The idea of the ‘safe job’ is shifting, with new research from Shopify revealing that entrepreneurship is increasingly seen as a more financially secure alternative to traditional employment. 

The global survey of 2,000 business owners and senior decision-makers, including more than 400 from Australia, examined changing perceptions of entrepreneurship, financial security and career risk. It found that 40% of Australian business leaders see running a business as more financially secure than working a traditional job, compared to just 18% who say the same about traditional employment. This is despite most still associating traditional employment with long-term stability, with nearly three-quarters (73%) feeling this way. 

However, while entrepreneurship is associated with greater financial confidence, over two-thirds (69%) of business leaders say they would consider returning to traditional employment if economic conditions worsen, highlighting an ongoing tension between perceived opportunity and economic risk.

Shaun Broughton, Managing Director, APAC & Japan, at Shopify said: “Salary jobs have long been associated with financial security, but that definition is shifting, particularly as technology makes it easier than ever to start and run a business. For many business leaders, security is no longer about a steady salary or single employer, but about control, flexibility, and the ability to build something of their own.

At the same time, Shopify research shows that founders aren’t ignoring the risks of striking out on their own. In an evolving economic climate, the right support is critical to ensure entrepreneurship can continue to thrive. When founders have access to the right support, whether that’s skills training, trade assistance, or reduced red tape, they’re far more likely to start and sustain a business. That’s key to maintaining Australia’s global competitiveness and building a resilient entrepreneurial economy.”

Kelly Jamieson, Founder and Managing Director at Edible Bloom said: ”Traditional employment offers a predictable income, whereas business ownership offers founders agency, as you get to decide your risk appetite, pivot speed and ceiling. Whether owning a business is more secure than having a salary; that’s subjective, but I ‘d rather control my variables than hope someone else is. 

I started my own business out of aspiration. I wanted to build a legacy business in the creative space and lead on my own terms. Having this mindset matters in running a business. When you’re running toward something and not away from something, you’re never going to quit when it gets hard, as the hard parts become proof that you’re on the right path. Even if you fail, you’ll have zero regrets.”

Entrepreneurship is a deliberate choice, not a fallback

• For most founders, starting a business is about actively choosing a different way of working. Six in ten (61%) say they started their business to move toward something they wanted, with purpose and passion (21%), flexibility (20%) and control over decisions (16%) ranking as top motivations. Just 9% say they were moving away from something unstable.
• Among those who were motivated by instability, overwork and long hours (60%) is the leading challenge, the highest among all markets. Other key factors include limited flexibility (58%), lack of autonomy (45%), and job insecurity (40%).

Traditional employment no longer feels like the easier path

• A majority of Australian business owners (46%) say that traditional employment requires more effort than running their own business, a striking reversal of the conventional assumption that entrepreneurship is the harder route.
• Just 26% say business ownership requires more effort.

Advances in technology are helping make entrepreneurship more accessible

• More than two in five (43%) business leaders say starting a business is easier today than it was ten years ago, driven by ecommerce platforms (82%), social media and online marketing (74%), remote work infrastructure (67%) and AI and automation tools (60%). 
• However, building a business still comes with its hurdles. Cash flow (20%) ranks as the biggest challenge, followed by finding customers and generating consistent sales (18%).
  
  
  
  

Confidence and pride remains high even as entrepreneurs weigh trade-offs 

• The vast majority (91%) of business leaders feel proud of building their business, and 90% would choose to start a business again in 2026 if given the choice, the highest among all markets surveyed
• However, while 45% would choose to start their business in the same way, 46% would do it differently, suggesting that the road to success isn’t often straightforward.
• For business leaders, the pull of traditional employment is tied to stable income and benefits (48%), greater job security (34%) and predictable hours and clearer work boundaries (29%).

Economic pressure is reshaping resilience

• Many business leaders are becoming more resilient in the face of economic pressure. Over two-fifths (43%) say recent economic conditions have made business setbacks feel less serious, suggesting a growing ability to navigate ongoing volatility.
• However, structural barriers continue to limit growth. Seven in ten (70%) say they would have been more likely to start their business sooner if they had easier access to government support, such as reduced red tape, trade assistance or skills training.