I have heard my entire life that people who go into business for themselves are huge risk takers.  While that maybe true in some cases, I submit that people who go into business for themselves are pragmatic and risk adverse. As a matter of fact, many entrepreneurs view working for someone else their entire career as a much more riskier proposition. I have  interviewed many people who have gone into business for themselves and they know that they are in it for the long term. That is an absolute critical mindset for the self-employed. .