No matter what industry you find yourself in, at some point in time you find yourself thinking about what it would be like take the leap, and start your own business or company. Of course, like any big life decision, there are obstacles that we get hung up on when we consider making the jump. Sure, change and the unknown is always daunting. Add in the financial risk and it may be enough to scare off a good chunk of people.

However, what about the other side? Starting your own business can be the jolt of electricity you need to better every facet of your life. In order to find out some of the strongest reasons to start your own business, I talked to people who were brave enough to take the jump themselves. The first was Bernard Kavaler, Managing Editor at Connecticut by the Numbers. Next, I reached out to the awesome team at FourteenG, a creative marketing agency. Finally, I touched base with Dan Peleg, CEO of GlobeKeeper.

There are many reasons to start your own business, but one reason that Kavaler brought up, can best be described as the ability to combine opportunity and passion into your work:

“With a background in print and broadcast journalism and years of experience in state government, it was increasingly clear that there are a great many untold stories of what’s happening in Connecticut, often lost in the numbers of reports and analysis, in the work of small entrepreneurial business and non-profit organizations. I thought there might be an opportunity to share some of that, to help the word get out, to unearth some news – good and bad – that can impact and influence our lives in Connecticut. There are many publications, especially on the web, more interested in making heat; my goal was to shed some light.”

As Kavaler mentions above, he saw an opportunity to branch off and fill a void. That’s what having your own business allows you to do. You can capitalize and create what you think is missing in an industry or market. This is where the passion comes in. Naturally, if you are working on something that is your brainchild, you will have a passion and drive for that idea that cannot be matched by working on something that belongs to someone else. Working on something you truly believe in can have you accomplishing things you never thought you could. Kavaler mentioned the satisfaction he gets from pursuing his own idea, “Connecting the dots in ways that can shed light, help to inform people, share news that people can use, and not being restrained by arbitrary limitations can be quite satisfying.” Kavaler said, “If the articles on CT by the Numbers help get the word out about a policy or program, an innovation or collaboration, an event or initiative, that’s all to the good.” Peleg had a similar thought: “The satisfaction of seeing people using your product every day is unmatched.”

It’s obvious that Kavaler and Peleg derive great happiness and satisfaction from their businesses. Many people get stuck a rut of punching the clock and mailing it in, if you can turn your passion into your job, then life suddenly becomes more exciting. This makes it easier to put in the hours needed for a business to succeed. “If you like what you do, there’s no reason to stop doing it.” Kavaler said. The FourteenG team also talked about this idea:

“Every day we wake up excited about having unlimited opportunities. We meet great people and we work on fun and exciting projects. This morning, Mike (Shick) did an intense workout with our client BodyRoc. Then our team met up in Downtown Hartford for an event with Stackpole clothing store. Our clients are so unique. Every day is different. It doesn’t really feel like work. We’re just having fun with our friends.”

Another reason to start your own business is the flexibility it provides. “Starting your own business is about being flexible, adaptable and resilient.” The team at Fourteen G said, “One of the biggest reasons we started FourteenG was to have our own creative space without limits.” If you’re the boss, the limitations are what you place on the company yourself. This freedom allows you to take risks and sacrifice to succeed. According to Peleg, success is sweeter when you bet on yourself. “I think it's all about how much you are willing to sacrifice, and the more you sacrifice the more satisfaction you get when you achieve a success moment.”

So, to wrap up the discussion, being afraid to take the plunge is completely natural. Just know that the potential outcome can be so rewarding. I’ve had the privilege to talk to people, including this blog’s interviewees, who decided to take the chance. It’s inspiring to see people who believed in themselves enough to leap into the unknown. The FourteenG team believes that the leap is worth taking, “If you have a vision that you’re passionate about, take the leap and be prepared to keep leaping!” Finally, if you still feel hesitant about taking a chance, here are some words from Peleg:

“It is scary. If you believe in your idea, follow your dream. prepare yourself for something you never experienced before, the steepest rollercoaster of your life. Including the most euphoric moments as well as the most depressing ones, but isn't that what life are all about?”

He's right, it can be scary, but coworking communities can make the plunge a bit less frightening. At Upward Hartford, our aim is to provide a supportive environment, from the person working on their side business on the weekend, to the entrepreneur making their dream a reality. If you are ready to start something that is all your own, Upward Hartford is the place to be!

Thanks to Dan Peleg of GlobeKeeper, Bernard Kavaler of Connecticut by the Numbers and the folks at FourteenG!