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Opinion
Erin Lowry

Gen Z, Keep Your Day Job. Being Your Own Boss Is Hard.

From self-employment taxes to isolation, entrepreneurship is tough. Plus, now workers can ask for much of what makes self-employment so appealing.

Not so wonderful.

Not so wonderful.

Photographer: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images North America

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American work culture often puts entrepreneurship on a pedestal. For many, building a successful company so they can be their own boss is the ultimate career achievement. Blame “Shark Tank.”

Well, not quite. The fixation on ownership and creating something makes sense given the immigrant fabric of our nation and the general ethos that sacrifice and hard work will determine your future. Of course, the nostalgia for the American Dream doesn’t account for the systemic barriers that exist.