Here’s another from the trove of responses I received from newsletter subscribers on the biggest challenge they’ve faced when considering entrepreneurship.
At this time in my life, I am still having the itch to be an entrepreneur, I have to say my biggest challenge is the time commitment required to own a business, as a single mother, right now the 40 hour week seems much better in terms of the amount of time I can have with my kids rather than a commitment to owning a business.
Amen! Someone who gets that, to be in business you have to work your tail off to be successful by any measure. I have read the 4-Hour Workweek and many other best-sellers on related subjects. The fact is too many people buy/start a business when they should not. They mistakenly believe they can juggle, outsource, delegate, partner and otherwise deflect work. I have not heard first-hand of a startup you can do in your spare time that’s worth doing.
But what if you get super-efficient, hire a virtual assistant, organize like crazy, time-block, schedule email time for only 15 minutes a day, sedate your toddler, and free up a couple of hours? Surely that can create the space to allow you to start a business and have a shot at success? Well, I guess it all depends on what the definition of “success” is. Great ideas for your business come not just from physical time, but from being available to your business….to think, to obsess, to be totally pre-occupied, full-body immersion.
I applaud people who have the guts to sit out entrepreneurship and have a real job, 40-50-60 hours, paycheck, vacation, benefits. But I’m always up for a debate, so feel free to tell me I’m all wet.
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