When you think about entrepreneurs, you probably see private jets, fancy vehicles, parties, and a glamorous lifestyle.
And all of this is real! The majority of entrepreneurs do enjoy a lavish lifestyle. And this is the life we are given a glimpse of.
But there’s actually a dark side of being an entrepreneur.
Most of us aren’t aware of all of the hours an entrepreneur puts in to achieve success. We can all imagine how much work it takes to build something from the ground up, but unless you’ve done it yourself, you have no idea what it’s like.
We are going to look at the darker side of being an entrepreneur. This is the side of the entrepreneur that we don’t see, but it’s the part that makes them successful and allows them to live the glamorous life.
Pooneh Ramezani, the CEO of Dr. Brite, says that there is no such thing as a risk-free venture.
Although it may be difficult to believe, no matter how enthusiastic and convinced you are about your idea, it will most likely fail within the first year, especially if this is your first time as an entrepreneur. Your attitude, on the other hand, will determine how far you advance. If you start a business with the expectation of succeeding on the first try, you will be deceiving yourself, and recovering from the first fall will be more difficult. Starting with the understanding that there will be challenges and difficulties, and being prepared to confront them, can assist you in recognizing and recovering from your mistakes, allowing you to start afresh with more experience and a better attitude.
Tanya Zhang, the co-founder of Nimble Made, says that every entrepreneur will face a dark side of the business and it takes years before you become successful.
A true business cannot be developed in a few months: this is something you must realize before proceeding. Don’t expect your project to be consolidated overnight; it won’t happen by accident. Appropriate management is necessary to ensure that your business grows and achieves a position in society. All of this will be determined by the work you put in and the tools you employ to truly grow your organization.
Dawn LaFontaine from Cat in the Box believes that most people become entrepreneurs because they are chasing freedom but that kind of freedom can also be its own prison.
While you don’t answer to anyone else, you also have no one else who bears any of the responsibility for the success or failure of your venture. It’s all on you. Freedom can mean working far too many hours: your evenings and weekends are no longer times to unwind or relax. Freedom can mean you can’t take a vacation because there is no one else who can do what you do when you’re gone. Freedom means it’s all on your shoulders, and it can feel like a heavy weight when something you invested in, or a project you started isn’t going particularly well right now.
LaFontaine says he is able to keep going because this is his choice. He chose to pick this journey over traditional job which he could go back to tomorrow. He also find the hard work thrilling and is excited to get up every morning and do what has to do that day to become successful.
I recommend that others think about what they really want out of life before embarking on the entrepreneurial journey. If you think being an entrepreneur is going to make your life easier, chat with a few of us first!
Chhavi Agarwal from Mrs. Daaku Studio describes how the entrepreneur life isn’t as glamorous as it seems.
I quit my job as a contract lawyer because I was working 12 hours a day. I wanted time but when I started my business, I was working almost the same amount of time. In fact, every time I expanded a bit, I would find myself working day in and day out. While having your own online business comes with flexibility, the truth is – you are working a lot more unless you can outsource your work (which takes a bit of time). I won’t be lying if I said there is no vacation I don’t take my laptop to. This wasn’t the case at my 9-5 job!
Kerri Hammer, the CEO of Hammer Technical Services, talks about how if you don’t work today as a self-employee, you might not be able to eat tomorrow.
When you are self-employed, you have to take total responsibility, every hour of every day. If you didn’t work today, you won’t eat tomorrow. There is no 9-5, no assurance of the same paycheck next week, no safety net, no one to catch you when you fall, and no days off. The daily survival of yourself and your family rests entirely on your shoulders.
Hammer also talks about how to deal.
Like most of the courageous (or crazy) individuals that shake off their corporate shackles, I like the frenetic nature of being self-reliant. But just because you like unpredictability doesn’t mean it doesn’t become difficult to manage. I try to mitigate the stress of being pulled in many directions by focusing on one thing at a time. If I’m at work, I’m only at work. I’m not trying to think about invoicing, the grocery list, cleaning the house, and where to get my oil changed at the same time. You can only really do one thing at a time, so focus on that and do it well.
Tony Kelly, Founder & CEO at CameraGroove, says nothing will always turn out the way you want it to.
Don’t be disappointed if this occurs. Many modern entrepreneurs begin their ventures with a business plan in mind. While it is true that this strategy aids in the better organization of various business domains, it is not entirely correct. A venture cannot be static in such a dynamic society. Both the company plan and the individuals who make it must be flexible. Disruptiveness and the ability to adjust to a problem in an inventive approach will lead to greater outcomes.
Entrepreneurship, like everything else in life, has a dark side. However, if you truly desire anything in life, you will have to persevere through the ups and downs in order to obtain it.
