Entrepreneurship vs being your own boss: This entrepreneur explains the difference

Entrepreneur Avanti Nagral explains why wanting to be your own boss is different from entrepreneurship. She says those seeking autonomy can explore freelancing, consulting, or solo work instead of building a company.Avanti Nagral explains why being your own boss is different from being an entrepreneur (Image courtesy: Avanti Nagral/LinkedIn)Many people dream of becoming entrepreneurs, but according to entrepreneur Avanti Nagral, what they may actually want is something much simpler: the freedom to be their own boss.In a LinkedIn post, Nagral distinguished wanting autonomy and wanting to build a business, arguing that the two are “completely different jobs.”WANTING FREEDOM IS NOT THE SAME AS ENTREPRENEURSHIPNagral wrote that people may want to escape someone else's calendar, approval process, and control over their daily schedule. While she described this desire for autonomy as completely legitimate, she pointed out that entrepreneurship does not mean the absence of responsibility.Instead, it means taking on responsibilities that may previously have been handled by a boss, payroll department, risk manager or support system. Avanti Nagral's LinkedIn post WHEN YOU BECOME THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHINGAs an entrepreneur, Nagral noted, there may be no one to approve your leave, cover for you when you are sick or absorb the financial risk when a client fails to pay.“You are the coverage,” she wrote, highlighting the realities of running a business. According to Nagral, this may be why some people start companies in search of freedom but eventually feel more trapped than they did in a regular job.THERE MAYBE OTHER PATHS TO AUTONOMYNagral suggested that those who primarily want control over their time and decisions may not necessarily need to become entrepreneurs.They could instead explore careers as freelancers, consultants or solo operators, allowing them to own their schedules without necessarily taking on the responsibilities of building and running a company.For Nagral, entrepreneurship means carrying a vision that can be bigger than personal convenience, and continuing to build it even when it costs the very freedom one may have initially been chasing.Her advice is simple: before spending years building something, be honest about whether you truly want to become an entrepreneur or simply want the freedom of being your own boss.(Disclaimer: This story is based on a social media post. The details, including figures, background, and outcomes, have not been independently verified by India Today. The article is intended for informational purposes only, and readers are advised to exercise their own discretion before drawing conclusions or making decisions based on the content.)- EndsPublished By: Karan YadavPublished On: Aug 23, 2026 15:47 IST