Inside the Mind of a Small-Business Owner

Growing up, I thought my dad was so cool because he owned his own business. For me, that meant he could go on all of my school field trips or come home mid-day to join me and my mom for a backyard picnic. I got to tag along on some of his sales calls or visit his office—where I would swing around in his swivel chair and pretend like I was his secretary—anytime I wanted.

One thing I learned from being the daughter of a small-business owner: The ideas never stop. My dad was always coming up with new sales tactics and marketing strategies. Often these epiphanies hit in the car while he was driving my sisters and me to school or some other activity or during our annual 8-hour road trip to the beach. It wasn't just his business he was thinking about. He was always conjuring up new ventures to try and inviting my mom, my sisters and me join in the brainstorming.

This kind of constant creativity isn't unusual for small-business owners, according to the latest Small Business Monitor report by American Express OPEN. One-third of entrepreneurs use down time to come up with ideas for their business, the poll shows. Male business owners are more likely to come up with their best ideas on the way to work, while female business owners often wake up in the middle of the night with theirs.

The logic behind this is simple, Small Business Trends editor Anita Campbell says. Business owners are so occupied with phone calls, e-mails, meetings, writing and other tasks that inspiration can be hard to find during the work day, Campell says. It makes sense that entrepreneurs would seize upon their breakthrough ideas and their "Ah, ha" moments during the most unlikely times.

So, what does this mean for a small-business owner's family? Take it from me: Life or road trips, for that matter, are never boring.