Entrepreneurship (What Was I Thinking?)

I know this is a little off topic, but since Michael has been discussing how to get your own Sprint PCS Connection Card, I am in good shape. So we do vacation as a family, which is great, but I work every day, which isn't so great. 3. The Risk. I know I have risk up in the things I love about entrepreneurship too, but when you have a family to support, a mortgage to pay, college funds to save, etc., the risk kind of loses its luster. So in my dreaming phase, risk is great; in my realistic/provider role, risk is terrifying. 4. No Rest. I don't sleep well, and I used to sleep like a log. The slightest noise wakes me up, I am always worried my cell phone is going to vibrate and there will be a problem, and we will need to deal with it ASAP. Our clients use our services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays, as many are located in other countries. So we are always on call, and always ready to address a problem. That not only affects your sleep, but going to movies, out on date night, during birthday parties, I never know when that call might come, and you can not totally relax with these contingencies hanging over your head. 5. The Money. When you don't have much or any coming in, it is hard to get everything paid, take some home for yourself, and then hopefully gather enough into the coffers so you can pay the bills again next month. However, when you do have money coming in, a whole new set of problems pop up. Should you hire someone, how much to invest in infrastructure, how much to set aside for taxes, should you advertise, how? The problems seem to grow proportionate to how much money you have in the bank account. All that being said, it is much easier to deal with these problems when your personal finances are no longer an issue. So while there are more problems, there is less stress in dealing with those problems, because the bankers aren't coming to take your home away, and you aren't eating Ramen every meal. 6. Those Clients. For the most part I love dealing with clients, and solving problems. However, as with every business, there is always those individuals that will take 90% of your time complaining about every little thing, although they only account for a relatively small portion of your gross income. And they never know who they are, because they are confident they are like everyone else. Be wary of these folks. It has taken me a while, but I now can part ways with client much more easily when I determine they are a "90 Percenter." Whether to part or not to part can also be influenced by how much money is coming in at the time, I had a lot more patience when we were desperate for any cash. 7. No Benefits. It is pretty tough to provide the 401K plans, good health insurance, and the other benefits the big guys can provide. That is tough both personally and professionally as you want to do what is best for everyone, but the cost of benefits is outlandish, you really have to be flush to afford them for everyone. 8. Taxes. Seriously folks, can't anyone in the government come up with a better plan than this? We now spend thousands of dollars every year for accountants to figure out how much we need to pay in taxes. In the early days I would trade an accountant friend of mine my dad's basketball tickets for his tax expertise, because it was so complicated. And this was when we just lost money every year. Now the whole situation is beyond ridiculous. I have little to no patience for inefficient organizations of any kind, and politicians don't seem to care about being efficient, or taking care of their constituents. They only care about gaining power and hoarding it. I don't care if you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent, if you are a politician on the local, state or national level, I'm not impressed. While there are fewer points on the why I love entrepreneurship versus what I don't like, there is no comparison in my mind. I love what I do, and the challenges faced just make the accomplishments more enjoyable. Any entrepreneurial likes or dislikes I missed? Please do share SoloSEO.com, an online service for SEO project management and do-it-yourself SEO tools. SoloSEO.com allows web marketers of any skill level to manage keywords, content tracking, link building, and competitor data.

Aaron has an MBA in International Business and worked earlier in his career as an international sales and marketing executive. He is now a "chronic entrepreneur," and has co-founded over a dozen businesses, servicing a variety of industries, with a current client list which includes businesses of all sizes, including Fortune 500 companies.