A Business Owner's Sacrifice: Never Stop

Sacrifice. To give up one thing to gain or accomplish something else. The thing to be offered up is felt and measured and pondered. How much is it worth? Is the thing that might be achieved more important than the certain loss of another?

A business owner’s life is one of sacrifice; the line between what is enough and what constitutes excess is impossibly fine, nearly indistinguishable.

Sleep often evades them. Weekends tend to be a myth.

As a business evolves, sacrifice takes on a new meaning. That sacrifice is constant, and in most cases, selfless. Business owners know that the road ahead can be tough and thankless and unrelenting. Yet they push themselves, their employees, and their business to do and be better. Wake up earlier if that’s what it takes, stay in the office longer, send more emails, make more phone calls.

How much are you willing to sacrifice?

Most mornings, business owners arrive at work, tired eyes glistening, disheveled hair half-combed. They obey demands left in their inbox and on their answering machine, complying with orders that will tell them where to be and what to do for the rest of the day.

They surrender to others’ concerns and suppress their own. They sacrifice, yes, but they know the work is worth the outcome. They know creating jobs in their community and providing opportunity make the long days worth the sacrifice.

The clock on the wall ticks away the seconds, minutes, hours depleting them of time and energy for the day. Their to-do list builds.

When basic needs - hunger, stress, a 10-minute break - finally overtake them, their will bends. They decide taking home a few hours of work is a good compromise. One hand wearily closes the office door while the other carries the burden of the night’s work ahead.

Come the morning, there will be more sacrifice. Across 24 hours, business owners burn everything they have. They show up to conference calls, respond to an overflowing inbox, and do their best to be in multiple places at once. Yes, much is at stake. Every effort counts. Every restless night matters.

What have you given up? What do you stand to gain? Sacrifice. Now and every single day ahead. Business owners are the heartbeat of America, the unsung heroes of the economy. We salute you, Main Street.

52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours a year. Never stop.