Entrepreneurship is not glamourous, It's Tough!

Entrepreneurship is tough, Only toughest person survives!

Few false prophets and so-called motivational speakers are selling magical formula to you in their fancy words and graphics. But Entrepreneurship doesn't look like this. You should know true and harsh realities, which they don't tell actually. 

Mark Zuckerberg dropped out, founded facebook and later become a billionaire. But dropping out doesn't make you next Zuckerberg. Ritesh Agrawal founded Oyo and become a billionaire, that doesn't mean anyone can.

In the last few years, entrepreneurship is being glorified on social media with fancy words and graphics. Few digital prophets make a story and convince that everybody should start a business as they could, and selling their success formula to make millions in a month or year.

but there is no such magical formula which will make you a billionaire overnight or you will become rich for sure sooner or later. This is a very unpredictable space and numbers are against you. We had seen Oyo, Ola, Facebook, Whatsapp etc became billion-dollar corporation. but do you know? 90% of startup fails too.

I am not telling this to demotivate and scare you. I want you to know bitter truth and be practical. And if you are stepping up for this journey, you should make yourself mentally ready to face. As you will face these realities sooner or later in your journey multiple times. Not in a year, Not in a day, Maybe every day.

There is no glamour in entrepreneurship.

What you see that Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg or Ritesh Agrawal started a business and now it is a billion-dollar corporation but behind the scene, there is long working hours, days and years. Personal sacrifices, late nights, long weekends, odds, criticism, financial uncertainties and emphasises an entrepreneur go through during the making of their business and the bitter truth is that You will be smashed with self-doubt many times and sometimes you will start doubting yourself and there you need mental strength and self-motivation which makes you sustain in such odds.

Entrepreneurship needs true sacrifices

You may not have time for the date and Chat with your girlfriend(s), You need to work late nights, You may not spend time with family. Entrepreneurship will throw questions, problems on you, and sometimes you may get in a dilemma.

Sometimes it's tough to admit this unexpected change. And you don't know till when continues as this journey is full of uncertainty. Consider it as an investment of your business and become used to it. As this journey was your choice.

Entrepreneurship is very lonely

Sometimes you will feel so lonely, your non-entrepreneurship friends won't understand what you are going through. You will see your friends receiving monthly paycheques, partying, travelling etc, You won't be able to do as you may be busy working on something important or you may be tensed about something and your self won't allow you to go or maybe be you don't have money to invest there because of other priorities.

Entrepreneurship is not a destination, It's a journey.

Believe me, starting is simple and easy, But Entrepreneurship isn’t about just starting, to add elegant titles like CEO, Founder, co-founder etc. Most of the startups' shutdown in its first year only. Entrepreneurship is about kept moving, and figuring out different and better ways of doing things, and solving the endless problems that will occur.

You need to be highly Self-motivated

Remember, External motivation doesn't lasts much, But Self-motivation continues. You need to be practical and self-motivated on this journey, Self-motivation is driving factor which will drive and pump up throughout this journey and you need this most. 

Stay humble and "down to earth"

Initially, you are the CEO but Not the chief executive officer, You will be Chief everything officer: You need to act as a salesperson, Sometimes PR guy, Sometimes finance guy, even office boy too and this list are long.

If you’re self-motivated, this can be a pleasure and exciting learning opportunity.

Devoted to the journey.

Procrastination will be like suicide.

When you become your boss, no professor or manager is breathing down your neck. You need to set your hours. Your office space has no range. It will take some solid commitment to practise routines and holding to it.

Building A Team Is Hard

Starting with co-founders, It's tough to find like-minded people who can believe you because you are simply selling an idea.

Now finding a group of smart individuals with various skills to take up the charge and align with your goal. If you are lucky to find this one also.

Then, HR departments will challenge you most, Here whom you shouldn't hire is most important, A toxic and bad employee can ruin all good work and a passionate, trustworthy and loyal one can make you the industry leader, Hire carefully.

There are many forces beyond your control

When I am writing this, I am in lockdown due to corona crisis worldwide, and I am also badly affected by this, and if you lived in corona time, you can understand this better.

You can't control universal force. There are many things beyond your control Markets breakdown, disaster blows, and other unforeseen factors. Many people are dying and companies also, However, I am sure we will come back stronger and better than before and I wish this for everyone. In this tough time, Tough people will last. 

Again, I will repeat my intention was not to discourage you but to make you understand some of the harsh realities. So that you make your mind map and commit emotionally, psychologically and financially to this journey. Being an entrepreneur can be tough, but the rewards are huge. People can tell you how good it feels to see your business triumph and rise, but until you see it happen, it’s hard to understand the pleasure and satisfaction.

Happy Entrepreneurship!

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