You’ve probably heard someone say, “There’s never been a better time to start a business than now.” Whether or not it’s true today, as we slowly inch our way out of the recession, there are a lot of budding entrepreneurs who ready to seize the opportunity to do something on their own.
We sat down to think about why starting a new business now is the right thing to do. Here are ten reasons we think now is a pretty good time to start your business:
1. The downturn is over. The stock market is up to highs not seen since early 2008. The employment rate is dropping. Companies and consumers are (slowly) starting to buy again. Add it all up and you get the best business climate we’ve had in four years. Will it get better? We think so.
2. No cubicles, water coolers, long meetings, and hassles with the corporate HR team. If you’ve been part of big business, starting your own thing puts you in control of everything. Don’t like meetings? Don’t schedule them. Want a raise? Give it to yourself. You’re the boss.
3. There are more resources to help than ever. Want to start a business but don’t know what to do? There are hundreds of great books that will help get you thinking (here’s our list of 7 Books Every Business Owner Should Read). Plus online resources, peer groups, incubators, meet-ups, investors, and the list goes on. If you’ve got an idea, there are plenty of people waiting to help you get it off the ground. Start asking around…
4. You don’t have to worry about satisfying Wall Street investors. If you’ve spent time at a public company, you’ve probably questioned the decision making of managers who sacrifice a long-term vision for short-term gains simply to satisfy Wall Street. Owning your own business, you decide when to go long or short.
5. You can quit working with the characters from Dilbert. If you’re anything like the typical employee, you probably recognize your coworkers and bosses every time you read a new Dilbert cartoon. It’s time to leave them behind and work on a higher level.
6. The tools are cheaper than ever before. It used to be that to get a new business up and running, it took significant capital just to get started. Today you can incorporate for a couple of hundred dollars with services like LegalZoom. You can create your own logo for free. You can get business cards and a website for just a few dollars. You can host your business in the cloud (cheap) and never buy a server. Many businesses can be run virtually from your home, so there’s no need to pay for office space.
7. You can find balance. Okay, we admit, it’s not easy. But when you call the shots at work, you get to decide when to take a vacation and when to work, how much time to spend with family, or how many hours to put in at work and at play. You may find it easier to achieve work life balance when you own a successful business.
8. Free training. The web is loaded with free seminars (TED, Internet Marketing Club, Code Academy), free marketing reports and tips, free advice, and more. It’s never been easier to learn what you don’t know to make yourself successful.
9. It’s a great way to change the world. You’ve probably heard the story of Tom’s Shoes—a small company founded by Blake Mycoskie. His big idea was that he could sell a pair of shoes in the U.S., then use a part of the proceeds to buy a pair of shoes for a child in Argentina. Or Sevenly, which sells t-shirts then uses the proceeds for a new cause each week. Or Kiva, which allows you to help with micro lending. The list goes on. Starting a new business is your opportunity to change the world. For the better.
10. Because more than ever, being an entrepreneur is the best way to find satisfaction in your work, do what you are passionate about, help others achieve their vision, and truly make a difference in the world.
With so many great reasons to start your new business now, what are you waiting for?
