Entrepreneurship is a “tough cookie” type of deal. You want to build a business that exists without you rather than a business that is an extension of you.

The good news is that e-commerce is just that. Before you jump into entrepreneurship put a legitimate thought into your business. How will an individual benefit from your products?

Here are the common entrepreneurship expectations and realities.

“I Choose My Own Hours”

Expectations

You’ve heard this before, it’s a powerful statement that even corporate America markets to potential employees. Time is a desirable factor to us all. Time is priceless, you can never get lost time back. That’s why entrepreneurship is so attractive too many.

Time is valuable, and when it is gone, it is gone. Time is wealth, and unlike money, when it is gone, you cannot replace it.

Reality Check

You will have to work harder and longer than you ever worked before. Stress, anxiety, and sleep deprivation are common side effects of entrepreneurship.

Some members of your family and friends won’t understand what and why you do it. Your relationships might suffer – say goodbye to happy hours and socializing. 

When you get to the point to when your shop is automated and outsourced you can bring some of the social setting back into your life. You my feel like you have to do all things yourself but outsourcing will help you run your business smoother. 

“I Get To Be My Own Boss”

Expectations

I can do whatever I want and whenever I want. Becoming your own boss is the dream for many. Vistaprint.com survey says that three in five (62 percent) of Americans have the desire to own a business. 

In life, you have 2 choices. Become an entrepreneur or work for one.

Reality Check

“I don’t want to be my own boss,” said no one ever. Working for yourself takes some serious discipline. It can quickly backfire without some serious determination and self-discipline.

Time is gold! Learning the importance of saying “no” is crucial.

You have to learn to be strict on deadlines. No one else will push you to launch a new product line. Many entrepreneurs establish a strict schedule to stay motivated and productive throughout the day.

Many entrepreneurs start their workday generally earlier than a regular 9-5 job.

“I Make A Ton Of Money”

Expectations

Get-rich-quick schemes are flooding our social media timelines. People spend money left and right on fancy vacations when they work pretend to work remotely. 

Wealth is not about having a lot of money it is about having a lot of options.

Reality Check

Big things don’t happen overnight. Sometimes it can feel like an eternity before you make that first sale or the money just doesn’t want to come.

That is why so many entrepreneurs start their business on the side. They work part-time until they can afford to scale and quit their 9-5 job.

You can’t put a price on freedom and things you love! Ain’t that right?

“I Work From Home”

Expectations

The best thing about owning your business is the ability to choose where you actually conduct your business whether it is from the comfort of your home or your favorite coffee shop, you can choose to work from anywhere.

It’s all about quality of life and finding a happy balance between work and friends and family.

Reality Check

Working from home can have its benefits, however, it can start to interfere with a work-life balance, affecting your relationships, and taking time away from loved ones. Ultimately it comes down to your rules and habits and sticking to them. One of the best things you can do is to establish home office space that you agree to run your business from. This way you don’t start to mix work with pleasure and your home life will thank you!

“Once My Business Is Up, I Can Stop Learning “

Expectations

Once my business is up and running I don’t have to worry about a single thing. I will have all the time in the world to do whatever I want.

Stay curious, keep learning and keep growing. And always strive to be more interested than interesting.

Reality Check

Umm, hello! Education is the key to moving forward. You must continue to educate yourself and stay on the cutting edge to grow within your field. Learning keeps you ahead of the competition. Set aside one hour a day to read a book, listen to a podcast, or browse the news. Your future self will thank you.

“I Love What I Do”

Expectations

Don’t we all want the same things – to love what we do every day? The ability to enjoy every single minute of your day without looking at your watch is a dream to many.

Do what you love and the money will follow.

Reality Check

Hobbies can turn into work when you devote all your time and energy to getting your business up and running. Balancing your life-work balance can become difficult. It’s important to mix things up.

Find a way to get away from work to enjoy some of your other hobbies. This is usually one of the hardest parts of being an entrepreneur.

The ability to take a break and recharge for the next phase of your business is difficult for many because they get worried about their business slowing down while they resting.

Self-care is important, don’t let that slip away.

Like with everything, entrepreneurship has pros and cons. What’s good about POD is that you don’t need an office with inventory to get started. It will be a tough road but you can start part-time and scale up from there.

Take the plunge!