8 Reasons to Start Your Own Business in 2022

Julie Starr • Dec 31, 2021



What are your new year’s resolutions for 2022?

For most people, these goals usually include things like getting fit, reading more, and quitting bad habits. These are all admirable goals, but there is no reason you can’t think even bigger when it comes to your new year’s resolutions. Instead of focusing simply on self-improvement, why not strive to create something that can have lasting value on the world.

If you’ve ever thought about setting up your own business , you could make 2022 the year to finally make the leap. Building a company from the ground up is no mean feat. It takes a huge amount of hard work to become successful. You’ll need to come up with an idea, procure the necessary funds, find business opportunities and pitch to potential clients. You’ll be getting up at the crack of dawn and working late into the night sending emails and answering phone calls. You’ll have to learn a whole new range of skills from social media to IT support. Your business will become your whole life.

But despite the enormous commitment, there are so many great reasons to go down this route. Once you get the ball rolling and move past the difficult early stages, you will find the process of running a company to be incredibly rewarding. If you’re undecided or you lack the confidence to take the plunge, here are eight great reasons to start your own business in 2022.

Be your own boss

One of the best things about starting your own company is that you are now in control of your own life. We’ve all worked for companies with horrible, overbearing bosses and now is your chance to be free of all that. No more working in toxic office environments with managers breathing down your neck and telling you what to do. No one can tell you what to do but you. You can decide down which route to take your company and can change directions whenever you want. You can hire whomever you like, work with your favorite clients and partners, and follow your preferred schedule. If you want to start working at midday and carry on late into the evening, there’s no one to tell you otherwise.

Your lifestyle will be more flexible and enjoyable as a result. There will be noticeably more freedom in your day to fit in last-minute business opportunities or personal responsibilities and best of all, you will always feel that glow of personal satisfaction that comes from being your own boss.

Work anywhere you want

One of the worst things about being an employee is having to commute to the same place every single day. You wake up early in order to fight rush hour traffic or squeeze onto a packed train, only to repeat it all at the end of the day. But when you are your own boss, you don’t have to do this. You can work from home if you want to or just get into work at 10 am when the traffic has died down. As long as you get your work done, it really doesn’t matter. Fancy a last-minute trip to the Bahamas? Just bring your laptop, hop on a plane and log onto your emails from a sandy Caribbean beach. The world is your oyster.

Financial security

When you first start your own company, you will be facing a lot of uncertainty. A huge number of businesses go bust in the first couple of years, and it is only the most resourceful and hardworking business leaders that succeed. You’ll need some funds in order to get things off your ground, and it may be a while before your company starts to be profitable. But as soon as things are moving successfully, you stand to make a great deal of money.

When you’re an employee, you earn a set salary, meaning there’s a limit to how much you can earn in a given year. But as a business owner, there is no cap on how much money you can make. Your company will be growing all the time, and as your business expands, so does your wallet. Eventually, when you are old and no longer capable or interested in actively running your business, you can then sell it for a huge amount of money. Alternatively, you can set your children up for a good life by passing it on to them.

Follow your passion

Whatever your business is, there is no doubt that it is something you are passionate about. It might be a health food company, a legal firm, or an online clothes retailer. There is clearly a reason why you chose this area of expertise. It is the thing you care about and that you are good at. 

So many people spend their whole lives working in careers that bring them no satisfaction. Perhaps they land a job straight out of college and then settle for the easy life, earning enough money for their family but gaining no real enjoyment from their work. Starting your own business allows you to follow your passions and work hard at the things that mean the most to you. Every day in the office will bring you a sense of satisfaction and achievement as you shape your company in line with your vision. You’ll create a lasting legacy that you and your family can look back on and be proud.

Make a difference

Starting a business affords you an opportunity to give something back to the world. As an entrepreneur, you have the option to set your company up to support community projects, charitable organizations, or non-profits. You can allocate a portion of your profits to help fund these causes or you can offer your business’s products or services for free.

There are many other ways that you can embody corporate social responsibility. As a planet, one of our biggest challenges is the looming threat of climate change. Global warming and greenhouse gases are setting the earth on a course for disaster, and it is the businesses of the world that have the largest impact. Even though you may just be a small start-up, there are things you can do as a business owner to make a difference. For a start, you can choose to only work with ethical companies who do their bit for the environment. You’ll be supporting the companies that are making a difference while also encouraging others to do the same. You should also make an effort to recycle and conserve energy in your workplace. Another option is to go paperless, eschewing physical documents in favor of digital ones.

Personal and professional development

Starting a company is a learning curve, and you’ll have to pick up a huge number of skills along the way. You’ll have to get your head around marketing, learn how to use social media, and plan campaigns. You’ll also have to be able to crunch numbers and keep your own books. Other skills you might have to adopt include tech support, website creation, graphic design, human resources, and operations management (see Operations Management: Definition, Types, And Tips for more information on this subject). Eventually, your organization will be large enough to hire dedicated people for these areas, but while you’re in the growth stage you’ll have to wear many hats. As a result, you will become more knowledgeable and talented.

Create a perfect team

A workplace is a finely-tuned machine, and if there is a weak link then the whole thing falls apart. Most people have worked with a colleague who doesn’t pull their weight and it can be incredibly frustrating. But being in charge gives you the power to create your own A-team from scratch. You’ll be in charge of the hiring, job interviews, onboarding process, and staff training. You can ensure that every single person that joins your organization is exactly the right person for their specific job. You can delegate important tasks to those who are best suited and make sure everyone is happy, satisfied, and productive.

