The Disadvantages of Being an Entrepreneur: What No One Tells You

1. It Takes a Crazy Amount of Time

If you’re starting your own business thinking you’ll work a few hours a day and relax the rest of the time, you’re in for a rude awakening.

• There have been times when I’ve worked 14-hour days just to keep things running.

• If something breaks—whether it’s a system failure, a client issue, or a backlog of work—guess who’s responsible for fixing it? You.

• You’re always on calls, managing projects, and solving problems.

Entrepreneurship is not about freedom in the short term. You might have total control over your schedule 10-20 years down the road, but in the beginning, you’re grinding non-stop for at least 5 years—sometimes longer.

Even now, after three years, I’m still working constantly. This isn’t a complaint, just the reality. If you want to build something meaningful, you have to outwork everyone else.

👉 Who this isn’t for: If you’re looking for an easy 9-to-5 with stability and minimal stress, stay away from entrepreneurship.

2. The Financial Stress is Real

A lot of people assume that starting a business = getting rich fast. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

The Costs Stack Up Quickly

• Software & Tools – Running a business means paying for subscriptions, CRMs, automation tools, hosting, and more.

• Employees & Contractors – If you want to scale, you have to hire people. That means payroll, benefits, and training costs.

• Taxes – If you’ve only ever been an employee, let me tell you: business taxes hit different. You’re responsible for self-employment tax, business tax, payroll tax, and more.

Most beginners don’t operate at an ideal profit margin—in fact, many entrepreneurs barely break even in the first few years. If your business isn’t profitable, those bills add up fast, and you could find yourself burning through cash just to survive.

👉 Pro Tip: Before jumping into full-time entrepreneurship, make sure your business is making a healthy margin and can actually support you.

3. It’s Insanely Stressful

Being an entrepreneur means the pressure is always on. You don’t have a boss breathing down your neck, but that’s because you are the boss—and that responsibility is exhausting.

• You have to handle every fire that pops up—and trust me, there will always be problems.

• If something goes wrong, it’s on you. There’s no corporate safety net or steady paycheck to fall back on.

• It can feel like you’re "on" 24/7 because you never really clock out. Even when you’re “off,” your brain is still running through what needs to be done next.

For me, being a young entrepreneur makes this even tougher. Most people my age aren’t worrying about clients, payroll, taxes, and growth strategies—they’re just living life. But when you’re in business, you don’t get the luxury of shutting your brain off.

Do You Have the Right Personality for This?

I’ve noticed that successful entrepreneurs tend to have an obsessive, almost ADHD-like personality. They can’t stop thinking about their business. They live and breathe it.

If that’s not you, no shame in that—but entrepreneurship might not be the right fit.

Is It Worth It?

For me, 100% yes. But I also accept that:
✅ It’s hard.
✅ It takes time.
✅ It’s stressful.

Most people don’t make it because they’re not willing to grind through the ugly years. They see the highlight reel of successful entrepreneurs on social media but don’t realize those people spent years struggling first.

If you can handle the time commitment, financial stress, and constant pressure, then entrepreneurship can be an incredible path. But if you’re in it for the wrong reasons, you’ll burn out fast.

👉 Final Advice: If you’re considering entrepreneurship, go into it with your eyes wide open. Know the disadvantages, prepare for them, and decide if the journey is truly worth it for you.

This is Danny Leibrandt, signing off—stay focused, stay obsessed, and keep grinding.