There’s a moment that tends to happen. You may not even realise it at first. It starts with restlessness, a feeling that the work you’ve been doing, maybe for years, isn’t quite enough anymore.
Maybe you want more control over your time, more flexibility in your day, more purpose in the work you do? Maybe you want to do something of your own, but you're not entirely sure what that looks like yet?
This is common. And it’s often where people get stuck, not because they lack the skills or motivation, but because of what they’ve been led to believe about what “starting your own thing” is supposed to look like.
You don’t need a big idea to start a business, but you do need the right one for you.
One of the most persistent misunderstandings about entrepreneurship is that it starts with a grand idea. We picture entrepreneurs as visionaries who invent something no one’s seen before: a new app, a product, a concept that changes everything.
But that’s rarely how real-world businesses begin.
Most businesses aren’t built on groundbreaking ideas, they’re built on a solid foundation. That means having clear systems to follow, support from people who know what they’re doing, and a way of working that doesn’t rely on constant reinvention of the wheel.
In fact, for many people looking for a change, the pressure to come up with something entirely new becomes a blocker rather than a motivator.
The better question isn’t “What could I do?” but “What could I build that fits with how I want to work and live?”
This is where franchising can offer something different: a business framework that supports you, without limiting your ability to lead, adapt, and grow. You’re stepping into a proven model with systems in place, and the freedom to run your own business inside it. That’s often a more solid place to begin than starting from scratch, especially if what you really want is to own your time, lead a team, or build a business that fits your values.
You don’t have to do everything on your own.
Another idea that gets in the way: if you’re going to work for yourself, you have to figure it all out by yourself. Every process, every decision, every mistake, all on you.
It’s understandable. We’re told that being self-employed means being self-sufficient. That if you want the freedom, you must take on the burden as well.
But in practice, the most successful small business owners are rarely working in isolation. They’re drawing on systems, on mentorship, on networks. They aren’t doing less; they’re just not doing it alone.
It’s perfectly possible to own a business and still have support. That’s the entire point of models like franchising: giving you ownership without leaving you to fend for yourself. You’re responsible, yes, but you’re also part of something bigger. You have guidance when you need it, frameworks that have been tested, and a sense that you’re not building in the dark.
Business doesn’t have to look like spreadsheets and stress.
For a lot of people, especially those with creative, educational or people-centred backgrounds, the idea of “starting a business” feels like stepping into someone else’s world. One filled with financial modelling, jargon, logistics, and long hours doing work that doesn’t interest you.
But business doesn’t have to look like that.
There’s a version of business where you get to lead, to mentor, to work with people, to create something that grows and changes under your direction. That kind of work doesn’t require you to be a corporate strategist. It requires you to care about what you’re doing, and to bring your strengths to the role, especially when those strengths include empathy, creativity, and leadership.
If you’ve ever said “I’m not a business person,” it’s worth asking, are you not a business person, or have you just never seen a version of business that fits you?
There is no perfect time, but there are better moments than others.
This one is complicated. “It’s not the right time” is a valid concern. Life happens. Responsibilities don’t just go away because you’ve had an idea or a feeling. Timing matters.
But “the right time” can also become a moving target, one that keeps you from making a decision.
Often, what people are really saying is, “I’m not sure what comes next,” or “I don’t know where to start.” That’s entirely fair. But it’s not always a reason to stop exploring. Sometimes, the clarity only comes after you take the first few steps: reading, researching, talking to someone who's done it.
If you find yourself coming back to the same questions: Could I run something of my own? What would that look like for me? — it might not be about waiting for the right time. It might be time to start asking better questions.
Redefining what it means to “start your own thing.”
There’s a lot of pressure in how we talk about entrepreneurship. We treat it like a leap, a moment of bravery, or a bold bet on yourself. And for some people, it is. But it can also be thoughtful, measured, and strategic. It doesn’t have to be a leap, it can be a well-planned step in a new direction.
It doesn’t require a revolutionary idea. It doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. It doesn’t have to feel like a risk you take at the expense of everything else in your life.
Sometimes, the smartest way to start something new is by choosing a model that gives you room to grow but doesn’t ask you to reinvent the wheel.
If you’ve been thinking about starting your own thing, it might be time to reconsider what that really means, and whether the idea holding you back is the one you need to let go of.
