All entrepreneurs start their companies because they think it will give them freedom-freedom to work on their own terms, be their own bosses, and create a company that meets their needs. But so often the opposite happens, and they end up encumbered by businesses that bear little to no resemblance to those they had envisioned. They wind up working for their companies, but their companies don't work for them.Despite the freedom that striking out on your own promises, most of the accepted wisdom on how to build a small business advocates a one- size-fits-all approach. So-called experts-and sometimes just well-meaning friends-urge business owners to grow fast, be more profitable, and imitate other successful start-ups. And while these tips may work for some, they fail to consider the astounding variety of values and motivations that individuals have for starting a business. Too often, owners sacrifice their personal satisfaction in order to conform to unnecessary (and often unworkable) standards.

所有创业者创办公司都是因为他们认为这会给他们自由，让他们按照自己的条件工作，做自己的老板，创建一家满足自己需要的公司。但经常会发生相反的情况，他们最终被那些与他们设想的几乎没有相似之处的企业拖累。他们最终为自己的公司工作，但他们的公司却不为他们工作。尽管你可以自由地兑现自己的承诺，但大多数公认的关于如何建立小企业的智慧都提倡“一刀切”的方法。所谓的专家，有时只是善意的朋友，敦促企业主快速成长，获得更多利润，并模仿其他成功的初创企业。虽然这些技巧可能对一些人有用，但他们没有考虑到个人对于创业的各种价值和动机。很多时候，所有者为了遵守不必要的（通常是不可行的）标准而牺牲自己的个人满意度。