I graduated in 2012, and I was ready to use the culmination of knowledge I’d gathered over my four years in college to start my career. However, things didn’t exactly work out the way I planned.

For the life of me, I couldn’t land a job. As all my friends were being swept up by consulting firms and investment banks, I watched from afar, trying to get HR to return my calls.

It was around the 98th résumé when I decided it was time for a change.

With less than $100 in the bank, I decided to start my own business.

What I learned during this entrepreneurial journey opened my eyes to how incredible the experience of starting your own business can be.

If you were like me and couldn’t find a job, or if you find yourself wanting more from your career, you should consider taking the next step and becoming a business owner.

Why?

Below are the top seven reasons.

1. You have the ability to grow exponentially.

Climbing the corporate ladder is incredibly slow. Think about all the hoops you have to jump through just to get a raise or promotion.

Now, imagine you could give yourself a raise or promotion.

When you own your own business, there is no ceiling to how much you can make. It’s literally up to how hard you work. It’s no wonder three out of four millionaires in America are entrepreneurs.

One of the biggest issues I had with getting a “real” job was being managed. It made me incredibly anxious knowing someone was constantly looking over my shoulder, critiquing my work and telling me what to do and when to do it.

As an entrepreneur, you set the rules.

Feel like sleeping in? Do it. Want to work on a passion project? Go ahead.

The control and freedom entrepreneurship gives you is what most of us work our entire lives for.

3. You make all the money.

If you work at a “real” job right now, you’re not getting paid what you’re worth. In fact, you’re only making a fraction of what the company that employs you thinks you’re worth.

Why? When a business hires you, the owners have to calculate how much you’ll make them (the value you bring) versus how much they have to pay you (your salary).

Being an entrepreneur means there’s no middleman taking a cut. You make exactly what you’re worth.

4. You have the ability to build something of value.

Beyond the financial benefits, owning your own business gives you the ability to create something that adds value to your community. This can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

You not only have the ability to help others, but you also can create jobs and give people a chance to learn and grow.

5. You can work anywhere you’d like.

One of my personal favorite things about being an entrepreneur is the fact you can work from anywhere. Last year, I took a spontaneous trip to Asia for two weeks to visit a friend.

Would this have been possible working a 9-to-5? Probably not.

If you’re interested in learning more about being a nomadic entrepreneur, check out “The 4-Hour Work Week,” a guide to working less, making more and traveling anywhere.

6. You have the ability to make people happy.

The first time I heard a client exclaim my work had helped his business, I was hooked.

Money is great, but the feeling you get knowing you’re helping someone else far exceeds anything you can buy.

7. You’ll never be bored.

As an entrepreneur, every single day of your life will be different. Now, this can be either an enjoyable or terrifying experience, depending on the person.

If you like adventure, competition and the thrill of risking it all, you’ll like owning your own business.