Better mental health

More than half of all workers are unhappy with their jobs. This can lead to stress, anxiety, burnout, and other mental health issues. There are myriad reasons for this dissatisfaction, but some common reasons are being overworked and working in a toxic environment. As a boss, you can boost your mental health by creating the perfect working conditions. You can work according to your own schedule, create the ideal team, and take a restful vacation whenever you like. You and your team will end up happier, less stressed, and more productive and fulfilled as a result.

In conclusion, there are several reasons to carve out your own path and become a business leader. You will have the freedom to live the life you choose, and if you are successful, you will be rewarded financially and creatively. Your quality of life will be greatly improved, and you will be a happier, more successful person as a result. Good luck!

By Julie Starr 07 Oct, 2024
Becoming more eco-friendly and running a greener business is a responsibility that business owners really need to think more about. The good news is that if you spend a lot of time in your office, there are plenty of ways to make it more eco-friendly without having to overhaul everything and start again (which isn’t just disruptive, but expensive too). So, if you’re ready to get started, here are some simple steps to make your office space more eco-friendly; read on to find out more. Use Energy-Efficient Lighting This idea is a simple one that you can do no matter what else might be on your list of tasks - it’s quick, easy, and really makes a difference; change your light bulbs to something more energy efficient. If you’re still using traditional fluorescent bulbs, it’s time to upgrade to LED which doesn’t just last longer, but also uses a lot less energy. They’re easy to install and they’ll help you cut down on your office’s energy usage almost instantly. If possible, you should make the most of natural light too, so think about rearranging your workspace to let in more sunlight, which saves energy and can boost your mood - it’s a win-win that you can do right away. Prioritize Air Quality The air you breathe matters, and keeping it clean can do wonders for your health and the planet. One way to improve air quality is by adding plants to your workspace because plants are natural air purifiers, and as a bonus, they’ll make your office feel more inviting. Another great idea is to make sure your office’s HVAC system is working efficiently, and having air duct cleaning done by professionals is an easy step you can take to improve air quality and ensure your heating and cooling systems aren’t wasting energy. Clean air ducts mean cleaner air, less strain on your system, and even lower energy bills, so it’s a simple but really effective thing to do. Switch To Reusable Products If your office is still stocking up on single-use plastic items, it’s time for a change - swap your disposable cups, utensils, and plates for reusable ones and you’ll be surprised at how much waste to eliminate. And what about encouraging people to bring their own mugs and water bottles to work? Give them tea, coffee, and water to refill everything with, and you’ll be doing your bit to help the planet and have less waste to deal with as well. And don’t stop with these things either - there are loads of reusable products that could be useful in your office. You could have refillable pens and ink cartridges for your printer, for example. Go Paperless Speaking of your printer, is that an office machine you actually need? If you were to go digital and aim for a paperless office , you might be able to do away with the printer, which means less money spent on ink and paper, and less energy used altogether. You should be able to set up a system where documents can be shared online and stored electronically, and there are plenty of tools around to help you do exactly that (and much more). If you don’t need to print something and you don’t need a physical copy of a document, don’t make one - just use the digital version instead and you’ll be a lot more eco-friendly.
By Julie Starr 04 Oct, 2024
Sustainability often gets pushed on the common person. Joe Public is told to be more sustainable with their daily habits as the government pushes for more eco-friendly measures. This is all well and good - but does it really matter when 71% of greenhouse gas emissions come from just 100 companies around the world? Small business owners are desperate to prove their sustainability, but what are bigger companies in some of the most polluting industries doing to help? We’ve taken three of the least sustainable sectors on the planet and explored the unique ways they’re trying to cut down on emissions and be more eco-friendly. Mining Any industry revolving around drilling underground will not be very environmentally friendly! Mining causes a lot of pollution, but its unsustainability often comes from the way it damages local environments and ecosystems. So, what is this industry doing to change things? It’s largely focusing on more responsible mining practices to reduce waste and mitigate the impact on local environments. This is done through mining dust suppression systems to prevent airborne pollution, reforesting mining sites when they’re no longer in use, and recycling as many materials as possible. Is it perfect? No, but it’s a step in the right direction. Fossil Fuels Shock horror; the fossil fuels industry is the most damaging to our environment. Finding ways to change the scope of this sector is the key to ensuring a better future for all. Some companies in this industry are trying to do this through carbon capture and storage. This is a technique where CO2 emissions are captured before they’re released into the atmosphere and stored underground. Realistically, the main thing fossil fuel companies should be doing is pushing for more renewable energy sources. Many are doing this - though reports suggest they’re not investing as much as they should. If fossil fuel companies dumped more money into developing biofuels and other renewable sources, pollution from this industry would drop dramatically. Fashion The most unbelievable stat to take from this post is that the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of our global carbon footprint . That’s remarkable (and worrying), considering how most of us don’t view it as a “dangerous” industry. Fast fashion is the main problem; poorly-made goods are pumped out at a rapid rate, and consumers constantly buy new things. Fashion companies are trying their best to resolve this. Most big brands will now have sustainable lines using recyclable materials. Consumers also hold the key to solving this problem: stop buying new clothes all the time and wear yours for longer. Or buy pre-owned clothes to slow down the fashion production line. Companies can still do more as well: they are trying to adopt more eco-friendly production processes that use less water and energy. The moral of this post is that everyone can do their bit to fight for a more sustainable future. Keep this in mind for your small business . It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in; there will always be ways to promote eco-friendly practices.
Share by: