After working as a marketing consultant in Silicon Valley for many years, I founded my company Boardroom Insiders in 2009. Here's what I love about being my own boss.

5. My business goes wherever I go. 

Over the years I have run my business from Amsterdam, Paris, London, Mexico City, Bangalore, Kuala Lumpur, Yosemite, and even Machu Picchu (which had killer wifi, by the way).

4. My canine office mate, Milo. 

Here he is dressed for success, and as you can see, he packs his own lunch.

3. Freedom to be nimble. 

If my business partner and I come up with an idea, we can usually roll it out and test it right away.  

2. Creating opportunities for others. 

I employ five full-time people and will likely hire 3-4 more this year. Plus we work with more than a dozen contractors, many of them full-time. 

And the number one best thing about being my own boss is… 

1. Collaborating with great people to bring my business idea to life. 

I am inspired and energized by my colleagues every day. While Boardroom Insiders was my idea, I could have never brought it to life without such an accomplished and engaged team. 

What do you like about being your own boss?

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Sharon Gillenwater is the founder and editor-in-chief of Boardroom Insiders, which maintains an extensive database of the most in-depth executive profiles on the market, from Fortune 500 companies to independent non-profits, to help sales and marketing professionals build deeper relationships and close more deals with clients. Gillenwater is a long-time marketing consultant with expertise in marketing strategy, account-based marketing, and CXO engagement programs.