Being an entrepreneur can be an exciting and liberating endeavor. Many people have ideas for a business or product, but only a few take the leap and open a new business. While being an entrepreneur is extremely difficult, it has its benefits. We spoke to 101 entrepreneurs to find out why they love what they do.

1. "When I quit and started my own business, I realized I could never go back to work for anyone else. I love being in control of my own destiny, choosing the clients I like to work with, and I even enjoy most of the challenges that business brings. I now work with small business owners, who are the backbone of the economy, and I love helping them to grow their businesses in turn." – Alastair McDermott, founder, WebsiteDoctor

2. "I love being an entrepreneur because I am able to set my own schedule around my family life. Being a busy mom of two, I have the flexibility to schedule clients around my children's sports, school schedules and doctor appointments." – Stacy Haynes, CEO and counseling psychologist, Little Hands Family Services

3. "Being an entrepreneur gives you the opportunity to take a calculated risk on a passion." – Francesco Clark, founder, Clark's Botanicals

4. "Entrepreneurship constantly presents new challenges. As you overcome the adversity in your business, it leads to personal growth as well." – Marques Colston, director of new business, Main Squeeze Juice Co.

5. "I love owning my own business because I feel there is always something that I can do to improve. Whether it be writing a new blog post, scheduling social media or reaching out to new organizations, there is always something to keep me busy." – Claire Coder, founder and CEO, Aunt Flow

6. "Being an entrepreneur is awesome for a lot of reasons, but I think the most important and overlooked reason is that it forces a person to develop parts of their personality that make them more well-rounded and a better person." – Ian Ippolito, founder and CEO, Exhedra Solutions

7. "Being an entrepreneur is great because you literally own your destiny. If you want to earn more money, work harder and it happens." – Natalie Bidnick Andreas, digital and content marketing strategist

8. "The best part of being an entrepreneur is the ability to create something from nothing. I get to bring new programs and ideas to my clients and to hardworking professionals every day." – Kristi Daniels McNab, founder, Thrive 9 to 5

9. "Nothing pushes me to work harder and smarter than the responsibility of having my name on the door. Running a business – and being responsible for other people's well-being and income – gives me the motivation and discipline to be the hardest-working version of myself." – Natalie Zfat, social media influencer and co-founder, The Social Co.

10. "I think being an entrepreneur is great because the possibilities are endless. You can be as creative and innovative as you want to be, and the results are the most rewarding." – Anneliece Velasco, owner, Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Smithtown

11. "Being an entrepreneur allows me to create my own definition of success. I do not have to sit at a desk for a specific period of time, turn in X number of projects and hit specific goals, or make it into the Presidents Club to be successful." – Danielle Tate, CEO, MissNowMrs.com

12. "Being an entrepreneur is great because one can respond to opportunity quickly. In my previous corporate life, decision-making could take so long that the opportunity actually vanished before all the parties could get together to make a decision to proceed." – Peter Pierce, founder and CEO, Hamptons Salt Company

13. "The best part of being an entrepreneur is contributing something larger than yourself. Entrepreneurs solve problems and bring a product or service to the world that people need. Sure, you have the opportunity to get paid well, but giving livelihood to others and crafting the world you want to see is way more fulfilling." – Matt Wilson, co-founder, Under30Experiences

14. "My business is almost 100 percent online, so I also have the freedom to live in other countries as I work. It allows me to expand my mind, learn new languages and experience the world in a way few others do." – Jill Loeffler, owner, SFTourismTips.com

15. "One of the things I enjoy the most about being a founder is creating a culture that supports my values." – Jessica Greenwalt, founder, Pixelkeet

16. "At the end of the day, the best part of being an entrepreneur is that it forces me to become a better me. I am forced to learn, change, adapt, get tough and innovate, and since no one in the world could be harder on me than me, I will continue to improve." – William Kehler, founder, Manhattan Moonshine

17. "Being an entrepreneur is greatest when it fulfills that inner desire to prove yourself right. It's the kind of satisfaction that only comes when you are growing at a remarkable pace and you have the gears in place to make it work right." – Cody Miles, creative director, Brandcave

18. "Being an entrepreneur has allowed me to create a career that didn't even exist before I made it up." – Lisa Spector, co-founder, iCalmPet

19. "Since starting my brand a few months ago, the best thing I must admit about being an entrepreneur is the social joy that I get to meet and converse with so many great, take-no-bullcrap, powerful women." – Crystal Etienne, founder and CEO, PantyProp

