The 5 Worst Things About Entrepreneurship

Not for the faint of heart.

Not for the faint of heart.

Five brutal truths I’ve learn’t about entrepreneurship after working with over 100 founders (as a consultant, employee and investor).

Not for the faint of heart.

1. Embrace The Suck:

It has 0 glamor, unlike motivational posts (ironically that are about entrepreneurship).

Loneliness, anxiety, losing friends, and health problems are real.

Taking time out for yourself feels like a crime.

Having supportive friends and family that help you with basics like chores feels like a blessing at this point.

2. Value Your Relationships:

You learn a lot about our friends and friendships.

Most won’t understand/support what you’re doing.

But you’ll find gems who will go above and beyond to support our business and help it flourish.

Early adopters and team often go on to become some of our closest friends.

3. You’ll Make Bad Hires:

Money or no money, hiring is hard.

We initially thought lack of money is preventing us from hiring excellent staff.

Despite funding, hiring is still super difficult.

A good personal brand, selling the vision, and networking are a must to attract top talent at a start-up.

4. Move Faster:

We must give up unrealistic expectations and move fast.

After initial success, we need become unrealistic (but fair) with expectations from ourselves and our team.

Slowing down costs talent, reputation, and customers.

Momentum is the difference between success and failure.

5. Celebrate Everything:

Non-financial victories mean something.

It’s incredibly satisfying to overcome epic challenges as a small team with limited resources.

Changing lives, supporting teammates, and lifting each other up during the toughest times is truly life (and relationship) changing.

Value delivered > Valuation

(the money will always come eventually)