How to be Your Own Boss: Pathways to Business Ownership

It’s not uncommon for an ambitious professional like you to want to be your own boss. A January 2024 article on Forbes.com reports that 33.3 million businesses in the U.S. qualify as small businesses, making up 99.9% of all businesses in the country.

These primarily private entities are owned and operated by entrepreneurs like you, who wanted a change from being employed to being an employer. Whatever your reason, becoming a business owner is a great way to find personal and professional success. Let’s look at the benefits and challenges of business ownership, how starting your own business generally works, and how starting a franchise like Joshua Tree Experts can help you get the best start to your new business endeavor.

Pros & Cons to Being Your Own Boss

When you become the one in charge, it comes with both a great number of perks, but also a few obstacles to overcome.

Pros

• Flexibility with scheduling, setting your own hours within your responsibilities.

• Professional independence, no longer having to defer to someone with more authority.

• Potential for financial success; your business’s profits and net worth are yours.

• Frequent opportunities to learn and growth professionally.

• The opportunity to make a difference to your staff and to the people in your community.

• Empowerment by letting you make your own decisions on how to run your business.

• The chance to create a professional legacy through a business that can become a pillar of your local community.

Cons

• Having to manage your time between your duties, as well as between your professional and personal life.

• Competing with businesses in the same industry and market as yourself.

• Ensuring your business complies with all applicable regulations.

• Adapting to new practices and standards in your industry.

• The risk of financial loss in the event of business failure.

Paths to Starting a Business

There are three primary business ideas to be your own boss through business ownership:

First, you can start a new business from scratch. While this gives you a great amount of creative control over how your business operates, it also requires you to put in the most work and take on the greatest amount of responsibility. This method has virtually no safety net in place, since every decision and responsibility is on you. You can hire consultants or find a business partner to help, but even then fully independent business ownership is a risky move; online financial publication Investopedia reported in June 2024 that 20% of small businesses in the U.S. fail within the first year of operation, and 45% fail within the first five years.

The second way is to purchase an existing business. While this means a lot of the legwork establishing the business is already done, performing due diligence is crucial to make sure you don’t purchase a business with a lot of hidden problems, such as debt, a bad customer reputation, or an unfavorable location.

Finally, you can be your own boss by opening a franchise like Joshua Tree Experts. A franchise offers you a balance of professional independence and industry guidance. As a franchisee, you receive support and advice from your franchisor. Franchisors like Joshua Tree Experts provide you with a proven business model, as well as comprehensive training in whatever industry you’re entering, as well as ongoing training throughout your time as a franchisee.

For example, Joshua Tree Experts provides franchisees like you with a week-long training program after signing a franchise agreement, ensuring you’re prepared to run a lawn and tree care franchise that can benefit from multiple revenue streams and repeat customers. They also provide you with administrative services like market research and high-level advertising to help ease your administrative workload.

While owning a franchise like Joshua Tree Experts might have slightly less autonomy than an independent business, the support and assistance provided, such as site selection, an established brand reputation, purchasing power, and staff training can prove indispensable to a new business owner like you.

Grow the Roots of a Successful Business with Joshua Tree Experts

We’re eager to welcome you to our franchising team. We offer entrepreneurs like you a low-cost franchise opportunity to get started in the tree care industry, a vital part of property care in which an ambitious franchisee like you can flourish. Submit a franchise inquiry form today to find out more about your franchising opportunity with Joshua Tree Experts.