Stepping into the Startup Surge

For most people, the thought of starting a company has crossed their mind at least once in their lives. Maybe they had a great idea or maybe they just wanted to lean out of the daily grind and develop their own work/life harmony. And now, as the effects of the Great Resignation continue, more and more people are leaving their daily jobs and stepping into the surge of startups that began in early 2021.

Accounting software developer, QuickBooks, projects that 5.6 million business applications will be filed in 2022, which would be 28% higher than record-breaking 2020. Now is the time to make the leap into entrepreneurship, according to the following new business owners who shared their reasoning for leaving successful pre-pandemic careers in favor of personal growth.

Advice from successful entrepreneurs

Nolan Fuller, CEO and founder of Training Without Borders, LLC, says, “jumping into entrepreneurship was not an easy decision, but it came down to whether I wanted to experience the pain of hard work or the regret of never trying. For me, regret was not an option, so I made the leap.”

His advice for other new entrepreneurs is to trust the process–develop your blueprint, focus your energy and be consistent.

“Every moment is an opportunity for growth and every thought is a seed that could sprout,” said Fuller. “My journey into entrepreneurship was a natural progression from where I was, where I was prepared to go and where I am happy to be now.”

Founder and CEO of marketing and communications collective Bloomtopia, Gina Richmond, jumped to small business ownership from running a high-stress boutique PR firm as a way to guard her physical health and mental wellness.

“The pandemic shutdown was a wakeup call, forcing me to reassess my priorities and identify what was truly important to me,” said Richmond. “I was ultimately compelled to create a space for myself–and others–that supports a healthy life while also doing work we are passionate about. Since starting my business, my health has dramatically increased and my ‘bad stress’ has dramatically decreased. I wake up excited and energized to build and grow a company that is completely aligned with my values.”

Richmond’s advice when developing a new business is to clearly define your “why,” identifying accountability partners who can help motivate you and establishing clear boundaries to make sure you stay aligned with your core values.

Corporate freedom through franchise-ownership

Other budding entrepreneurs have started on the path to corporate freedom through franchise-ownership.

Kiddie Academy Educational Child Care franchisees, Jill and Eion Snell, opened their Academy in Aurora, Colo., to fulfill Jill’s passion of working with children. Their path to entrepreneurship hasn’t been easy, but has been a worthwhile experience as they build a strong and growing community of parents and families.

Jill Snell’s advice for new franchise owners is to be passionate about their reason behind the endeavor. “Unless you can reach for your passion or reason for doing this, you might not give it your all.”

Another franchise owner, Ryan Metzger, with CardMyYard, invested in a franchise as a way to build residual income. Within two months of operations, he and his wife earned back all of their initial investment.

Metzger says, “The confidence that owning a franchise has given me has been invaluable. If you feel at peace, do it! Take the jump!”