Today, a friend, who has been working on building a financial advisory business over the past couple of years, shared via Facebook a reflection on her experience laboring as an entrepreneur:

Many of us have thought we would like to own a business and be our own boss, instead of being “labor” – it is a key part of the American Dream to many. The past two years have been invaluable experience for me learning what that is actually like. In reality, being a business owner means you don’t get a Labor Day holiday, or ANY paid time off. It means worrying every day and every waking minute, am I making best use of my time? Could I be doing something different that would better grow this business and make it more likely to succeed? When and how will my next “paycheck” come?

Unfortunately in today’s regulatory and economic environment, starting a new business is not so much a dream as a heroic risk and sacrifice. I will always have great respect for everyone who takes on that challenge. For my self, however, I have come to the conclusion that it imposes too great a sacrifice on my own family. I am grateful to have the opportunity now to build on my experience in financial advising and continue to support the hardy souls who forge their own way in this profession, but to personally return to the security of a salary.

Undoubtedly there are some rapacious corporations in the world who would exploit labor as much as they can get away with, but the reality is that many of us work for Main Street businesses with owners who sacrifice their own wealth and security to be the one who signs the front of our paychecks. So on this Labor Day, I would like to salute all the intrepid job creators out there, and offer thanks to them and God for giving me the opportunity to receive the fruits of my labor.