Cryptix offers some sage advice for entrepreneurs in a post at Medium titled, “10 Things You Don’t Want to Hear About Founding a Startup, But Need to.”
Dr Jeff Cornwall
Co-founder of The Entrepreneurial Mind, serial entrepreneur and professor of entrepreneurship.
I really like how this article was direct with the good the bad and the ugly of founding at startup. I really like how the authors described it as a marathon and not a sprint. This resonated with me because I have always just thought that things just happen. There are years of work that need to go becoming successful.
The post at Medium touches on many of the points we learn from our teachers and mentors. Being an entrepreneur is not for everyone. In fact, many things that require discipline and hard work inspire a sense of loneliness. Consider the similarities between great entrepreneurs and professional athletes; both must be incredibly focused and extraordinarily committed. Knowing how to practice effectively may accelerate the journey or increase the likelihood of success. Hearing “the things you don’t want to hear” from those you trust being reinforced across multiple sources is good reinforcement.
The 10 statements listed in the Medium article are definitely hard pills to swallow. Entrepreneurs can get defensive after putting time and money into something. The point that stood out most to me was that you can be in the right place at the wrong time. With too much investment it can be hard to ignore the flags that may signal it is the wrong time for this idea but this false sense of hope isn’t helping anyone.
This article highlights advice that everyone founding a startup needs to know going into it. This is broken into things such as right place but wrong time, not knowing things, and stuff can charge quickly.
After reading this article, I truly understand the meaning of the 10 statements being hard pills to swallow, At times, we think we can do anything and everything but when theres something out of reach it sets in hard for some that won’t go above and beyond for what they want in life. This type of life theres a need for having a strong work ethic, along with very strong disipline actions like committing most of your time to building the business you want one day to succeed.
My favorite piece of advice from this article was that you can be in the right place but at the wrong time. I think in the past especially I have gotten so hung up on ideas that seem like they are completely the right thing, and then I talk to people and my idea doesn’t line up with what they want. But it’s great to keep in mind that this doesn’t mean that the entire idea is wrong, it just might be the timing that isn’t perfect yet.
I think the idea is important but, everyone can have an idea. The important part how you execute the idea. The execution/plan is not an easy road to go down it truly is a marathon. Timing is a hard thing to get right. Waiting for the “superman” can be dangerous but, waiting for the right time is important.
I think what I want to avoid hearing is that mistakes are bound to happen. I step out of my comfort zone every now and then but I like to do things I’m good at. Doesn’t everybody? Going into a new business, knowing there will be failures is a hard pill to swallow. But I am hoping as I grow through my entrepreneurial career, I will be able to take all failures and mistakes and learn from them.