Running businessesA good client recently sent this quote to us.  We’ve had a great response from the few we’ve sent it on to.  It rang true for all of them. So now we’re sharing it with everyone.  We hope you enjoy what Joseph says about running businesses, as much as we do.

Joseph Mencel – Director of MassiveJoes – on Running Businesses

“People often tell me that they want to run their own business. When I ask them why they are quick to list off all of the perceived benefits; more time with friends and family, financial freedom, flexibility with working hours, being your own boss…

To be honest, I think they have been misled. In the 12 years that I’ve been running MassiveJoes I’ve learned more about business, people and myself than I would have ever imagined. And yeah, there have been some incredible highs.

But the truth is, most of the time, it’s been tough. It’s been really tough. It’s consumed every ounce of my mental & emotional energy for over a decade. I’ve worked every single day since day 1. Time off? What time off?

I’ve lost friends – in fact, I now don’t have any friends who aren’t work related. I’ve given up time with family that I will never get back. The personal financial freedom I’ve experienced pales in comparison to the financial pressures of funding an ever growing business.

I’ve seen far more frequently the worst, rather than the best, in people. I’ve been let down by those who I’ve trusted time and time again. I’ve been so consumed by stress that I’ve literally felt physically sick. I’ve been continuously criticized by people for not having work/life balance, been told my priorities are way out of whack, and that I’m wasting my life.

And I’ve seriously considered throwing the towel in on multiple occasions. But you know why I continue to push forward? It’s certainly not because of those perceived benefits that most people are quick to list when they think of running their own business.

They simply do not exist. It’s because I’m obsessed. I love this. Call me crazy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. And that’s the point. If you want to run your own business the primary reason for doing so should be because you are so passionate about what you are doing that it becomes an overwhelming obsession.

I’m not saying this to discourage you from running your own business. I’m saying that the general perception is worlds apart from the reality. The reality is, you have to be obsessed. If you are, go for it.

If you’re not, forget about it.”