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14 Things to Be Thankful for as an Entrepreneur
by Brett Farmiloe
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April 12, 2022
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family and friends around thanksgiving dinner table

What is one thing you are thankful for as an entrepreneur?

To help you express more gratitude in your life and get into the spirit of the season, we asked entrepreneurs for their insights. From being thankful for having a supportive and understanding spouse to learning on a daily basis, there are several things to be grateful for whether you are an entrepreneur or not.

Here are 14 things to be grateful for: 

  • My Employees
  • Leading My Own Team
  • Time to Take Vacations
  • Freedom to Work on My Mission
  • Providing Services That Are Needed and Appreciated
  • Flexibility in My Day
  • Developing Customer Trust and Loyalty
  • Ability to Work From Anywhere
  • Supportive and Understanding Spouse
  • Perspective for Growth
  • Creating a Sense of Community 
  • My Network
  • All Those Moments I Failed
  • Learning on a Daily Basis

business owners who contributed to this article

My Employees

With the holiday season coming, I am especially thankful for my team. Our staff has helped our company to grow these years, and each new addition has brought new ability and personality to the table. Without each and every one of our employees, we would not be the organization we are today.
- Brandon Berglund, Berglund Insurance

Leading My Own Team

Being an entrepreneur is great because I can lead my own team. I get to lead in the way I see fit as an entrepreneur, whereas the other 98 percent of the population has a role and a boss to report to. While being the leader of a business has its challenges and responsibilities, being the founder or CEO is always a pleasure. Be grateful for the position of power, leadership, control you have, and help your employees grow.
- Henry Babichenko, European Denture Center

Time to Take Vacations

None of us wants to work 365 days a year, regardless of how much we love what we do. That is why holidays and time off are so important in helping us become more balanced and happy as entrepreneurs. It's also nice not to have to worry about whether we've exceeded a vacation allotment. I travel with my family a few times a year, and I'm thankful for the quality time with them and the ability to step away from work when needed.
- Chris Abrams, Marcan Insurance

Freedom to Work on My Mission

There is a saying, “don't find a job, find a mission.” For me, it was to create a positive impact on people’s lives using technology. After considering several career paths, I found the world of entrepreneurship to be the best match for pursuing my mission. 

Though it has many challenges, the freedom to shape your day and having independence supersede any other factor.
- Guy Katabi, Lightkey

Providing Services That Are Needed and Appreciated

I’m thankful that I’m able to provide services for our clients that they really need and appreciate. The insurance field can be confusing and competitive, and navigating all the options out there can be a chore. 

Our customers like having a choice, and they are grateful for the personal attention we give them as they make very personal decisions. I’m grateful that we’re able to fill a need and that we’ve been able to build up so much trust in the community.
- Vicky Franko, Insura

Flexibility in My Day

There is a certain time each day when most employees have to clock in and report to their supervisor. As an entrepreneur, I have the flexibility to take a day to recharge or spend the day with a friend. That is a luxury that not everyone has, and I’m grateful for it. Of course, I want to continually build my lash supply business, so I do put in the work needed to accomplish that daily. However, I appreciate that the option is always there if it’s needed.
- Vanessa Molica, The Lash Professional

Developing Customer Trust and Loyalty

I am so grateful that we’ve built up a company our customers are able to trust and rely on. We’ve accomplished this by having solid relationships with insurance carriers, and knowing what our customers want and need. 

They are us, we are them, and we provide fast, reliable help our customers can’t get anywhere else. I’m just thankful that we can do what we do and have the reputation that we have.
- Brian Greenberg, Insurist

Ability to Work From Anywhere

Not everyone has the luxury of waking up each day with the ability to work from anywhere across the world. Entrepreneurship combined with modern technology allows many business owners to work from anywhere. 

Here automation comes into play. Automating processes within a business can remove the pain points that remote working uncovers. With an automation platform that incorporates collaboration features, you can work from everywhere while not losing track of work progress and valuable information. 

In addition, even if you have a physical office, it's still a pleasant advantage to be able to do a videoconference while on the road or conduct business from a co-working space every now and again to stimulate some creativity.
- Spiros Skolarikis, Comidor

Supportive and Understanding Spouse

Every entrepreneur needs a support network, which includes support at home. I'm incredibly thankful for my wife, who has challenged, questioned, and supported every crazy idea while working the fullest full-time job of all: staying at home with three young kids. Family and spousal support is underrated and under-appreciated in the entrepreneurial media but is such an important ingredient to entrepreneurial success.
- Brett Farmiloe, Markitors

Perspective for Growth

As an entrepreneur, I am thankful for perspective. Always on a continual path toward growth, I've experienced a variety of situations that have provided invaluable insights you simply can’t find anywhere else.
- Greg Gillman, MuteSix

Creating a Sense of Community

I'm thankful that I can help provide a sense of community for those around me, which isn't always easy in a big city. The advantage of running a small private medical practice is an improved experience for clients and team members. 

My private practice allows me to establish relationships with our patients so that I can make decisions based on them and not some hospital policy. And by partnering with our clients to promote a positive lifestyle, we're building our wellness community here in Miami and creating solid relationships with other people who live, work, and play here.
- Zachary Okhah, PH-1 Miami

My Network

Connecting with various brands, clients, and my team members on a daily basis drives me to create something greater, something special. I believe in synergy when it comes to building a successful enterprise. No man is an island, and this encompasses both the consumer and the merchant, the client and the company. 

After my tenure at Apple and Pepsi, I learned that your network is essentially your net worth. The value of the people you surround yourself with can be the determining factor of your overall worth. 

Ultimately, the relationships I have built and maintained have been the best (ROI) return on investment I have ever made, both personally and professionally.
- Nick Shackelford, Structured Agency

All Those Moments I Failed

Failures. I am thankful for those times when I bumped into boulders of challenges and failed. It made me realize that I can't always get heaven and earth in every endeavor I take. Getting frustrated multiple times molded me to my best form and leveled up my mindset, especially on being graceful under pressure. Knowing my limitations has always been a game-changer for me. This way, I can think of ideas to overcome potential weaknesses and go beyond my boundaries.
- Jake Smith, Absolute Reg

Learning on a Daily Basis

I’m thankful as an entrepreneur because there’s something new to learn every day. But all of these things make me a better entrepreneur because I continuously grow after solving each problem.

Because of the rapidly changing digital marketing landscape and tight competition, we face different and new struggles daily. Overseeing operations can be tough because clients expect to see promising metric or KPI  results, like organic traffic and conversions.

Now, I’m in the best position to help aspiring online entrepreneurs, specifically eCommerce businesses, by publishing useful, optimized, and well-researched web content.
- James Parsons, Content Powered

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About the author
Brett Farmiloe
Brett Farmiloe is the Founder & CEO of Terkel, a Q&A site that converts insights from small business owners into high-quality articles for brands. Brett Farmiloe Founder & CEO, Terkel.io
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