The Entrepreneurs VS. The 9-5 War
There’s such a big “entrepreneur” trend lately (well, it’s been like 10 years). At least on social media, it’s made to look amazing! Money and cars. Owning your own businesses. Working from the beach making money. Like most things on social media, you’re only seeing a tiny sliver of these people’s lives. That’s assuming anything your seeing is even real at all. I’m not here to bash entrepreneurship; I’m here to bash social media. Now, let’s be fair. Are there a lot of toxic 9–5 environments? Oh yeah! And office politics can be cruel. But there’s also a lot of good companies putting out great work with better people. And today, it’s easier than ever to find a position that offers “progressive” benefits and flexibility (so I can get in my midday yoga session, obviously). You’re not going to get that when you’re grinding to start a business as an entrepreneur. So which is actually better?
I actually aspire to own my own business. But for every glimpse into the life that entrepreneurs show you on Instagram, there’s so much you’re missing. What you don’t see is the years that went into building these things. Years of 7 day, 80+ hour work weeks, missed birthdays, piles of stress (oh the stress). New entrepreneurs are sinking their whole lives into owning a business. Personally and financially. There’s a strong possibility a new business owner is putting literally everything they own on the line to make it happen. Putting it ALL on the line. That’s fucking terrifying. Or is it exciting? Hell if I know.
However, entrepreneurs ARE independent. For all the crap I just mentioned, if you’re lucky, it pays off! Potentially (big emphasis on potentially) you can make 6, 7, or even 8 figures. You can have those fancy cars and houses and boats you see on social media. Personally, I’d be thrilled with some extra financial freedom and more vacations with the wifey. I’ll leave the fancy cars for the next guy! Honestly, who doesn’t want the freedom to do what you want when you want it? To not worry about personal finances. To spoil your loved ones on occasion. That’s the dream, right? But at what cost?
“Be free of the 9-5…” How many times have you seen that headline? Do I enjoy rotating PDFs for overpaid executives? No! But is my corporate job terrible? Also, no. This may be the best time to be in a corporate job. Despite the tragedies it took to get to this point, we’re finally seeing things like schedule flexibility and remote work, on top of the semi-decent perks that are becoming normal. I’m not talking about margarita casual Fridays either (I don’t want to drink your nasty store-bought margaritas anyways), but decent bonuses, 401k matching, unlimited vacations, employee-paid or heavily subsidized insurance. These things are becoming more and more common. Maybe I’ve been brainwashed by the system, but I’d rather work 40 hours and have time to spend with my friends and family than 80 trying to get a business off the ground. At least at this point in my life.
There’s really no “answer” to which is better. I’ve done a decade in corporate America, dabbled in some small entrepreneurial ventures, and plan to own my own business one day. It’s really about finding your own balance. If working those crazy 80-100 hour weeks excites you, it really gets you energized, then hell yeah! Get out there and crush it. If a 9-5 gives you enough fulfillment, and time with your family, that’s incredible! Let’s just stop hating on the other. I think we can all agree the goal is happiness (and crushing your enemies). So, if you’re there, no matter what your occupation, I think you’re winning.
