Let’s Talk About Failure
Look, I’ve been around the block. I’ve seen startups rise and fall. I’ve watched founders go from ‘we’re gonna change the world’ to ‘we’re out of cash’ in 18 months flat. And I’m tired of the BS.
Everyone’s talking about success. About the next unicorn. About how to scale. But nobody’s talking about the reality. The grind. The sleepless nights. The moment you realize you’re out of money and options.
I was at a conference in Austin last year. Some hotshot VC was on stage, talking about how ‘failure is just feedback’. I turned to my friend Marcus and said, ‘Oh, is that what we’re calling bankruptcy these days?’ He laughed. But it’s not funny. It’s brutal.
I’ve been there. Back in 2012, I was part of a startup called QuickCart. We were gonna disrupt grocery shopping. We had a fancy app, a cool logo, and a bunch of investors who thought we were the next big thing. And then… we weren’t. We ran out of money. We laid off our team. We sold what was left for pennies. It sucked. And it’s not some cute story I tell at parties. It’s a reminder.
So here’s the truth: most startups fail. Not ‘pivot and grow’, not ‘iterate to success’, but full-on, spectacular, ‘we’re done’ failure. And that’s okay. But you need to be ready for it.
You need to be ready for the moment when you realize your big idea isn’t so big after all. When your co-founder bails. When your investors ghost you. When you’re sitting in your apartment at 2am, wondering how you’re gonna pay rent, let alone build your dream.
And if you’re not ready for that? Then maybe you shouldn’t start a startup. Maybe you should get a job. Maybe you should wait until you’re ready to face the brutal truth.
But What If You’re One of the Lucky Ones?
Okay, okay. I’m not saying all startups fail. Some make it. Some even succeed. But here’s the thing: success isn’t what you think it is.
Success isn’t about being on the cover of Forbes. It’s not about having a fancy office or a big bank account. It’s about building something that matters. Something that lasts. Something that makes a difference.
And that’s hard. Really hard. It’s not about having a great idea. It’s about executing. It’s about grinding. It’s about failing and getting back up and failing again and getting back up again.
I saw a friend of mine, let’s call him Dave, go through this. He started a company called EcoClean. It was a mess. They pivoted three times in the first year. They almost ran out of money. They had to let go of half their team. But they kept going. They kept grinding. And now? They’re doing alright. They’re not a unicorn. They’re not a household name. But they’re building something. Something real.
And that’s success. That’s the kind of success you should be aiming for.
So What’s the Point?
I don’t know. Maybe there isn’t one. Maybe I’m just ranting. But here’s what I do know: starting a business is hard. It’s brutal. It’s not for the faint of heart. And if you’re not ready for that, then maybe you should reconsider.
But if you are ready? If you’re ready to grind, to fail, to get back up and do it all over again? Then maybe, just maybe, you’ve got a shot.
And hey, if you’re looking for a sign, here it is: house flipping guide beginners. No, I don’t know why that’s relevant. But it’s something. And so are you.
So go out there. Build something. Fail. Learn. Repeat. And for God’s sake, be honest with yourself about what you’re getting into.
Because the truth is, most startups fail. But that’s okay. As long as you’re ready for it.
And if you’re not? Well, maybe you should stick to your day job.
Author Bio: Sarah Johnson has been a senior editor at various business publications for over 20 years. She’s seen it all, from startups that soared to those that crashed and burned. She’s not here to sugarcoat the truth. She’s here to tell it like it is. When she’s not editing, you can find her at a coffee shop, probably ranting about the state of modern business.
