On Thursday, millions of people across the country will take a day off to celebrate our country’s 237th birthday. We’ll light up our grills, proudly display the stars and stripes, and, depending on where we live, look up at the sky to admire some ridiculously elaborate fireworks displays. Independence! It’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it?
In the business world, entrepreneurs often understand that better than anyone else. After all, they get to set their own hours, create their own goals, make their own decisions, and, to a certain degree, dictate their own futures. They have the final say when it comes to company rules and regulations, and the only boss they have to answer to is, well, themselves (unless, of course, they have co-founders and investors).
And while that independent, entrepreneurial life can be an exciting and enlightening experience, it can also be equal parts stressful, dizzying, and uncertain. As the words from 10 successful tech entrepreneurs below prove, business independence is great — if you’re cut out for the challenges and hurdles that often stand in the way of earning it.
Here’s to all of the creators and independent business owners out there. Happy Fourth!
10 Entrepreneur Quotes Celebrating Independence
If you can’t see a path for leadership within your own company, go blaze a trail of your own.
Once you get your toe in the water of entrepreneurship, it’s hard. It’s pretty addictive because if you like it, it’s just such a challenging, wonderful, exciting experience. So for me what keeps me in it, I think first of all is I just love the fact that I am having to wear so many different hats, and I’m challenged in so many different ways
I did not particularly set out to be an entrepreneur or dream of it. However, I always wanted to do something that would drive myself to be independent and do things my own way.
Making money is about freedom. When you owe people money, they own you — or, at least, they own your schedule. As long as you remain profitable, the timeline is yours to create.
Do not pay too much attention to rules set by other people. Entrepreneurs are inventors. They are successful when they make something work for the very first time.
For me, the light bulb went off when I realized that punching a time clock is not the way to change the world. I chose the path of entrepreneurship and never looked back.
Have a quote that belongs on the list? Add it to the comments section below!
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Enzo Avigo, former product manager at Intercom and CEO of product analytics startup June, unpacks how to accelerate your path to product market fit. Get the guide here.
