Why I created Business Owner Stories
Why this website?
Quite simply: because most other websites don’t tell the stories of what it’s really like to start a small business. Startups need actionable info, real answers, and actual lived experiences to understand what it’s really like to run a small business. Those stories aren’t so easy to find elsewhere, and they typically aren’t all in one place.
The problem
What is the work-from-your-laptop lifestyle really like? Is owning your own business easy, hard, or even possible today? Are there still new internet millionaires being made? Does every road lead to Shark Tank?
If you google this stuff, you’re mostly going to find two options: get-rich-quick schemes from folks who aren’t actually successful or stories about seemingly unattainable levels of success featuring fancy cars, national marketing contracts and sales in the millions.
Ever notice how every other site about small business assumes you’re already well on your way to a 6-figure income? Entrepreneur and Fast Company are great resources if you already have employees, a fleet of company vehicles, and you’re about to go into your first round of VC funding. Those are the stories they like to cover.
Even your local Small Business Administration would rather deal with you if you already have a store-front. The rest of us just starting out hardly seem to matter. We aren’t buying into the get-rich schemes of the shady sales funnels, so they ignore us. Likewise, we aren’t all that news-worthy for the big media sites so they aren’t interested in us either.
What is our story?
Our business story is very different. We work from our garages. We travel to fairs to set up a booth every weekend. We are still building our online presence. We are the solopreneurs, the micro-businesses, and the side-hustlers.
Since there wasn’t a good source of information out there, we decided to create our own. A website about finding success for the rest of us, about our own experiences and written by us. This is why we created:
Every business owner featured here has been at that kitchen table scribbling their business plan on a napkin. Every business owner here understands what it takes to produce that first viable product (FVP). Every business owner here understands the difficult choice of possibly leaving that steady 9-5 and to strike out on their own.
Unlike elsewhere, no one here is trying to sell you anything. We are all just business owners like you, who are willing to share our knowledge and experience, and recommendations so that you too can find the answers you need to succeed.
Of course, we also would love for you to become a customer of our own products and services, but that is not the reason we are doing this. We are just sharing our stories so that together we can all find success. As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats.
Where this idea came from
Michael Koetsier
Editor, Business Owner Stories
This whole idea started as a blog by me, the handsome fella in this picture. I wanted to write about my story of growing an online business. Yes, I am a business owner myself, and no, before you ask, this blog is not my business.
I started blogging and researching the many questions I had, but I quickly found out that I had the same questions as other small business owners. So, I invited them to share their stories. This is how this site came to be. If you are a small business owner and you have questions, then this is the place for you.
The main purpose of this website is to feature fellow business owners with insightful interviews. In addition, I regularly write articles answering questions that I come across in my own business or that people send me. A few articles are also by fellow small business owners. I’m always looking for interesting stories to share, so if you want to contribute, please send me a note.
By the way, I also publish the BOSS newsletter that goes out six times a year. It includes links to the latest articles, current industry news as well as unique opportunities for your small business. If you are a small business owner who wants to grow the business and your online reach, then it should be a great resource for you as well:
I hope this answers the question of where this site came from. I have been so busy writing articles and working on building the site that I never took the time to explain this. After three years, I think it was time. If there is anything I left out, feel free to comment below.