20. "What I like best is that I feel like I'm actually doing something to make a difference. I'm really building something, really arranging a thing, rather than just pushing papers [and] digital files around for someone else." – Duke York, co-founder and director of finances, Punto Space

21. "It's extremely rewarding to mentor and train new hires and then witness their development and growth to become leaders in the company." – Jordan Wan, founder and CEO, CloserIQ

22. "For me, it is a source of energy [and] pride and leaves me at the end of each day knowing I worked incredibly hard and feeling fulfilled." – Ron Perry, founder, egniteBIZ

23. "I can decide my own hours, and I can hire amazing people from all over to create the best team. I get to be the creator and see my business take shape and grow. What can be more exciting than that?" – Carina Tannenberg, owner, Bed of Nails

24. "What I love most about having my own business is the ability to arrange my life around my own priorities, energy and preferred work rhythms." – Elene Cafasso, founder and president, Enerpace

25. "As a social entrepreneur and designer, I am fueled by the conviction that entrepreneurship and design can be a vehicle for social change." – Colleen Clines, co-founder and CEO, Anchal Project

26. "I view entrepreneurship as a laboratory and my business ideas as the ingredients. I have the freedom to use my ingredients as I wish as long as everything goes well!" – Neerav Mehta, co-founder and CEO, Red Crackle

27. "I never feel like I'm going to work. It doesn't feel like work because I'm doing exactly what I want to do, and I enjoy it." – Darci Upham, franchise owner and vacation specialist, CruiseOne

28. "To me, the best part is absorbing all the knowledge you can from every aspect of your business, getting mentors around you to help train you where you are lacking, and, last but not least, watching your ideas blossom and take off without extremely long chains of commands." – Chris Folayan, CEO, Mall for Africa

29. "The entrepreneur community has a certain energy. Personally, I found it to be absent entirely from corporate America, and we thrive on it daily today." – Mike Solow, CEO and co-founder, Idea Harvest

30. "We've all heard the story about the lion at the zoo and his cousin in the wild. I'd rather be running for my food and risk not eating than having slabs of meat thrown at me while I sit in a 12 x 12 concrete pit." – Kyle Eschenroeder, co-founder, StartupBros

31. "Starting my own business has been empowering, challenging and exciting all rolled into one. Once I got through all the difficulties, I really grew into my own skin and it felt great! I love owning my own business and seeing how much I can grow both personally and professionally." – Whitney Carpenter, owner, Billwood Properties

32. "I love being an entrepreneur because of control. Control has a negative connotation, but to me, it's something beautiful and powerful." – Felena Hanson, founder, Hera Hub

33. "As an entrepreneur, you add value to society, as some product or service exists in the world because of you." – Mike Oeth, CEO, OnSIP

34. "The greatest reason to be an entrepreneur? The incredible fairness of it – there's no force more fair in the world than the marketplace of ideas. The live-and-die fairness of the market awakens something inside of you – passion, hunger, fear – that makes you feel more alive than you've ever felt before." – David Yang, co-founder and lead instructor, Fullstack Academy

35. "When my boss told me to stay in my lane, I knew I had to do something else. The day I walked into my office and had the ability to grow my company was the day I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be." – Brittany Ringersen, CEO and founder, Lighthouse Recovery Institute

36. "The best part of being an entrepreneur is that you can get out of it exactly what you put in. The harder you work, the bigger the reward." – Elizabeth Henson, owner, Elizabeth Henson Photos

37. "By far what I enjoy the most about being an entrepreneur is the ability to interact with a wide range of companies and individuals and to learn from them." – Linda Pophal, owner, Strategic Communications

38. "I feel fulfilled when Fridays come along and I get to give my employees their paycheck. My business is a small business – fewer than 15 employees – so I know all my employees well and like talking to them about their work and mentoring them if/when they need it. Also, knowing that there are people that depend on me for their livelihood drives me to keep growing my business." – Priyanka Murthy, head designer and CEO, Arya Esha

39. "As an employee, you are one ingredient in a recipe. You do not get to choose what gets cooked, how it is prepared or to whom it gets served. Additionally, your ingredient may be the one that will not make or break the recipe. As an entrepreneur, you have the freedom to design your own menu." – Karen Swim, owner, Words for Hire

