Should you start your own business? Here's how to know for sure

If you’ve been Googling things like “Should I start my own business?” or “How do I know if I’m meant to be an entrepreneur?”, let’s talk about it—honestly, openly, and without hype. Because being your own boss isn’t for everyone, and you’re absolutely in the right place by starting here.

Not all businesses are built the same

Here’s one of the big things I didn’t get when I started my journey: A lot of what you’ve heard about entrepreneurship—good and bad—might not actually apply to you.

There are different kinds of businesses you can build, and the type you’re imagining might look nothing like what some guru is shouting about on Instagram. You might not be trying to:

• Take on capital investments and chase venture funding.
• Grow to hundreds—or even dozens—of employees. (Maybe you don’t want any employees!)
• Prepare your business to be sold in five years.
• Work 80 hours a week—or even 40.
• Build a business that runs you instead of one you run.

Guess what? Most of the advice out there is geared toward these goals. And if you’re here, I’m guessing you’re looking for something else: freedom.

Entrepreneurship absolutely can give you that—but not automatically. You have to build it intentionally, with freedom as the goal.

What’s a freedom-based business?

It’s a business designed to create:

• Time freedom—because time, not money, is your primary currency.
• Options—so you can prioritize what matters most: your family, your faith, your health, your passions.
• Income—consistent and sustainable, without sacrificing your health, your sanity, or your values.

Whether you’re doing your dream work or simply work that meets a need and compensates you well, you get to decide what it looks like.

For me? I started with a simple admin business. It gave me control of my time, my income, and my life—freedom. And then, once I had that foundation, I built my dream coaching business.

Different journeys, but both were intentionally designed with freedom in mind.

Freedom means you don’t have to play by their rules

You’re playing a different game, so you don’t have to play by their rules. Phew—that feels good, right? 😅

You can:

• Build a simple, sustainable six-figure business that fits around school drop-offs and soccer games. (And yes, you can grow to seven figures this way too if that’s the dream—but let’s start with six, shall we? 😉)
• Decide what “enough” income looks like for you. Maybe it’s $5k/month. Maybe it’s $10k/month. Maybe six—or seven—figures isn’t your goal at all. That’s okay! The whole point is that you get to decide, and there’s a freedom-based model for every version of “enough.”
• Stop believing that hustle, burnout, or sacrifice are the only paths to success. They’re not.
• Grow slow, intentional, and steady. Your pace, your path, your choice.

This is your life. You get to decide how business fits into it—not the other way around. YES, even business really can work that way.

How to know if you're meant for entrepreneurship (or just sick of your job)

Not everyone is meant to start their own business—and that’s something to celebrate, not shame. If your 9-to-5 offers insurance, retirement, or benefits that give you peace of mind (or if the thought of leaving makes you physically ill), that’s not “chickening out”—that’s self-awareness. Celebrate your clarity (and make different types of changes).

But if you can’t stop dreaming about doing your own thing, let’s figure out what’s really going on.

💫 You’re Not Just Burnt Out—You’re Dreaming About More

Here’s the truth: you can hate your job and not be called to entrepreneurship.

• If you’re burnt out, you might just need a new job, new company, or better boundaries.
• If you’re meant for entrepreneurship, you can’t stop dreaming about creating something of your own.

You’re reading business books. You’re bingeing podcasts about starting a business. Your brain lights up when you think about creating your own income. Friend, that’s not normal. (Lol.)

Ask yourself:

• Am I just tired of my job—or do I crave the ownership and freedom of working for myself?
• Does the idea of starting a business light me up or make me think, “It’d suck, but at least I’d be the boss”?

💫 Fear vs. Misalignment—What’s Really Holding You Back?

Fear loves to disguise itself as wisdom. It says things like:

• “What if I fail?”
• “I better not, because I could lose money.”
• “I’m not being realistic.”

But here’s the test:

• If it’s misalignment, the idea of running a business feels heavy and wrong.
• If it’s fear, the dream will still be there, whispering to you no matter how hard you try to ignore it or talk yourself out of it.

💫 You’re Willing to Work for Freedom

A freedom-based business still takes work—especially in the beginning. But here’s the difference:

• The work you’re doing builds your dream life, not someone else’s.
• You’re in charge of how it grows, what it looks like, and when you step back to enjoy it.

My story: from corporate to freedom

I was sitting at my “fancy” manager’s desk, staring out the window at a perfect summer day. Outside, everything felt alive. Inside, I didn’t.

After weeks of summoning the courage, I asked for a raise. I was sick with nerves, but I knew I deserved it.

The result? I was dismissed in about two minutes with a casual, “Maybe next year.”

That was it. I didn’t know how to start a business. I didn’t know if it would work. But I knew one thing:

I wouldn’t stay where I was.

I left, built my first business, and grew it to six-figures—not because I had it all figured out, but because I was willing to try (and fail a lot, lol).

My life now is the picture of freedom I was holding in my mind all those years ago when I didn’t even know for sure if it was possible. If you’re feeling the same pull, I want you to know this: it’s possible for you too.

Practical steps to figure out what’s right for you

If you’re still on the fence, here are 10 questions to help you get clear:

1. Do I feel called to start a business—or am I just tired of my current job?
2. What does freedom mean to me? (More time? More income? More options?)
3. What fears are holding me back? Are they facts or just fear-based stories? (Even if they’re facts, most can be overcome.)
4. Am I willing to work for freedom, knowing the payoff will be worth it?
5. Do I work well independently?
6. Am I willing to problem-solve and figure things out?
7. Am I resourceful enough to start where I am, with what I have?
8. Do I value ownership and flexibility more than certainty?
9. Am I open to learning new skills?
10. Do I light up at the thought of creating my own thing?

Choose what aligns for you

If you’re dreaming of a freedom-based business but aren’t sure if it’s possible, hear me when I say: It is.

You don’t have to hustle 24/7.
You don’t have to play by anyone else’s rules.
You don’t have to build a business you hate just because “that’s how it’s done.”

And, it’s not for everyone—and that’s okay. You get to decide what’s right for you.

If you’ve honestly answered these questions, you’ll know. There’s no right or wrong answer—only what feels right for you. It comes down to what you truly want, what lights you up, and whether you’re willing to try.

Because here’s the truth: as an entrepreneur, not everything will work. You have to be willing to experiment, to test, to see what clicks, and to not make “failures” mean you’re failing. They’re just steps on the way to figuring out what works.

The answers you’re looking for are already inside you, ready and waiting—you’ll see them the moment you choose to trust yourself.

Ready?

If you’re ready to build a freedom-based business but aren’t sure where to start, let’s talk! DM me (@alirspicer on IG), and we’ll figure out if working together feels like the right move.

Or, if you’re more of the “I don’t want to DM you because I’m afraid you’ll haunt my inbox forever and try to sell me stuff” type, you can just check out this page for more details.

P.S. Lol—for the record, that’s sooo not my style. No pressure. Pinky promise.