Are you thinking about starting your own business or making the shift to a startup business? Maybe the corporate world isn’t for you or maybe you’re just looking for a change. Making the leap from a corporation to a startup business is a big decision.

If you’re trying to figure out if this path is right for you, it’s always best to start by doing some research. With business investment opportunities available in various sectors, you will discover many advantages when working at a startup, which you won’t find in a corporate job.

Deciding between working for a startup business vs. a corporation? We’ll highlight the seven benefits of a startup business to help you make your decision.

Benefit #1: Team Culture

Often, when you sign up to work at a large corporation, you’ve been attracted by the large salary, benefits, and prestige that comes with it. In an environment like this, it’s easy to lose track of the company’s mission and values. In addition, you’ll oftentimes find yourself working on projects by yourself.

With a startup business on the other hand, you’ll be much more involved in all of the day-to-day processes. You will start to form a close-knit community with your teammates. Since most startups start with a small number of employees, you will be much more in tune with everyone and find that it’s very beneficial to work as a team.

Benefit #2: Flexibility

If you decide to open your own business, one of the benefits of a startup business is flexibility. Unlike working at a traditional 9-to-5 job, you can choose to work the hours that work best for you. If you have an appointment, or other commitments, it’s fairly easy to schedule your work around it.

You will have to put the time in, and will find yourself working odd hours, but you can do so when it’s most convenient for you.

Benefit #3: Being Your Own Boss

We all dream of being our own boss at some point. Gone are the days of performance reviews, calling in sick, and having to explain yourself to your boss. Being your own boss means that you don’t have to answer to anyone but yourself. This is a huge benefit of a startup business.

When you eventually get to the point of hiring staff, you get to be their boss too. You get to implement your own rules, delegate tasks, and create your own company culture. If this sounds appealing, then starting your own business may be right for you.

Benefit #4: Agility

Large corporations take time to make large decisions. They must make decisions with large teams or follow long and complicated protocols. As a startup business, the decision rests on you and potentially a business partner or two, allowing you to make decisions much quicker.

These types of businesses are also quite averse to change. Large corporations can’t just change their business models; they have investors, a board of directors, management, and customers that they need to keep happy and satisfied. As a startup, you can quickly adapt to various changes and adjust your strategy as time goes on.

Benefit #5: Brand Personality

Although large corporations strive to have a recognizable brand personality, this can be hard to do with so many staff members. Startups have much fewer employees, making it much easier to showcase your brand personality.

As the owner of a start-up business, you will play an active role in the company. Your staff will see your enthusiasm and dedication and will actively want to be a part of the business. Staff at startups are likely to be a lot more passionate, effectively giving the brand lots of personality.

Benefit #6: Recognition

As part of such a small team, your successes will all be recognized. You will be a large contributor to the team and company as a whole, making everything you do that much more visible. If you feel that you were never recognized for all the good you did at your corporate job, you can expect the opposite here. When you succeed, your small team will see how vital your contributions are right away.

Since failures or slacking off will also be very noticeable, you’ll have that extra incentive to work hard and try to avoid mistakes when possible. The last thing you’ll want to do is disappoint your colleagues, so you’ll be much more motivated to do a good job.

Benefit #7: Laid-Back Atmosphere

Starting your own business or working at a startup means that you’ll most likely be working in a more laid-back atmosphere. Think wearing jeans to work everyday, bringing your dog to work with you, enjoying alcoholic beverages, and having the opportunity to move around and work at different areas throughout the workday.

Whether you decide to start your own business or work at a startup, can really use these benefits to your advantage. Transform these benefits into vital parts of your strategy and your start-up will be in a good position to succeed.