Letter to Founders, Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners.
Dear Founders,
It's late on a Friday evening, and I know what you're going through.?
Your team, your investors, and your family don't.?
It's not because they don't care, but because you don't want to share it all with them.
That makes your journey a lonely one.?
And, just like any lonely journey, the hardest thing to conquer is yourself—that nagging doubt in the back of your mind. The voice that, except for adjusting volume, never truly goes away.?
It would be best if you took solace that every entrepreneur has that voice and wrestles with their self-doubt. It's normal.?
Hell, it may even be a requirement to be a good entrepreneur! Who knows?
No matter what happened this past week (good or bad) and no matter what the next days have in store for you, remember:
_ Entrepreneurship is the ability to will something from nothing into existence. Only a tiny percentage of humans will ever do that, let alone understand what that means.
_ Keep your standards high. When people "advise you" to be more accomodating, understand where they're coming from, but always keep your standards high.?
_ Not much beats momentum. Stay on the front foot, and move fast. You may stumble when you hit an obstacle, but you'll stumble forward and, more than likely, catch your step and carry on.?
Trust me; I know what you're going through.?
For now, close your laptop or switch off your phone. Kiss your family goodnight. Go to bed. Founders need their rest too.
See you on the startup battlefield tomorrow.?
Paul?
Founder @ Slade.Consulting and @ BattlefieldPartners.com
2 年This past weekend, I spoke to two successful entrepreneurs. A husband and wife team who designed the life (and business) they wanted. It took them 20 years to create, and now they take extended holidays every quarter. I asked “what’s the one piece of advice you wish you’d taken in the early days of creating your busienss?” The wife paused, and then looked at her husband and said: “I wish I’d been more diligent about scheduling time for my husband and my children.” He was surprised at her answer and had to choke back his emotions as he said “I wish I’d spent more downtime with my beautiful wife and children.” He followed up with: “Sadly, there are some lessons you can’t teach people. Most entrepreneurs learn this for themselves. And most learn it when it’s simply too late.”