This is the Uncomfortable Truth About the Dark Side of Startup Life (and How I Overcame It)

The entrepreneurial journey is often glamorized as a path of passion, purpose, and unlimited potential. But what often gets glossed over are the darker realities that can come with the startup life; the crippling self-doubt, the isolation, the mental and emotional toll of pouring your heart into something with no guarantee of success.

I know these shadows all too well. As a female founder building a tech startup in Nigeria, I've faced my fair share of challenges and setbacks. But there was a period in my journey when the weight of those challenges nearly broke me.

It was about a year into my startup when the cracks started to show. I had been working around the clock, fueled by adrenaline and a burning drive to prove myself. But as the months wore on, the adrenaline wore off – and I was left with the exhaustion, the burnout, and the creeping sense that maybe I wasn't cut out for this after all.

I remember one particularly low point when a major deal fell through at the last minute. I had been banking on that partnership to validate my business model and give me the runway I needed to scale. When it fell apart, I felt like I was falling apart too.

I started to question everything – my vision, my capabilities, my worth as a founder and a person. I isolated myself from friends and family, convinced that no one could understand the weight I was carrying. I was running on empty, but I didn't know how to stop.

It wasn't until I hit a breaking point – a serious migraine that shot my bp level so high – that I realized something had to change. I couldn't keep pouring from an empty cup. I needed to find a way to fill myself back up.

So I started taking small steps to prioritize my mental health and well-being. I began each day with a gratitude practice, focusing on the things I was thankful for rather than fixating on my fears and doubts. I set boundaries around my work hours and started saying no to commitments that didn't align with my values and goals.

But the real breakthrough came when I started being more open and honest about my struggles with other founders. I was surprised to discover that so many of them were facing similar challenges – the imposter syndrome, the loneliness, the fear of failure.

By vulnerably sharing our experiences and supporting each other through the ups and downs, we created a sense of community and solidarity that made the journey feel less daunting. We celebrated each other's wins, commiserated over the losses, and reminded each other of the bigger purpose behind the hustle.

The truth is, the dark side of startup life is real and it's not something to be ashamed of or glossed over. As founders, we put so much of ourselves into our ventures. It's only natural that we'll face moments of doubt, despair, and burnout along the way.

But by prioritizing our mental health, building a support network, and being honest about our struggles, we can find the resilience to keep going – and the wisdom to know when to pivot or let go. We can remember that our worth as founders and as humans is not defined by our successes or failures, but by the courage and heart we bring to the journey.

Yours Truly,

Chito