Being an entrepreneur takes a leap of faith

So here’s an interesting statistic! Did you know that in the US alone, 70% of Americans have a desire to become self-employed as either a freelancer, entrepreneur or small business owner - that’s a huge figure. But here’s the really interesting fact, only 10% of the active workforce in the US actually does anything about making that desire a reality. So why is there such a gap? It appears there are a number of factors holding them back from taking the leap of faith into entrepreneurship. Firstly, the notion of not having a regular, reliable source of income each month is too scary a prospect. Secondly, the loss of a daily work routine that is dictated by others is daunting. Thirdly, the need to step out of a familiar comfort zone and into the unknown world of business building is too risky a prospect. Fourthly, the huge burden of responsibility of looking after self and others, is too stressful. Fifthly, the perceived lack of job security is a source of huge concern. And finally, family and particularly spouses, are not on board the entrepreneurial journey. So the bottom line is that for many people, there are simply too many reasons not to become an entrepreneur. But for the brave few that have a dream of building a business, that all essential leap of faith is what separates them from the rest. As the author and inspirational speaker, Katrina Mayer, says: “A leap of faith is only scary until you land.”