Small Business Owners: Are You Living The Dream?

One of the things I talk a lot about in my small business marketing seminars is setting goals for your business. This is a crucial step toward achieving success and living “The Dream” of entreprenurship: pride of business ownership; flexibility; profits; control over their personal and professional lives, etc. However, I meet small business owners every day who just don’t quite seem to be living “The Dream”. So, I’ve been wondering: what were the goals and dreams these entreprenuers had when they set out? What was it that drove them to leave a regular paycheck, health insurance and stability behind and go it alone? Are these business owners living their dreams and achieving their goals? Or have they gotten lost along the way in the daily grind of running a business? Have they forgotten they once had dreams, goals and ideas for their business and their lives?

As a marketer – and someone who wants to help small businesses grow and thrive – I sometimes have to face the fact that not all small business owners want my help. Where I may see huge potential for growth, popularity and profits some are quite content to stay where they are. I don’t always understand it; but then I don’t walk in their shoes. So I’m really curious about this and I want to hear from you – the entrepreneur, the small business owner, the president/founder/CEO of your own company.

Why did you take that leap into self-employment?
What did you hope to achieve? Was it fame and fortune? Or was it something a little less… let’s say, grandiose.
Were you just sick of working for others and saw an opportunity to work for yourself? Or was it something else?
Have you achieved everything you set out to?
If not why and what are you doing, if anything to work toward your goals and your dreams?

I want to devote this week’s blog to all of you- and I want to hear your stories. I’m sure others do too – this is how we learn. I look forward to reading your comments! Please click here to tell your story. (And then scroll down to the comments section on the bottom of the page)