Starting and running your own business is filled with challenges and rewards that make for a unique type of life. We get the heady rush of being in control of our own destiny, following our passions, and working toward goals that matter most to us. Of course, the other side of that rush is the occasional feeling of having large waves crashing down on our heads: Deadlines, mistakes, tax filings, managing clients. For better or worse, there's never a dull moment for an entrepreneur. Successful business owners learn rather quickly to find the silver linings, even in situations that seem bleak, and in those dark moments, they take the time to think of their reasons to be thankful. 

• Your Team – The employees and contractors who represent your brand and vision to the public, and help achieve your goals on a daily basis are one the greatest reasons to be thankful. Whether you've got two employees or two hundred, or you're a solo-preneur with a great support base of family and friends, these are the people who are helping you accomplish and exceed every goal and dream because they believe in what you're trying to accomplish and because they place their trust in you to lead them to success. 

• Flexibility In All Things – When you run your own business, you get to make the decisions and decide on the direction your company will take. You can adjust to take advantage of new opportunities as you spot them, and stake your success on your own knowledge, experience, and intuition. On a personal level, owning a business means you can arrange the balance between work and home life in ways you never could, if you were working 9-5 for someone else. You have the flexibility to coach your kids' soccer teams in the afternoon and work in the evening instead, or to work a Saturday, so you can take Tuesday off to celebrate your anniversary.

• Lessons Learned – Even situations that seem like disasters at the moment can provide reasons to be thankful. Evaluate what went wrong, and add it to your experience, so you'll know better in the future. We gain wisdom through experience, especially through adversity. Be thankful you've had an opportunity to be a bit wiser.

• A Chance To Give Back – Having a supportive team who buy into your vision, flexibility, and the wisdom to choose a successful course, you're uniquely suited to give back to your community and to causes you believe in. You may be a small business, but you've got the potential to make a significant impact. Whether you're using your flexibility to make time to volunteer, creating a program to encourage your employees to volunteer, or making donations to local causes, giving back to your community offers a kind of fulfillment that nothing else can, and that's a benefit you won't find in most jobs.

Be Thankful For The Whole Crazy Lot

When you're running a company, there are plenty of days where you wonder what ever possessed you to leave the relative simplicity and perceived security of working for someone else. Setting out on your own is a significant risk, and you're wagering everything on your ability to succeed. Still, you've got the drive, the vision, and the experience; you're a good bet, right? You may fall into bed exhausted every night, but you'll fall asleep with the contentment that comes of following your passion and investing your best effort in achieving what you've always wanted most. Take the time to be thankful for that freedom, for those who are helping you achieve it, and for the opportunities to share that success with others. 

The team at Rooted Marketing is thankful for you, our clients and community, and for the trust you place in our work and advice, all year long. Marketing isn't just our business; it's our passion. We're grateful for the opportunity to put that passion to work helping your business take root and grow.