{"id":7373,"date":"2025-10-02T23:07:19","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T03:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/?post_type=news&p=7373"},"modified":"2025-12-01T02:27:42","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T07:27:42","slug":"canadians-prefer-self-employment-over-startups","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/news\/canadians-prefer-self-employment-over-startups\/","title":{"rendered":"From startup dreams to self-made plans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Startups may be media darlings, but for many Canadians, they\u2019re still more of a supporting act in their career journey rather than the headline role. That disconnect raises a bigger question: what do workers really want, and what does it mean for the future of work in Canada?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to 91±¬ΑΟ\u2019s 2025 Annual Jobs Report<\/a>, only 2% of Canadians say working at a startup is their ideal job. In contrast, 22% dream of working for themselves or owning their own business. For workers aged 55 and over, that number jumps to 32%. This isn\u2019t a fluke, it\u2019s a signal. Canadians are prioritizing purpose, flexibility and self-direction, particularly later in their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this isn\u2019t a rejection of ambition. It\u2019s a redefinition of risk. Taking a role at a startup often means betting on someone else\u2019s big idea \u2014 and that can be exciting, fast-paced, and rewarding, but it also comes with unpredictability. Self-employment carries its own risks, but they\u2019re different: you set the pace, and you own the outcomes. Both paths have their benefits, but the choice between them is something weighing on many Canadians\u2019 minds today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dana Buxcey knows that trade-off well. After building her career as Director of Growth at tbk, helping scale one of Ontario\u2019s top digital agencies, she launched twoseven \u2014 a full-service marketing agency focused on brand strategy, social media and design. She kept a full-time job while building her business, a decision rooted in both practicality and long-term vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor me, it wasn\u2019t about escaping the 9-to-5,\u201d Dana says. \u201cIt was about building financial security and autonomy. I wanted to grow something of my own, but not at the expense of stability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dana\u2019s story reflects a deeper cultural shift. The idea that entrepreneurship equals freedom has always been more myth than reality and many Canadians are waking up to that. \u201cPeople assume being your own boss means freedom from structure,\u201d she says. \u201cBut when you\u2019re running a business, it\u2019s often 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. The hustle is real, especially in the early years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while platforms and social media may give the illusion of overnight success, Dana is quick to dispel that too. \u201cHaving 20,000 followers doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re making money,\u201d she says. \u201cIt just means you have an audience. There\u2019s a lot of survival-mode hustle that gets glossed over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So why are more Canadians taking the plunge into self-employment, and why later in life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Dana, it comes down to confidence and clarity. \u201cBy your 30s, 40s or 50s, you\u2019ve built networks, savings, maybe a home. You\u2019ve got more to fall back on and you\u2019re probably tired of doing work that doesn\u2019t align with your values.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, it\u2019s not burnout. It\u2019s intentionality. \u201cPeople are ready to do what drives them,\u201d Dana says. \u201cThey\u2019re not chasing hype. They\u2019re following experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That doesn\u2019t mean entrepreneurship is easy \u2014 especially in a high-cost environment. Dana recommends starting small and staying strategic: \u201cKeep your full-time job if you can. Start your business on the side, model your costs, and have at least $10,000 to $15,000 saved. And lean on your network \u2014 talk to people who understand tax, insurance, and the benefits you\u2019ll lose once you leave traditional employment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this shift isn’t about chasing a dream. It\u2019s about designing a reality that feels more sustainable, more meaningful and more in tune with what matters. Canadians aren\u2019t turning away from work \u2014 they\u2019re turning toward themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s not something employers can counter with perks or job titles. It\u2019s a signal that the default career path is changing \u2014 and for many, self-employment is becoming the most viable version of success. For startups, that means leaning into what makes you different: offering growth, clarity and overcommunication so people feel like they\u2019re building with you, not betting on you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The future of work in Canada won\u2019t be led by who\u2019s hiring \u2014 it\u2019ll be shaped by who\u2019s building.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Only 2% of Canadians want to work at a startup, while 22% dream of running their own business. Discover why self-employment is becoming the new career ideal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":7374,"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_visual_mode":"business","exclude_from_algolia":false,"author_id":0,"reading_time":"3 min read","display_reading_time":false,"homepage_thumbnail":0},"categories":[],"tags":[],"learn_topic":[],"audience":[],"post_features":[],"class_list":["post-7373","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/7373","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7373"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7373"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7373"},{"taxonomy":"learn_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/learn_topic?post=7373"},{"taxonomy":"audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience?post=7373"},{"taxonomy":"post_features","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_features?post=7373"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}