If it was easy, everybody would do it.
I tend to remind myself when things get tough.

What is then so difficult about running your own business?
Long hours? Risk taking? Employing people?

From my perspective there are 3 not so obvious things that are tough on being entrepreneur and make a difference between entrepreneur and employee.

Decision making
Making decision is tough. That’s why people like to be employed.
There is always somebody who tells them what to do.
That’s why people like to watch TV.
There is always somebody who tells them what they should
wear, drive and think. Where they should go for vacation. What is right and wrong.
Who should they like and who not.

People hate making decisions. From small things like what I will have for bfast to
big things like where I want to be in 10 years from now. As entrepreneur you have no one telling you what to do. You just have to make decisions.
And that is tough.

Insight
“We need more Nike”.
My friend who owns e-shop with urban streetwear told me over lunch.
How does he know?
He was crunching numbers, reading magazines and blogs, watching videos with people who collect shoes, talked to many people from industry and to customers.

He spent countless hours going through all possible data and information on topic he could get his hands on. Countless hours thinking and connecting and structuring all he heard, seen and sensed. Out of all this he distilled this simple sentence, this insight.
Very simple sentence behind which is massive work and insight that will move his business forward.
As entrepreneur you need to come up with insights not only when you’re starting your company but continuously to make it grow and prosper.
And that is tough.

Getting Things Done
Successful entrepreneurs don’t mix activities with results.
Sending email to customer is not work done. Getting his signature on the order and shipping it out is.
You have to pay rent, salaries and other expenses and running around being busy won’t do that for you.
Your job is to sell, ship, deliver. Get things done.
And that is tough.

Be warned, for all things above, you have limited capacity.
Don’t spend it on little things.
Save it for things that matter and that will add most value to your company.
As you might guess, it is tough to sort out which are the ones.

Related posts: Entrepreneurs and Risk Taking; To Do or Not To Do