Is This the Reality of Business Ownership?

When I embarked on my entrepreneurial journey back in 2008, I never imagined it would lead me to this crossroads. The following year, the economic downturn forced me to relinquish my home, yet I persevered, determined to build something meaningful. By 2014, I began to see the fruits of my labor—strong hires and a revitalized business took shape. With a steady growth trajectory, we reached an annual gross of $9-10 million. However, since 2018, things have plateaued. My focus shifted towards maintaining healthy margins rather than aggressive expansion, which often left me feeling drained.

Running a sales and relationship-driven business, I’ve dedicated the first 15 years to establishing meaningful connections while juggling multiple roles, including shop management. Now, with a competent head of sales in place, I have more delegated responsibilities. Despite this, longstanding clients still seek to connect with me directly. As a result, I find myself spending up to three hours a day handling phone calls, leaving me in a state of utter frustration.

While our margins are respectable—between 15% and 20%—and both my team and I are financially secure, I’m grappling with an overwhelming sense of dissatisfaction.

Here’s the crux of the matter: I feel trapped. I often find myself avoiding the barrage of 50 daily calls. I’ve even resorted to toggling my out-of-office notification, despite being present, just to escape the inevitable 15-minute discussions that rarely lead anywhere beneficial. In retrospect, I recognize that I am indeed fortunate; however, I feel more despondent now than I did during my relentless pursuit to recover from near bankruptcy, when I was putting in 60 to 70-hour work weeks. Back then, my role was more engineering-oriented and perhaps even invigorating.

I used to believe I was neither introverted nor anti-social, but I’ve come to realize that I only pushed through social interactions out of necessity. Now that we’ve achieved a modicum of stability and don’t have to fight so hard for lucrative contracts, my motivation to invest my social energy has waned.

To complicate matters further, I’ve witnessed employees—individuals I’ve mentored or hired without specialized skills—grumble about their salaries, despite earning upwards of $150,000 annually, complete with company vehicles and comprehensive healthcare. This leaves me questioning the purpose behind my endeavors. With no debt, a solid savings plan, and assets/slash real estate readily convertible into cash, I find myself contemplating whether it’s time to sail off into the sunset and leave it all behind.

In sharing my story, I hope to shed light on the sometimes mythicized world of business ownership. It can come with unexpected burdens, and even amidst success, feelings of discontent can linger. If you’re navigating similar challenges, remember that you’re not alone in this journey.