The Complicated Truth About Business Ownership

Eight years ago, I took the leap into business ownership, thinking it would give me the freedom, flexibility, and financial success I had always dreamed of. While it did give me all I hoped for and more with some incredible highs along the way, I’ve also come to realise that the reality of running a business is far more complicated than most people think.

People often see the highlight reel—growth, achievements, and the independence that comes with being your own boss. But what they don’t always see are the sacrifices, the tough decisions, and the mental toll it takes.

If you’re a business owner (or thinking of becoming one), here’s what no one tells you about this journey:

The Loneliness of Leadership

One of the biggest surprises for me was how lonely it can feel at the top. When you work for someone else, you have peers to share frustrations with, a boss to provide direction, and a clear structure.

As a business owner, you are the structure. You’re the one responsible for making the hard calls, and sometimes, you don’t have someone to turn for advice. You have to build your own support system—whether it’s through mentors, fellow business owners, or advisers—because doing it alone is not sustainable.

To add to this, something that you realise only when you’re looking back over your shoulder is that you’re pretty much an unknown stranger in an industry for the first few years, unrecognised and with not much praise (at least, not yet!).

The Work Never Truly Stops

There’s this idea that running your own business means working less. The truth? It’s the opposite. Especially in the early years, your business is an extension of you. It doesn’t switch off at 5 PM. Even when you’re spending time with family or taking a supposed ‘break,’ your mind is still running through to-do lists, client issues, and new ideas. The key is learning how to manage that mental load so it doesn’t consume you.

For me personally, it has been a unique experience to manage my own business while being married and raising two kids. There were days when I felt guilty for not spending enough time with my family, and others where the pressure of running the business felt overwhelming. But over time, I’ve learned that balance isn’t about perfect time management—it’s about prioritisation. When you learn to focus on what truly matters in the moment, you make it work.

You Will Fail—More than Once

Before starting my business, I thought success was about making the right decisions. Now, I realise that success is about making a lot of wrong ones, learning from them, and pushing forward anyway. You will hire the wrong people, lose money on bad investments, and make strategic errors. But those failures are also the biggest teachers—if you let them be.

In the eight years of running my own business, I have hired the wrong people countless times, losing money and effort. But it’s through those mistakes that I’ve also managed to find some of the best staff who are now integral to my business. The key is to learn, adjust, and keep moving forward.

Cash Flow is the Ultimate Boss

Many people go into business because they’re passionate about their industry. But no matter how much you love what you do, if you don’t manage your cash flow properly, your business won’t survive. Cash flow is the lifeline of any business. It dictates what you can invest in, how much risk you can take, and even how much stress you’ll have as a business owner.

I learned this lesson the hard way. In the early years, I assumed that as long as the business was bringing in revenue, everything would work out. But revenue isn’t cash flow. There were months when we had plenty of sales but struggled to pay bills because money was tied up elsewhere. It forced me to become disciplined with financial planning, forecasting, and making tough calls on spending. Now, I always keep an eye on cash flow first—it’s the difference between survival and success.

Freedom Comes at a Cost

Yes, business ownership gives you the freedom to make your own decisions, but that freedom comes with responsibility. You’re no longer just looking after yourself—you’re responsible for your team, your clients, and the long-term health of the business. There’s no paycheck coming in unless you create one. That level of accountability is empowering, but it’s also a weight you carry every day.

I’ve had moments where I envied friends who had stable jobs with guaranteed salaries, annual leave, and set hours. The security they had seemed tempting at times, especially when I was facing financial uncertainty. But then I’d remind myself why I chose this path. The ability to build something from the ground up, to shape my own future, and to have control over my destiny is worth every sacrifice. The pressure never fully disappears, but it transforms into motivation and purpose.

The Best Part? It’s Still Worth It

Despite all of these challenges, I wouldn’t trade business ownership for anything. The growth—both personal and professional—is unmatched. The wins feel more rewarding because you know what it took to get there. And most importantly, you get to build something that matters, something that has a lasting impact.

So if you’re in the trenches of running a business and feeling the weight of it all, just know—you’re not alone. The complicated truth is that business ownership is tough, but it’s also one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do.

Keep going. The best lessons come from the hard days.

P.S. If you ever find yourself looking for someone to have a chat about growing / scaling your business (or to simply vent about the hardships of being a business owner!), feel free to connect!