The Article Every First-Time (And Failed) Entrepreneur Needs to Read

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses 7 key revelations that first-time and failed entrepreneurs should consider to gain a new perspective on achieving success as a founder. The revelations cover topics such as the importance of understanding one's true motivations, the potential for success at any stage of life, the non-linear nature of startup success, and the need to focus on long-term fulfillment rather than short-term startup outcomes.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Revelation #1: Startup Success May Not Be Paramount

1. What is the author's perspective on the importance of a startup's success?

• The author suggests that for most founders, the success of their current startup may not be as critical to their overall life, finances, and future as they believe. Many founders are primarily motivated by money and career success, rather than world-changing impact.
• The author advises readers to put the success of their startup into perspective, as even failed startups can lead to future success, and the biggest turning points in the author's life happened after their biggest failures.

[02] Revelation #2: Examine Your True "Why" for Entrepreneurship

1. What are the common "whys" that the author calls into question?

• The author challenges the common entrepreneurial motivations of pursuing a passion project, changing the world, or being one's own boss. The author suggests these may not always warrant quitting a job, risking savings, or pursuing a high-growth startup.
• The author argues that the desire for money and financial freedom is a more honest and common motivation for many entrepreneurs, though they are often ashamed to admit it.

[03] Revelation #3: Your Future Success is Not Limited by Age or Past Failures

1. What is the key message about future success?

• The author emphasizes that regardless of age or past failures, individuals can still achieve significant success with a new path, product, or career. Past failures do not preclude future breakthroughs.
• The author has personally witnessed and experienced this, as have many others in the entrepreneurial community, even in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond.

[04] Revelation #4: Short-Term Pursuits May Be Immaterial to Your Longer-Term Success

1. What is the author's perspective on "lost years" and the importance of short-term pursuits?

• The author acknowledges that many of the pursuits we invest time and money into may not directly contribute to our eventual long-term success. However, the author argues that these "lost years" are not truly wasted unless we cling to ventures or careers that are beyond their prime.
• The author advises adopting the mindset that "everything happens for a reason" and being resourceful in redirecting efforts to the next best endeavor, rather than getting stuck on past failures.

[05] Revelation #5: Financial and Career Detours are Reversible

1. How does the author's personal experience inform their perspective on financial and career detours?

• The author shares their own experience of feeling despair after a startup failure, thinking their financial and career trajectory was irreversible. However, the author realized this was not the case and that the experience taught them valuable lessons about how to better manage their finances and priorities going forward.
• The key takeaway is that temporary steps backward do not have to dictate all subsequent steps forward, and that financial or career detours can be overcome.

[06] Revelation #6: Your Past Education and Career May Have Been a Step Backward

1. What are the two main takeaways the author provides about one's past education and career?

• The author suggests that for some, their schooling, childhood, or prior jobs/careers may have actually been a step backward, wasting years that could have been dedicated to more fulfilling entrepreneurial pursuits.
• This reveals that there is no "too late" or "right age" to start an entrepreneurial journey, as the "right time" is when one is mentally, financially, and logistically prepared, which could happen at various stages of life.
• Additionally, the author suggests that if one believes in the value of entrepreneurship, they may not want to hold back the next generation with prescribed timelines or institutions.

[07] Revelation #7: Focus on the Happily Ever After, Not the Ephemeral Now

1. What is the author's key message about focusing on the long-term "happily ever after"?

• The author argues that as founders, we should be more concerned with the eventual happy ending to our entrepreneurial journey, rather than the ups and downs of the current startup.
• The author suggests that if we knew with certainty there would be a bright light at the end of the tunnel, we would be less worried about the temporary challenges and disappointments along the way.
• The solution proposed is to determine what that long-term "light at the end of the tunnel" is and make steps towards it, rather than getting overly consumed by the current startup's success or failure.