three short stints at traditional employment - to gain the additional skills/knowledge I felt I needed to continue working independently. So, for almost 25 of the last 28 years I have worked exclusively as an independent designer.

These days I always tell people: "It's not that I don't play well with others; it's just that I want to choose where, when and with whom I play."

Its much easier to work for myself then anybody else. Art T.

I wanted to do therapy MY way.

And be able to choose my clients.

And get paid a reasonable wage (have you any idea what public mental health therapists get paid?! Less than I did as an admin assistant!)

When I was a teacher, except for a few years when I taught in a very cool gifted education program, I had to justify the creative projects that strayed from the "textbook," even though they incorporated the same curriculum concepts and learning goals. Why was that allowed when working with gifted students but not ALL students? Oh, well, I'm digressing.

Because I love ideas and I love creating and thinking about different ways to do things, I felt stifled. Now, I can develop new strategies, products, services, and know I have "permission" to try them out. There is nothing more freeing than the feeling that if you get an idea in the shower, you can put it to the test, sometimes the very next day!

I guess it's really the same reason Anita and Rachel gave: wanting to do things "my way."

Honestly? Because I got laid off from a contract with $8500 in the bank, and I had been planning the studio for well over a year. It was time.

I've wanted to run my own show since the beginning of my career. And with all the headaches, all the sacrifices, and the annoyance of not being able to refer the particularly nasty folks to my boss to be dealt with - I'm happier, and making more money, than I have at any other point in my career working for someone else.

I kept helping a friend out with her business. She finally told me to start my own business. It just so happens that my family needed the extra cash. It does not impact my family at all. I get to remain in the house and work.

It has been a learning experience for me and I'm still learning. I love it and I love what I do.

Extra cash without an impact on my family was truly the main motivator for me.

thanks for posting this thread Richard. i covered many of our reasons for starting BiZi Bee in The BiZi Bee Story. I invite anyone who would like to know more about us to read it and add comments.

Justin

I tell my own clients, "If you're over 50, you should consider starting business, whether you want to or not. If you lose your job in your 50's, you're at a major disadvantage Age discrimination is alive and well!

That's a great point, Cathy. I never thought about it from that angle. I guess because I haven't held a job since my early thirties...

I started my business because I had no choice. I don't know any other way to move forward. As a fourth-generation entrepreneur, I think I just didn't really imagine another way to do it.

A job? Huh? What's that?

Love this topic!

Understanding your motivation I think is the key behind any business wanting to thrive. Without it, on those days of disappointments (we all have them), how else are we to pull ourselves up and keep trying?

For me it was my daughter. In 2007 she was diagnosed with autism. With that came a series of decisions we needed to make as a family. Contentiously I knew - in order to be the activist I needed to be and ensure she was in the right services going forward, I needed flexiblity in my life. Late nights at the office was no longer working for me.

When I thought about what i could do - with my experience of being an executive assistant and my "side hobby" of web design, being a virtual assistant was a perfect match.

I know my social life is taking a back seat. Not to mention my sleep on some nights... which isn't the best place to be in but working on it!

As a mother of a child with autism, just knowing I can be there to support her when she needs it, or follow up with doctors/teachers to ensure everyone is on the same page is priceless. Just as much as I want success in my life - I want the same for my daughter regardless of her condition.

I don't know about you but...

Big Picture: Get rich, do nothing, and travel the world.

Little Picture: Making money on doing things that I enjoy.

-Andrey

Simple, to make far more money than I could as an employee.

I started working from myself at the end of my pregnancy, so that I could continue to have an income after my baby was born.

I was up and running quickly - in fact, I ended up emailing a client from the hospital apologizing that I couldn't finish her project right away, because I just had a baby! :)

Since then, my reasons have evolved. I can't say that I hate corporate America and don't ever see myself going back, but I will say that my personal goal is to succeed as an entrepreneur. That's the goal. The time-line for that is up to the universe.

Good question to remind us of our original motives Richard.

I started my business, SparkNW, because I wanted to be true to my passion of "providing the most enjoyable and transformative breakthrough experiences available" and of living life as fully as possible.

I've taken this work with Biznik because they're in the business of supporting people who are trying to do the same (fulfill their vocational dreams).

Spark Social Media, as I shared in the Biznik Blog Interview, also harmonizes with my other work in that I see social media as a fun, powerful layer of connection when used in appropriate ways.