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Have you ever considered giving up on your business? How do you know when quitting your business is more beneficial than pushing on?

If you have no desire to work on your business, it could be time to quit. If you cannot get excited about your venture, quit doing it. You might be able to keep the business going, but you are going to be miserable. This is not a decision that entrepreneurs should make after one bad day. Sometimes all you need is a break from the business.

Quitting a business for the wrong reasons can be tragic. You shouldn’t walk away from your business if all you need is a break. But, even if you decide to quit your business, you are not a quitter. It could be a smart business decision to quit and invest your time and efforts in another venture.

The quicker you realize that it’s time to quit, the faster you can take action.

I have interviewed over 165 entrepreneurs, and one of my conclusions is that failure is a common element of each success story. Knowing when failing is the better option is one of the characteristics that make an entrepreneur.

On the one hand, you hear people say that you should never ever give up, which on its own is a pretty stupid statement. There are good reasons, in the life of many entrepreneurs, to contemplate an exit strategy. On the other hand, you hear people use the word pivot as they talk about trying something, failing, then moving on to the next thing.

Is it time to give up on your business?

There is no set number of failures before you should give up. – Check out our article on how to avoid failure in business.

It has more to do with developing a greater assessment of your situation.

Are you quitting or giving up on business?

Giving up on business isn’t the same as quitting your business. There’s a huge difference between the two, even though the result may be the same.

Giving up on business is the result of bad decisions. You may give up on a business if it’s the “wrong” business for you. Possibly, you have underestimated the amount of money or time it takes to start a business. Some entrepreneurs are unable to learn the skills necessary to succeed in business.

Quitting a business, on the other hand, could be the best possible outcome. Sometimes even if you do everything right, the business isn’t gaining any traction and is going nowhere. For example, you may have built a great product, but the market hasn’t embraced it. And there are times when everything seems to be heading in the right direction, but your business runs out of money. So when you do things right, but things aren’t going well, it might be time to quit your business.

Entrepreneurs can decide on quitting even a thriving business. Sometimes even a stack of cash isn’t enough to keep you going. Quitting can be a win-win situation if you can sell your business. There are countless examples of when entrepreneurs quit or sold businesses to move their attention elsewhere. For example, in January of 2000, Bill Gates quit the day-to-day running of Microsoft to focus on his philanthropic efforts.

Just because you quit or gave up on your business, you are not a failure. Failure shouldn’t define you if you accept the results and move forward. The experience gives you a chance to focus your attention elsewhere.

Should you call it quits in your business?

Entrepreneurship can be a rewarding journey. But struggles and failures are very real for most entrepreneurs. Your business might be hemorrhaging money. Or your family life could suffer due to the demands of your business. Some entrepreneurs just get bored with the business. The business they started turned out to be something entirely different. Think about an entrepreneur who started a restaurant because he loved to cook for friends and family. But the realities of running a restaurant were not at all what he hoped it would be. The business you once loved is a constant source of stress and worry. Some entrepreneurs sacrifice their marriage. Others pay with their health. In the end, for many entrepreneurs giving up is the only good option.

Is it time to close your business?

Entrepreneurs quit their businesses for many reasons. Consider the following if you consider giving up on your business:

Do you offer a product people are willing to pay for?

Duh, but really. Is your business idea any good? Many people start a business without asking the customer the most fundamental question. Will you buy my product?

Before you give up on your business, do market research, and find out what customers want. Are you offering something that is not already out there? If you are offering something that is already out there, is your solution much better than the current solution?

Is there any demand for your product or service?

You might have a great product or service, but that in itself is not enough. If there is no market demand for your product or service, your business won’t get very far.

Do you have the right pricing?

Pricing in any business is tricky. Are you able to charge enough to run a profitable business? A profitable business is simple math: More money should come in than go out of the business. Unfortunately, simple math doesn’t mean simple business. Many entrepreneurs are struggling to find the right pricing for their products and services. If they charge too little, they can’t stay in business because of the lack of profit. If they charge too much, their business will fail because of the lack of customers.

