Why Business Owners Make Better Americans

When I was driving a pumper truck at 3 AM, offloading waste before sunrise in the freezing cold, I wasn't just running a business—I was experiencing a profound freedom that changed my understanding of the American Dream. After nearly two decades of entrepreneurial business ownership, I've discovered that owning a business doesn't just create wealth—it transforms how you see your country and your role within it.

Today, I'm sharing why business ownership might be the most powerful form of civic education available.

The View From Both Sides of the Paycheck

Before buying my first business, I had strong opinions about taxes, regulations, and government. But they were abstract concepts, distant from my daily reality.

Everything changed when I acquired my first fitness club during the Great Recession. Suddenly, I wasn't just reading about economic policies—I was living their consequences. Each new regulation meant hours deciphering compliance requirements. Each tax change directly impacted whether I could hire another employee. Each local election affected the community where my members lived.

When my industrial services business needed access to waste disposal sites, I experienced firsthand how environmental regulations, city planning, and business interests created a complex ecosystem that required cooperation to function.

This perspective isn't available from textbooks or news articles. It comes from having skin in the game—from being the person where the buck stops and the signature on the bottom line matters.

As I signed the front of paychecks instead of endorsing the back, I gained a civic education more valuable than any course I could have taken. I began to appreciate both the challenges and strengths of our system in ways I never could have imagined.

The Low-Risk Path to Business Ownership

In my book, Grit It Done, I share how entrepreneurship through acquisition offers a more accessible path to business ownership than starting from scratch. I outline the proven methods that allow you to minimize risk while maximizing your chances of success.

For those who want to experience the autonomy, financial upside, and civic perspective that comes with business ownership, this practical guide provides the roadmap you need to get started.

The Backbone of America That Few Truly Understand

Small businesses represent 99.9% of all U.S. businesses and employ 61 million Americans—46.4% of our workforce. They generate 44% of economic activity and create two-thirds of all new jobs.

But beyond these impressive statistics lies something more profound: small business ownership provides unmatched autonomy and civic perspective.

This autonomy comes in multiple forms:

• Calendar control: Structure your time based on your priorities

• Value alignment: Create a culture that reflects what matters to you

• Decision authority: The freedom to say yes—or no—based on your judgment

• Financial independence: Build wealth on your own terms

Academics call this "procedural utility"—the satisfaction derived not just from outcomes, but from controlling the process itself. It's what makes entrepreneurship so fulfilling even when the challenges are significant.

More importantly, business ownership fundamentally changes how you engage with society. When you're responsible for making payroll, navigating regulations, and serving your community, you develop a macro perspective that's impossible to gain otherwise.

I've witnessed this transformation repeatedly—in myself and others. Whether it's understanding tax policies, appreciating infrastructure, or recognizing how interconnected our systems are, business owners see America differently.

This is why I believe entrepreneurial business owners make better citizens. They understand firsthand how the country works.

Your Challenge

Consider how business ownership might provide you with not just financial freedom, but a deeper connection to your community and country. The American Dream isn't just about wealth—it's about autonomy, impact, and becoming a more engaged citizen.

Look beyond conventional career paths and explore how entrepreneurial business ownership could transform both your life and your understanding of what it means to be American.

What unexpected civic lessons have you learned through your professional journey? Join me on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.