| There is value when you look at how businesspersons | | | | understand and accept some things in the process. |
| started their company. While there are snippets of | | | | This would help you become more resilient. |
| experience here and there, there is no real forum to | | | | First, you must come to an agreement with yourself |
| describe the real experience of starting up a company. | | | | that there is a chance that you will lose everything. |
| Most of what is written deal with the technical aspect | | | | Businesses do fail. That is a fact of life. You have to |
| of setting up the company like designing the business | | | | come to terms with this fact that not all businesses will |
| plan or drafting the marketing strategy, or developing | | | | succeed. Needless to say, you have to be prepared to |
| marketing collaterals like brochure printing or print | | | | watch your dreams fall apart. |
| brochures and even flyer printing. However, there is | | | | Second, when it comes to business, you have to be |
| little interest in the human aspects of starting a | | | | ready to sacrifice. I know of a dying businessperson |
| company. It seems that this aspect is completely | | | | who reprimanded his family for being at his bedside |
| ignored because most writers want to focus on the | | | | because no one would tend to their shop. This is |
| inspirational and positive features of creating a start-up | | | | extreme, but one that would capture the message: |
| business. Yes, setting-up a business has its ups. You | | | | even if you are dying, there is nothing that should keep |
| will experience satisfaction, fulfillment, and oftentimes, it | | | | you from being ready to work. |
| can be life altering. | | | | You must also be prepared to sacrifice your holidays |
| Nevertheless, what we tend to not discuss, albeit | | | | or alone time. You have to be reachable 24 hours a |
| deliberately, is that in starting a business one goes | | | | day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. There is no |
| through both emotional and physical stress, anxiety, | | | | downtime or alone time. Technology has made it |
| sleepless nights, panic attacks, destruction of | | | | possible to stay connected to the world, to your |
| relationships either with family or business partners, | | | | employees, to your business partners, and most |
| embarrassment, lawsuits, health problems and worst, | | | | importantly, to your customers. |
| bankruptcy. There are the doubts or the if thoughts... 'If I | | | | Third, related to that, you must be able to insulate your |
| could have just.... or If I could have borrowed more... or | | | | relationship or marriage from any business problem. |
| If just lowered the cost.... - Indeed, these are thoughts | | | | Most often than not, marriage or relationships with |
| that could haunt you for life. | | | | family is often the first casualty if something goes |
| Given the other side of starting a business, would you | | | | terribly wrong. You must make this clear with yourself |
| still pursue your dreams of owning and managing your | | | | and with your spouse or with your children or siblings |
| own business? Yes, it can definitely be a nightmare, | | | | that your relationship with them is strong and that no |
| but you would not want to be haunted by the thought | | | | work related problem could ever damage it. Amen. |
| that you chickened out, would you? I always believe | | | | Finally and most importantly, be ready to walk away if |
| that people who do not fail are those that do not risk. | | | | it does not work out. Cut clean and cut the losses. |
| Having said that, I still believe that despite the negative | | | | There is no point in fighting for something that cannot |
| aspects of starting a business, there is still light at the | | | | and will not survive anymore. Be prepared to walk |
| end of the tunnel. What you should do is to try to | | | | away to fight another day. |