Are you better than your competition?

This is a tough question to answer because it requires a lot of soul-searching. When you study your competition, do you get the feeling that you are more innovative? If you are only as good as your competition, your business will fail, even if you try to undercut their prices. You have to be significantly better to beat your competitors. If you can’t be, you have two choices. The easier of the two is to quit. The much harder option is to fight until you can offer something truly superior to what’s already out there.

Do you have a small group of die-hard fans?

Yes, you have to start small. Even Facebook started small, only focusing on Harvard students. If you can’t even get a small group of people to love your product, there is no chance that your business will succeed.

Are your customers raving about your product/service?

A happy customer is one that returns to your business again and again or refers you to others. If your customers are raving fans, they might be able to pull you through some tough times. It’s a good sign if your customers are recommending you to others. But, if they couldn’t care less, you just found another potential reason to move on.

A business can have raving fan customers by the following:

  • Never drop the ball. If you make a promise, follow through at all costs. Businesses disappoint customers all the time when they fail to live up to the promises they make. Don’t let that happen to your business.
  • Provide consistent quality. Whether you are offering a service or a product, consistent quality is a must. Consistency removes the guesswork for your customers. Do you have a favorite CPA who always does your taxes on time? Customers prefer to do business with service providers that provide a consistent service.
  • Keep customers informed. People want to know what is happening. To keep your customers informed, you can call, email, publish or share information about your products or services.
  • Admit and correct errors. Customers understand failings if you handle them correctly. If you ignore customer complaints, they will ignore you. Happy customers come back to do more business with you. Unhappy customers will warn the world about your business.
  • Get everyone on board. Entrepreneurs can’t do this alone. To have raving customers, you need your entire team to back you up. So train your team to make sure everyone is on board.

Are you passionate about your business?

Passion, in itself, is insufficient for success. Being passionate doesn’t mean that every moment is like a wild ride that never ends. No matter how much you love your business, there will be ups and downs. Passion helps you get over the downs, and there are many. Without passion, you will most likely fail. If you are not getting pleasure out of your business, it may be time to try something else.

It is also important to know that passion is not always required. Many businesses out there are successfully run by entrepreneurs who are less than passionate about their own companies. I would prefer to own a business I am passionate about, but it is not an absolute must.

Are you making progress?

If you thought this through, you must have set yourself some business goals. For example, did you want to get 100 new paying customers in the last 12-months or 5000 new users? How close did you come to your goals? Traction is critical in any business. The benchmarks you set for your venture should give you an idea of your progress.

Progress is not only measured in profit or revenue. For example, if you are a venture-backed startup, you might measure progress regarding users and churn.

Do you have what it takes?

This is not about one particular skill. To understand if you have what it takes is to know if you are willing to fight on. If you don’t have the skills required, can you build the team that does? If you don’t have the right connections, can you hustle to open the right doors?

You can’t think your way to success. You have to take action and inspire others to help you reach your goals.

Even if you are smart with the right product, it will still take years of struggling to succeed. Are you willing to live with the pain?

Are you digging a financial hole?

Businesses get in debt all the time. Although it is best to avoid it, there are times when debt makes sense. For example, if you just received a large order and you need to take on a loan to fulfill your order, it might make sense to take on debt. But, if the business has been slow and you have been reluctant to cut costs, don’t take on debt to keep your business afloat.

Does your team help?

There is an excellent team behind every successful business. Does your team make you want to fight on? If your team is less than perfect, what can you do to improve it?

Here is how to make sure you have the best possible team in your business:

  • Clearly define roles and job responsibilities. Your employees need to know what they are supposed to be doing.
  • Help your employees to channel their strengths to move your business forward.
  • Get your team members excited about being part of the team.
  • Take employee input seriously. Understand that you don’t know it all. Listen to input and use it to move your business forward.
  • Challenge your team and reward them. Acknowledge their successes with praise.
  • Mentor junior staff members. If possible, partner them with more experienced team members.
  • Don’t allow problem employees to damage your business, team, or reputation. Firing people should be the last resort, but it might be the only good option if you have tried everything else.

