The Top 10 Reasons I'll Never Go Corporate Again

By Michelle Court |

November 1, 2011

We asked entrepreneurs why they traded in their cushy 9-to-5s for a potentially uncertain future.

10. "No more dark suits and pantyhose. Now I can not only wear color, but can more fully express myself with my wardrobe. Pantyhose—never again!" Teresa Delaney, owner, TDelaneyPR

9. "I love the freedom of knowing that I own my schedule and workload—even if it's about three times as much as when I worked for an employer. I frequently pull 12 to 15 hour days, but it never feels like drudge work." Lauren Fairbanks, partner, Stunt & Gimmick's

8. "It's the flexibility of travel and structuring my life the way I want it to be structured. I work hard for four months and continue to work throughout the year. However, I will take a few months and work from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I've mastered tango, become fluent in Spanish, and love the food and wine of this country. I believe in splitting time between places because no place is perfect throughout the year." Vincenzo Villamena, founder and owner, onlinetaxman.com

7. "I don't have to sit through long meetings in corporate office parks, staring out a window and listening to executives toot their own horns. Most meetings I do these days are via phone or online conference...in gym shorts and a t-shirt." Michael Frenkel, president and owner, MFC PR

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1. "I wanted to build something from scratch that was all my own. I knew that opportunity would never happen in the corporate world." Tony Ellison, CEO and president, Shoplet.com.