“Now that I’m a business owner, I have the freedom to wake up every day, do whatever I want, and live the life I love. No more waking up at 6am to show up at work just because it’s Monday. I will never have to work for someone else again.”
Me, at age 39.
Lake Tahoe, California
Hi, I’m Steve. Welcome to my website!
I created The Easy Entrepreneur to help people use business ownership to live the life they always dreamed of.
I know it can be done, because I’ve done it myself! Here’s my story.
Like most people, I spent many years at a job that I didn’t really like. I was successful at work and there were some good times, but there was too much bullshit, bureaucracy, and politics. I was just a cog in the machine, and I wasn’t very happy.
I decided it was time for a change. I had always dreamed of working for myself, but I didn’t know where to start. I had absolutely no background in business. But, when the time was right, I took the leap and left my job to start my own business. That was one of the best decisions of my life.
Elements Massage Sunnyvale, California.
My first business was a local brick-and-mortar small business. It was a franchise, which meant that I had an existing business model, systems, training, support, and network of other owners to learn from. It taught me the basics of business ownership, and I grew it to be successful, profitable, and fun.
My business was doing so well that the franchise asked me to become a consultant to help the other owners in my region. I helped them grow their businesses, tripling their income in a few years. I learned a lot from their successes and struggles.
I have also run several other businesses, doing business consulting, travel design, blogging, Airbnb hosting, and real estate rentals. Each one has taught me different things about business ownership, and helped me towards my goals of freedom and financial independence.
But my goal wasn’t just business ownership. Too many business owners get trapped by their business, working crazy hours just to get by. I wanted freedom too.
The Great Pyramids, Egypt.
I love to travel. One of my goals was to be able to work where I want, when I want, and how I want. I didn’t want to work too hard, or be stuck to a rigid schedule or location. So I designed each of my businesses as a part-time “semi-absentee” business.
Now I can travel as much as I want, and go somewhere at least once a month! I’ve been to over 50 countries from Argentina to Zimbabwe. You’ll see lots of my travel photos throughout this site. This my life, not stock photos!
I wake up every day without an alarm clock, full of energy! I work when I feel like working, and take off when I want to do something else. I put my health first, and I’m in the best physical and mental health of my life. I have plenty of time to spend with my family, learn new things, and have fun with my hobbies. I have more energy and feel more alive than ever before!
I have complete autonomy in my life. I’m in control, not the alarm clock, not a paycheck, and not some heartless employer.
The journey wasn’t always easy. Without coworkers, I faced periods of isolation, loneliness, and depression. Without a boss, I had to make all the decisions myself. Some days I was lost, uncertain what to do. Other times I overworked myself to the point of exhaustion. Sometimes the stress built up, and I had sleepless nights. So many things could, and did, go wrong. I made many mistakes and struggled with the fear of failure. I’ve seen other entrepreneurs who never overcame these obstacles.
But I kept trying, and kept learning. One by one, I was able to overcome each obstacle, and learn from my mistakes. Every day I grew smarter and stronger. I learned to conquer fear, and even thrive on taking (calculated) risks. I built new social networks, gained new skills, and work became fun.
Now that I’ve achieved my success, and become what I call the “Easy Entrepreneur,” it’s my turn to give back. I created this site to share how to become an Easy Entrepreneur. Learn from the mistakes of others, instead of making your own, and achieve your own success through business ownership. Work the way you want, and live the live you love. You can be an Easy Entrepreneur too and I will teach you how!
Come on in, let your journey begin!