If you’re like the majority of Americans, you’d give up sex for a month in order to dump your boss and start your own business.
Or you’d give up alcohol for a month. You might even be willing to jump out of an airplane if it would somehow help you become your own boss.
Unfortunately for most Americans, all those burning desires to “be your own boss” won’t ever be fulfilled, as daydreams don’t seem so reasonable when financial fears and lack of confidence get in the way.
A new study by Squarespace, an Internet publishing tools company, shows 52 percent of Americans are interested in starting their own business, and that more than one in five of “these ambitious folks” would like to do so in the next six months.
“Furthermore, 89 percent of Americans have a personal passion project they’re interested in turning into a career,” the company reported. “Why? Perhaps because 96 percent of Americans have a burning desire to be their own boss.
“In fact, Americans are so eager to start their own ventures that 55 percent of them would give up alcohol for a month, whereas 52 percent would sacrifice sex for a month. Thirty six percent of Americans even say they would jump out of a plane in order to bring their ideas to life.”
But the fantasy often doesn’t turn to reality.
“Squarespace found that the bulk of would-be business owners’ fears are financial, as 61 percent worry that they won’t turn a profit or will face financial risks. Others, however, simply need a confidence boost, as they’re concerned that their passion projects might fail (55 percent), see no customers (50 perecent), or that they simply aren’t good enough (36 percent).
More information about the study may be found at www.squarespace.com/press.
The company said the Squarespace Thought Leadership Survey was conducted between July 27 and August 3, 2017 with 1,547 Americans of ages 13-60 (514 Americans ages 13-17 and 1,033 Americans ages 18-60) , using an e-mail invitation and an online survey. “Quotas are set to ensure a reliable representation of the U.S. population ages 13-17 and 18-60.”
“Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results.
“In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 2.5 percent (+/- 4.3% for Americans ages 13-17 and +/- 3.1% for Americans ages 18-60), from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all personas in the universe represented by the sample. The margin of error for any subgroups will be slightly higher.”