See also: Women-owned businesses on a streak

Here's what Gallup had to say about that:

"Small-business owners convey their strong desire to be their own boss and to set their own hours, and report feeling mostly satisfied with being a small-business owner. But fewer today say they feel successful as a small-business owner, even as the economy has improved in the last few years. …

"One explanation for this paradox may lie in the fact that small-business owners tend to like the basic lifestyle and self-sufficiency that come with being an entrepreneur, and therefore may tend to be satisfied even when they don't perceive themselves as particularly successful. Over four in 10 say that the most rewarding thing about starting and running their business is being their own boss and being independent — by far the most frequently mentioned response to this open-ended question."

So, in a way, simply being one's own boss represents its own brand of success.

Gallup asked some more questions, and turned up a few gems.

When asked what was "very important" in motivating these people to start their own business, here's what they heard:

• Secure their financial future – 69 percent;
• Be their own boss – 66 percent;
• Set their own hours – 51 percent;
• Have an income source till market conditions improve – 30 percent;
• Take advantage of business opportunities – 29 percent;
• Continue a family business – 26 percent; and
• Pursue a hobby – 15 percent.

Then came a telling question-and-answer exchange: Would you recommend to a young person that they start their own business? Less than half  (42 percent) said they would.

"[Our] research shows that most [small business owners] would do it all over again if given the chance [but] owners are divided on whether they would recommend to young people that they start their own business, perhaps recognizing the significant challenges that come with the territory of being an entrepreneur in today's economy," Gallup concluded.