40. "To me, one of the best things about being an entrepreneur is you're helping shape the future of the world. Whether it's a new consumer product, B2B service or a new medical device, what you do can have a profound impact on the lives of others." – Tim Segraves, co-founder, Revaluate

41. "I love that I get to decide who I help and how I help them. My clients are people I've chosen because I personally identify with them, so the problems I'm solving are both interesting and enjoyable. And I get to be creative in how I solve them, which would be harder to do as an employee." – Matt Becker, founder, Mom and Dad Money

42. "The best part of being an entrepreneur is getting to meet so many talented entrepreneurs, changemakers and passionate people, whether online or in person. If I didn't have to push myself to make my business succeed, I would have never stepped outside of my introvert comfort zone and made the great connections I have now." – Dana Rivera, owner, Dana Rivera Films

43. "The best part about being an entrepreneur is being able to work with like-minded individuals and make a dent in the universe." – Tiffany Mason, founder and CEO, Mason Coaching and Consulting

44. "It is a whole-brain role – I have needed to learn and think and make decisions that impact the whole business, so I am constantly learning and experimenting with new things. It is exponentially more interesting than a clearly defined corporate position." – David McKeegan, co-founder, Greenback Expat Tax Services

45. "I get to wear T-shirts and bring my dog to the office. But actually, being an entrepreneur is great because I don't have to deal with any of the unnecessary rules, restrictions and bureaucracy of a large company. I just get to work on creating a company I love." – Ryan Farley, co-founder, LawnStarter

46. "One part of being an entrepreneur that I probably enjoy a bit too much is media coverage. Even if I've spent all day tweaking ad campaigns or with tech support trying to fix a computer issue, that little hit of validation is enjoyable." – Steve Silberberg, head guide and owner, Fitpacking

47. "What I love most about being an entrepreneur is something I call the founder high. That's when a customer tells you that you created something that delighted them, excited them and made their lives better." – Adi Bittan, co-founder and CEO, OwnerListens

48. "I'm not trapped in pursuing the same career for the rest of my working life. I can continue to build my writing and marketing businesses, but if I do decide that there's an opportunity to do something else, it's all open to explore." – Dan Thornton, founder, TheWayoftheWeb

49. "I have the freedom to make decisions, my own decisions – right or wrong – without having to ask for permission or approval." – David Murdico, partner and creative director, Supercool Creative Agency

50. "I love that I have received a real-world MBA while doing what I am passionate about." – Emerson Taymor, founding partner, Philosophie

51. "Long days and busy weeks are a given, but when you look back at what you've achieved, it's all had a purpose, and it's creating value. Not for your boss, or an absentee owner – you." – Travis Bennett, managing director, Studio Digita

52. "I love being able to enjoy the weekend every day. Yes, I love what I do, and my clients are amazing, but I can go shopping anytime I want, hang out with friends, go to movies, etc." – Monique Lewis, owner, Monique Lewis Management

53. "For me, it really is the idea of being responsible for my own success or failure. I would much rather be at the mercy of the marketplace than any 'superior' in the workplace." – Don Bishop, president, Affinigent

54. "Sure, doing what you love is a plus to working for yourself, but what I enjoy most is being able to track my success. Sadly, we have been taught success is increasing numbers, never missing a day of work, or landing a client. But my success is literally getting up each day with a game plan and making it work." – Vannessa Wade, owner, Connect the Dots PR

55. "The thing I love most about being an entrepreneur is the opportunity to change people's lives." – Havona Madama, CEO and founder, KidKlass

56. "The biggest thing that I love about being my own boss is the ability to dress or not to dress at work. Some days, I'm responding to customer inquiries, retail requests and marketing messages when I'm drinking my coffee and still in my underwear." – Lisa Cash Hanson, CEO, Snuggwugg

57. "We see life as an adventure, and we wanted to go through this adventure together. Whatever the end will be, we will go through this journey hand in hand!" – Mariquel and Gaston Waingarten, co-founders, Hickies

58. "I am constantly required to face my fears, get out of my comfort zone and push myself to meet new challenges." – Christy Cook, CEO, Teach My

59. "My love for being an entrepreneur has changed from a love of being my own boss to a love for the process of change. I now realize my job description can change every two to three months." – Peter Murphy Lewis, owner, La Bicicleta Verde

