Interesting question....it just kind of happened. I was on maternity
leave and not really ready to face the 'big' corporate life. I began
to study a course, which led to starting to work for a couple of
leaders on issues facing them. It is grew. I realised that the ONLY
way I could provide the services that leaders need is being
self-employed. Many professional services organisations stifle what
can be delivered. Having flexibility around my family is a huge
bonus, but not the reason for being self employed.

Like so many other Mum-preneurs, I wanted to earn an income but have the flexibility to work from home around my kids, particularly whilst they were young. It's been a hard slog though because it's not as easy as it sounds, but I can't ever see myself working for someone else now - I love having my own business.

Hi Deb,my goal was always to find a way to help women who were successful in life get their minds and emotions on losing weight and keeping it off for life. I felt the weight loss industry failed to provide an adequate solution considering 95 percent of diet and exercise plans fail in the long run! So instead of joining the ranks at the age of 23 I forged my own path, started my own weight loss business, now17 years later I'm still going strong as a solo-entrepreneur and loving it!

Hi Jo,
And you do this so well, being that missing link for woman to finally let go of their struggle with weight. To be doing this for so long is a testiment of your success. Thanks for sharing.
Deb

Hi Deb,

I think I accidentally became an entrepreneur with my own business, because I simply couldn't bear losing my life to 9 to 5 work. I couldn't do the things I love doing (travel) or be there for my daughter after school when I was in a job until 5 each night.
I love that I set my own schedule, share time with my family and do work that is on purpose with my soul...

Hi Domenica,
The need for freedom can be so important and I believe is one of the top three reasons that we become entrepreneurs in the first place. Thank you so much for sharing your reasons.
Deb

I think an Entrepreneur is an ideas person, a leader, someone who works 'on' the business, focuses on growth and is willing to take risks to make things happen. I see entrepreneurs as a 'type' of business owner because not all business owners have that entrepreneurial mindset. I'd like to think of myself as an entrepreneur - largely because I'm constanting thinking of the bigger picture, where I want my business to be and I have so many ideas (too many at times!) but then I'm not great with taking risks. Sometimes I find myself playing it safe and not wanting to step too far out of my comfort zone... some work to be done there perhaps :)

Great comment - thank you. Stepping out of the day to day and strategically planning where you want to be is so important. I feel it's the difference between staying in ordinary and moving to extraordinary in ones business. Deb

Deb, I see myself as both - depending on what phase I am in. There are a few dedicated times during the year when I require myself to be and act as an entrepreneur: what are the opportunities in my world and '10 degrees' away for the world I am in today, what can I do/be/provide/create to harness those new opportunities in new ways - and really amp up how I use my gifts to the power of 10! Then there is the implementation of the strategies that sit behind these dreams, goals & plans: in these phases, I am business owner. I must continue to run a healthy business and serve my current clients to the very best of my abilities and allow them to gain positive and lasting benefits from our work together. (And then there's the diligence of just making sure all the i's and dotted and t's crossed: BAS, PAYG, follow-up systems, etc etc - no matter how much you delegate, you are still the final point of responsibility on this.)

Hey Jacquie,
Thank you for your great input and I particularly like your thoughts around 'what phase you are in'. Because it really can depend on that was well.
Thanks for dropping by....
Deb

I think the differnece between being an Entrepreneur or a Business Owner can come down to mindset. Most business owners probably start out to be a good entrepreneur but bad experiences or lean times get you stuck in the rut of being a business owner, surviving day to day, rather than stepping outside the business to focus on the big picture.

Hi Jaclyn, Thanks for your thoughts and mindset is so important for business success. It's something that we all need to set as a priority, so that we can continue to step out and look at the big picture. Deb