Let’s Get One Thing Straight
I’ve been around the block a few times. Twenty-three years, to be exact. And in that time, I’ve seen a lot of startups. Some succeed. Most fail. And honestly, it’s not as glamorous as they make it look on TV.
I remember back in 2004, this kid—let’s call him Marcus—came into my office. Had this idea for an app. Said it was gonna change the world. I laughed in his face. Not because it was a bad idea, but because he had no clue what he was getting into.
And that’s the thing. Most people don’t.
You’re Gonna Fail. Probably.
Look, I’m not trying to be a downer. But the stats don’t lie. About 90% of startups fail. That’s a fact. And if you think you’re gonna be the exception, well, good luck with that.
I had lunch with a friend last week—let’s call him Dave. He’s been in the game longer than I have. And he told me, “You know, the ones that make it are usually the ones that pivot. Not the ones that stick to their original idea like it’s the gospel.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But Here’s the Thing
It’s not just about the idea. It’s about execution. And frankly, most people suck at that. They think they can just throw something together and it’s gonna work. Newsflash: it’s not.
I remember this one time, about three months ago, I was at a conference in Austin. Some guy gets up on stage and starts talking about his startup. “We’re gonna disrupt the industry!” he says. And I’m sitting there thinking, “Buddy, you don’t even know what disrupt means.”
And that’s another thing. People throw around these buzzwords like they’re gonna make their idea sound better. “Synergy!” “Paradigm shift!” “Scalability!” Ugh. Just stop.
Money Isn’t Everything
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But Sarah, if I have money, I can hire people. I can market. I can do all the things!”
First of all, don’t call me Sarah. Second, money doesn’t solve everything. In fact, sometimes it makes things worse. You get a bunch of investors breathing down your neck, and suddenly you’re not making decisions based on what’s good for the company. You’re making decisions based on what’s gonna make them happy.
I had a colleague named Lisa. She raised a ton of money for her startup. And you know what happened? She spent it all on stupid stuff. Office parties. Fancy chairs. A foosball table. And then she came crying to me when she ran out of cash. “But Sarah—” “Again, don’t call me that.”
Look, I’m not saying you shouldn’t spend money. But spend it wisely. And for the love of god, don’t buy a foosball table.
A Word on Market News
Speaking of money, you gotta keep an eye on the market news financial update. I know, it’s boring. But it’s important. You can’t just bury your head in the sand and hope for the best. You gotta know what’s going on out there.
I remember this one time, back in 2018, I was working with this startup. They were doing great. And then, out of nowhere, the market took a dump. And they were completely unprepared. “But Sarah—” “Seriously, stop.”
So do yourself a favor. Stay informed. Read the news. And for god’s sake, don’t invest all your money in Bitcoin.
The Truth About Work-Life Balance
Alright, let’s talk about something else. Work-life balance. You know, that mythical creature that everyone talks about but no one actually has.
I’m gonna be honest with you. When you’re running a startup, there is no work-life balance. You’re gonna work 87-hour weeks. You’re gonna skip meals. You’re gonna forget what daylight looks like. And that’s just the way it is.
I remember this one time, I was working with this guy—let’s call him Greg. He was always talking about work-life balance. “You gotta take care of yourself, Sarah.” “Again, with the name?”
And then one day, he burned out. Completely. And he came to me, and he said, “Sarah, I think I need a break.” And I said, “Greg, you should have taken that break three months ago.”
So if you’re thinking about starting a startup, be prepared to give up your life. At least for a while.
But It’s Worth It
Now, I know I’ve been pretty negative so far. But here’s the thing. Despite all the crap, despite all the long hours and the stress and the money problems, it’s worth it.
There’s nothing like seeing something you built with your own two hands succeed. It’s a feeling that’s hard to describe. It’s like… I don’t know, winning the lottery but with more work and less money.
I remember this one time, back in 2012, I was working with this startup. And we launched this product. And it was a huge success. And I just remember standing there, looking at all these people using something I helped create. And I thought to myself, “Damn, this is pretty cool.”
So yeah, it’s tough. But it’s worth it. If you’re willing to put in the work.
Author Bio: Sarah Johnson is a senior editor with over 20 years of experience in the business niche. She’s seen it all, done it all, and has the scars to prove it. When she’s not writing, she’s probably complaining about the lack of good coffee in her office.
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