Is stress ruining your life?

It’s OK to have stress in an entrepreneur’s life, but not if it overwhelms you. There is stress in every business. Some deal with it better than others. Know yourself and know your limits. If the pressure is ruining your life, it is time for a change.

There are several ways entrepreneurs can effectively handle stress:

  • If you are feeling overwhelmed, practice gratitude.
  • Connect with other entrepreneurs regularly. When you meet entrepreneurs who are struggling with similar problems, it can help you put things into perspective.
  • Intense workout sessions are a great way to deal with stress.
  • Find your sense of balance and Zen with deep breathing exercises and meditation.
  • Journaling is an effective method to deal with things that are bothering you.
  • Delegate early and delegate often. Entrepreneurs who think that they can do it all fail. It’s that simple. If you want to succeed, you can’t micromanage every little detail of your business.
  • Give yourself a break. Even if you love your business, you need time away from your business. If you don’t allow yourself to take time off, you will burn out and ultimately fail. Schedule vacations and getaways in advance. That way, you get them on your calendar in advance, and you can work your schedule around them.

Can you rely on your cofounder (s)?

Some of the most successful businesses were founded by two or more founders. If your cofounders let you down and refuse to pull their weight, you will be fighting an uphill battle. If you want to be able to rely on your cofounder, you must partner with someone you can trust. Steer clear of people who abuse their power to exert control over others.

Give yourself enough time to find the right business partner. Finding the right partner is a challenging process.

Does the business mean to you today what it meant when you had started it?

When you started your business, you might have had a very different idea about the business. What you once thought was going to be fun turned into a constant source of frustrations. You might be better off doing something else.

Would you be happier without your business?

If your life would be better without the business, quit.

If someone you cared about came to you in the same situation, what would you recommend they should do?

Step back from your business and look at it objectively. Then, based on what you know about your business and your situation, what would you recommend an entrepreneur to do?

Is the business destroying your personal life?

No business is worth sacrificing your marriage or family life.

Should I quit my business and get a job?

There are legit reasons to quit your business and get a job. But the question is: “Should I quit my business and get a job?”

You should quit your business and get a job if your business failed to take off and you don’t want to continue. Let’s face it, you decided to start a business at some point, but it doesn’t mean you must stay an entrepreneur.

If you run out of money and have bills to pay, it’s time to quit your business and get a job. There is no shame in quitting your business or pausing it and getting a job until you recover financially. Once your finances are in order, you can start another business.

When you are deflated physically and emotionally, it’s time to quit your business and get a job. Realistically, even a stressful job is a cakewalk compared to building a successful business.

If you don’t have the skills to make your business a success, quit your business and get a job. Taking time away from your business while learning new skills is perfectly legit.

Sick of Running My Business: Should I Quit?

If you are sick of running your business, it’s time to quit and get a job. This is important because your business is likely to fail if you are sick of it. You won’t be able to put in the hours and effort it takes to build a successful business.

You should quit if you are sick of running your business. Let’s face it; you would never start a business feeling like this. So, it doesn’t make sense to continue.

If you run out of energy and are sick of everything you need to do, it’s time to quit your business and get a job. There is no shame in quitting your business if you lack the drive. Burnout is real. And you shouldn’t push yourself beyond your limit.

When you are deflated physically and emotionally, it’s time to quit the business and either take a break or get a job. Realistically, even a stressful job is easy compared to entrepreneurship.

If you lack the passion for your business, quit your business and get a job. Taking time away from your business while giving your mind and body a break is a legit reason to quit your business.

In the comments below share your thoughts on giving up. Have you ever had to give up on something? How did it feel? Did anything positive come of it?