As we celebrate America's 250th birthday this Fourth of July, I've found myself thinking about something that happened almost fifty years ago.

I was just a kid when my parents encouraged, or maybe "strongly encouraged," me to enter an essay contest sponsored by the American Legion called What Freedom Means to Me.

The funny part?

I didn't really have much freedom in the decision.

My mom wanted me to enter because she thought it would make my dad proud. Whether I wanted to write the essay wasn't really up for discussion. Looking back, there's something wonderfully ironic about that. My first lesson about freedom started with not having much of it.

I don't remember what I wrote. In fact, I couldn't tell you a single sentence from that essay. But I do remember winning. I still have the medal tucked away all these years later.

As a kid, freedom was pretty simple.

It meant riding my bike.

Going to the beach.

Playing with friends until it was time to come home.

Freedom meant having choices and not having a care in the world.

If someone asked me to write that essay today, my answer would be very different.

Then I Became an Entrepreneur

Like so many entrepreneurs, I started my business because I wanted freedom.

I wanted the freedom to earn as much as I could.

The freedom to decide how I spent my time.

The freedom to choose who I worked with.

The freedom to build a life on my own terms.

What I didn't realize was how much I didn't know.

In fact, if I had known everything I didn't know about owning a business, I probably would have thought twice before taking the leap. Thankfully, none of us get that preview.

It didn't take long before reality set in.

Owning a business didn't eliminate responsibilities.

It created more of them.

Clients depended on me.

Employees depended on me.

Bills had to be paid.

Payroll had to be met.

Problems landed on my desk every day.

That's when I realized something I now see all the time in the business owners I work with.

Many of us start businesses looking for freedom, only to discover we've built ourselves another job.

Can you relate?

Here's What I've Noticed

After working with business owners for years, I've noticed something.

Most entrepreneurs don't intentionally build businesses that depend on them.

It just happens.

Little by little.

You answer one more question because it's faster.

You make one more decision because no one else knows how.

You solve one more problem because it's easier than teaching someone else.

Before you know it, the business revolves around you.

If you take a vacation, you're answering emails.

If you step away for a day, the phone starts ringing.

If something goes wrong, everyone waits for you to fix it.

Sound familiar?

Somewhere along the way, we confuse being indispensable with being successful.

I don't think they're the same thing.

Revenue Doesn't Create Freedom

One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that more revenue automatically creates more freedom.

It doesn't.

I've met owners of million dollar businesses who couldn't unplug for a long weekend because everything depended on them.

The revenue looked impressive.

The freedom wasn't.

The business wasn't generating enough profit.

There weren't enough systems.

The team couldn't make decisions without the owner.

Cash was tight.

The owner had created a successful business that couldn't function without them.

I've also met owners with much smaller businesses who have something many people would envy.

They have healthy profits.

Strong systems.

A capable team.

Cash in the bank.

They know their numbers.

They've built a business that gives them choices.

They can attend a child's game.

Take a vacation without checking email every hour.

Care for aging parents.

Say no to clients who aren't a good fit.

That's what freedom looks like to me.

My Definition of Freedom Has Changed

Today, freedom isn't about having no responsibilities.

I don't think that's realistic.

Freedom is having the ability to choose the responsibilities that matter most.

One of the greatest gifts my business has ever given me had nothing to do with money.

During the last year of my dad's life, I was able to be there for him.

I wasn't trying to squeeze visits into evenings or weekends.

I wasn't asking permission.

I wasn't worried that everything would fall apart if I stepped away.

That didn't happen by accident.

It happened because over the years I worked intentionally to build a healthier business. A business that wasn't dependent on me every minute of every day.

Looking back, those moments with my dad are worth more than any revenue milestone I've ever achieved.

That's the kind of freedom I was really building, even if I didn't realize it at the time.

Today, freedom means I get to choose who I work with.

I get to spend my days doing work I genuinely love.

I get to focus on the things I'm good at instead of believing I have to do everything myself.

And perhaps most importantly, I get to be there for the people who matter most.

So What Actually Creates Freedom?

If revenue alone doesn't create freedom, what does?

I've come to believe it's a combination of things.

Healthy profit.

Good strategy.

Strong systems.

The right team.

Reliable lead generation.

And yes, cash. Because if you've heard me teach before, you know I like to say, cash is queen.

Healthy businesses create options.

Options create freedom.

That's why I believe entrepreneurship isn't just about owning a business.

It's about building a business that supports the life you want to live.

A Question for You This Independence Day

As our country celebrates 250 years of freedom, I've been thinking about that essay I wrote almost fifty years ago.

I wish I still had it.

I'd love to see what that little kid thought freedom meant.

But maybe it's okay that I don't.

Because if I were writing it today, I know exactly what I'd say.

Freedom isn't measured by how busy we are.

It isn't measured by how much revenue we generate.

And it certainly isn't measured by how many hours we work.

Freedom is measured by the choices our business gives us.

So let me leave you with a question.

If someone asked you today to write an essay titled What Freedom Means to Me, what would you write?

And if you're an entrepreneur, maybe the more important question is this.

Is the business you're building creating more freedom in your life, or quietly taking it away?

Because at the end of the day, I don't believe most entrepreneurs started a business just to own one.

I think they started one to create a better life.

My hope is that you're building a business that helps you do exactly that.

However you're celebrating this Independence Day, I hope you have the opportunity to slow down, spend time with the people who matter most, and reflect on what freedom means to you today.

Wishing you and your family a meaningful and Happy Independence Day.

Adrienne McGill
Founder, Small Business Profit Strategies

Helping business owners build better businesses so they can build better lives.

PS: Looking to create more freedom in your business? Come just us at a Profit Acceleration Workshop. More profit creates more choices, and more choices lead to greater freedom.