Business Ownership After Ten Years: Would I Do It Again?

By Tim Campbell

Many of us start businesses with a long list of things we plan to set straight, based on our experiences at previous companies. We aim to correct all the mistakes they made with our modern and enlightened management style. Now that we’re in charge, we’re self-righteous about the wrongs we’ll correct in our own businesses. This hubris drives our dreams.

But ask me if that haughtiness is still there after ten years, and the answer is yes, albeit tempered with a significant measure of humility. Owning your own venture will do that to you, and it’s a good thing. The beautiful dream is hardened and strengthened by the pressures of a competitive world. Because when it’s yours, there’s nowhere to run. If it’s messed up, it’s on you. This kind of brutal accountability is common in the business world, but it’s most intense for entrepreneurs. It’s a law of the jungle that, I believe, serves everyone well.

Ten years after starting Blue Million, I’ve come to another realization that I couldn’t have seen at the beginning. Yes, this journey is hard, but look at how many great things we’ve created to solve problems and help people advance their goals. Perhaps we take that for granted. Maybe it’s just what we’re supposed to do, so there’s no need for self-congratulation. But when I see our team thinking, solving, and creating every day, it’s gratifying to know that this is a significant result of what we started a decade ago in a corner of 314 Old Vine Street.

So, would I do it again, knowing everything I know now? I certainly would.