60. "The best part of being an entrepreneur is you don't have to be a genius. Simply study what other successful people have done and implement it into your business – and then turn around and mentor others on the best practices that worked for you." – Clay Clark, CEO and founder, Thrive15

61. "I absolutely love what I do. I've loved it every day over the past 11 years. I love it when I get out of bed in the morning, and I love it Sunday night when I know a new week is upon us. Through the ups and downs, I love it every step of the way." – Robert Burko, president, Elite Email

62. "My purpose is to accumulate as many experiences in life as possible – whether by traveling to different places, meeting different people or participating in as many activities as I can. Entrepreneurship best facilitates this goal, allowing me to participate meaningfully in many stories all over the world." – Sam Prochazka, co-founder and CEO, Novosbed

63. "One of the biggest reasons I love my job is because it's uniquely different every day." – Hanna Ashbaugh, owner, Hanna Lee Style

64. "I love being able to decorate the office how I like." – Emily Taffel, owner, Mugsy PR

65. "I love being an entrepreneur because no boss would ever allow me to ride the razor edge of professionalism-meets-flippantly-fun in everything I do." – Danna Korn, CEO and co-founder, Sonic Boom Wellness

66. "I got an education – on people, on life, on growing up, being a leader, being selfless and on being me instead of someone else." – Darren Magarro, president, The DSM Group

67. "I love being an entrepreneur because it allows me to have two families – my own and my company." – Jeff Tinsley, founder, MyLife

68. "I can't help but feel a thrill that we have been able to create so many opportunities for so many people. I cannot only relate to the challenges of being a woman and mother in the workplace, but I can also do something to make a career possible for other women." – Carrie Brinton, president, Elase Medical Spa

69. "I have created an office environment where my team and I can stay healthy – we work standing, sitting or stretched out on the floor. We hang upside down on our inversion table. We bring healthy meals. And we always have good chocolate on hand." – Linda Hoopes, president, Resilience Alliance

70. "In this latest venture, the other co-founder is my 22-year-old daughter. I now love entrepreneurship because I get to work side by side with my daughter and mentor her." – Noel Huelsenbeck, chief sustainability officer, PuraKai Clothing

71. "Through it all, entrepreneurs push the envelope, as we are not bound by the way it's always been done. We see that as an opportunity to disrupt, redefine and invent." – Susan Aplin, co-founder and CEO, Bambeco

72. "I have learned to roll with the punches of owning a business. Pitfalls become learning experiences, and successes become new launching points for the company." – Nir Polak, CEO and co-founder, Exabeam

73. "I love the idea of owning my own business and doing whatever I want, when I want and how I want to do it." – Craig Wolfe, president, CelebriDucks

74. "There is a kind of living-dangerously aspect of risking your own money and reputation that is somehow highly satisfying!" – Mark Stevens, CEO, MSCO

75. "Entrepreneurs are people who look at the world around them, identify problems and feel the urge to correct them, to make things better. Being an entrepreneur is not really a choice. It's probably closer to a disease." – Itai Sadan, CEO and co-founder, Duda

76. "It's the ability to bring something completely new into the world. I don't have any children, but I imagine it's a similar feeling – that thought that, had I not been here, this would have never happened." – Justin Nassiri, founder and CEO, StoryBox

77. "As an entrepreneur, there are no corners to hide in, no fall guys to take the blame and no bigwigs to take credit for your work. Every day that I get up to work, I know that whatever I do is going to make a difference to my company. You can't buy that kind of motivation." – Andrew Whitford, managing director, TrafficZoom

78. "We get to be innovative. We get to experiment. We create what we believe in and then implement it. We get to disrupt the industry in a positive way." – Shaun Tuch, co-founder, Professor Egghead Science Academy

79. "I love being an entrepreneur, first and foremost, to set the best example for my children possible. I want them to know that life is tough and challenging, but if you work hard and focus, then the outcome can be better than you ever expected." – Nellie Akalp, CEO and founder, CorpNet

80. "I like swearing and wearing superhero T-shirts, and being able to do that at work and not get into trouble makes my soul smile." – Maurice Buchanan, owner, UGO1 Fitness

81. "The calm in the chaos is what I personally love about being an entrepreneur. It's a mental zone where love for what you do, mental strength and your will are put to the test, and where achievements or success become significantly more gratifying." – David Salinas, CEO and co-founder, Digital Surgeons

82. "If you are resourceful – and most entrepreneurs are – you can figure anything out. The internet's the limit." – Rachel Olsen, founder, Best Mom Products

