Why You Work for Yourself

"Why did you decide to start your business?" I've asked that question to almost every small-business owner I've ever interviewed for MyBusiness. Sometimes the question isn't even relevant to what we're talking about, but I think that there's no better way to get someone talking about their business experiences than to get them talking about what made them take the plunge.

For the June Discover Small Business Watch, released this week, small-business owners got the chance to answer that same question, and the results are right in line with what I always hear:

• 46% of owners started a small business to have more flexibility with their time or to be more independent. Only 19% cite making more money as the primary reason.
• 61% would still choose independence over working for someone else—even if offered more money than they currently make.
• Slightly more than half of small business owners (51%) believe that most people can still achieve the American dream, making them more optimistic than the 41% of adults who feel the same.