8 Reasons to Start Your Own Business in 2022

Julie Starr • December 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!

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.