83. "What's the best thing about being an entrepreneur? The hustle, baby!" – Grant Cardone, founder, Cardone Training Technologies

84. "I love being able to help other women who have experienced homelessness or deep poverty to become successful businesswomen." – Lia Grimanis, founder and CEO, Up With Women

85. "An entrepreneur in love with being entrepreneurial is no different than a person who loves plants being a botanist. I can't imagine being or doing anything else. In fact, every time I tried following someone else's script, I was fired. One might say it's about survival, but I think it comes back to this intrinsic desire to build and make something from nothing. The risk, the unscripted nature of it just make this more exciting and fulfilling." – Adam Gorode, co-founder and CEO, AGW

86. "In my short time as an entrepreneur, I have been able to create over 20 jobs for dedicated craftsmen. Most of them have turned their hobbies into careers, and it fills me with pride to watch them grow and explore different methods of creating unique, handcrafted furniture. At this point, I consider our team a family, and to hear their personal stories and the impact Iron Age has made is really inspiring." – Sean Dineen, founder, Iron Age Office

87. "There's nothing more exciting than not having a routine and having to think outside the box when difficulties come your way." – Kabrea Thomas, president, Signature Scents by Hand

88. "As women in the male-dominated space of entertainment and technology, we are prime examples of what determination and a vision can do, regardless of being trained in a specific background. We are bringing the human side of stories and messaging of social causes to one place through entertainment, and we couldn't be more excited. This generation is in absolute need for something different and, as entrepreneurs, we can provide it!" – Mary Landaverde and Erroll Angara, co-founders, Indistry TV

89. "I love being an entrepreneur because I get to use all parts of my brain. Whether I like it or not, I have to move between being creative, negotiating with people, solving technical problems or delving into finances. I believe this keeps my mind supple and is better than specializing in one or two domains!" – Fiona Adler, founder, Actioned

90. "Most people think of being an owner/operator as a position of power and status. I view it as a position of service. There is a great weight of responsibility that is tied into providing services for customers and also jobs for community members. I feel true work satisfaction when our customers' lives have improved as a result of the service we provided and my employees leave work at the end of the day feeling respected and valued." – Joia Kopelow, owner and operator, StretchLab

91. "I love being an entrepreneur because I'm constantly learning. I'm always learning how I can improve the operation systems we have in place, how to be a better leader, what's happening in the world, and I get to learn from other people every day. Entrepreneurship pushes you to never stop learning – the moment you stop learning, you risk your success." – Neal Courtney, CEO, Cookie Cutters

92. "Being an entrepreneur is great because you can let your freak flag fly. The mental release of all your wildest visions and creative expressions are yours to achieve." – David Farley, CEO, Luxi

93. "You are not waiting for a boss to notice your well-done work to give you a promotion or a raise. You earn it the moment you earn it; the reward is immediate." – Rebecca Bennett, founder, CityFitLA

94. "I am an introvert. I enjoy having privacy and interacting with people on my own terms. Being an entrepreneur got me out of office politics and time-wasting efforts such as meetings and teleconferences." – Kristin Bales, owner, KJB Writing Services

95. "We are special and unique in the animal kingdom because of our ability to see the future and then achieve it. What being an entrepreneur allows you to do is create the future you want." – Spencer Thompson, founder and CEO, Sokanu

96. "We can decide what our company perks are. Of course, we offer basics like vacation and health insurance. However, we also do fun things to reward our employees." – Shannon Stull Carrus, creative director and partner, Who Is Carrus

97. "My kids see me fail and then pick up the pieces and try again – all good life lessons that teach perseverance and the power of determination." – Deborah Stallings Stumm, president and founder, Super Moms 360

98. "I can tell myself to go to hell and not worry about being fired." – MJ Pedone, founder and CEO, Indra Public Relations

99. "One of the best parts of being an entrepreneur is that I can hire people to represent my company and myself, not some organization I'm working for. I have control over how I want my company to be branded." – Susan Baxter, president and CEO, Hire a WingWoman

100. "You have the opportunity to create an authentic, meaningful and sustainable corporate culture!" – Jill Butler, CEO, RedKey Realty

101. "The best part? Being able to say 'my company.'" – Brian Pfeiffer, creator and CEO, Design a Tea

Additional reporting by Brittney Morgan. Some interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.