Just work a regular full time job for a while. No shame in it. And if you absolutely can’t get past the idea of being employed for a steady paycheck, then just think of it as a way to raise cash for your next venture when you get a good idea.
Ask HN: Starting over after business failure
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Re: Ask HN: Starting over after business failure
#12I wish I took some time off in between startups. I’d suggest taking some time off to clear your mind and rejuvenate. If you have the ability, traveling can help (although this is tough now with the virus outbreak).
Agreed. Many years ago I left a job that had ground me down and started the next thing immediately, which went better. But 3-4 years into it, I realized I hadn't had a proper rest in several years.
Whatever your next thing is, you should start it with fresh energy.
Re: Ask HN: Starting over after business failure
#13Go work for a big company. The work is slower and you can take a break. Big companies also mean big opportunities. And you don’t get to see what these opportunities are unless you’re on the inside. You will find some inspiration there for a great B2B company and you can leverage the connections you make there to make it happen.
All the big companies are freezing hiring. This doesn't seem like practical advice.
But running your own business is a surefire way to get to the top of an applicant list.
Re: Ask HN: Starting over after business failure
#14I took a job at a small startup for a year. It was healthy for a number of reasons -stable pay, rebuild savings -catching up on new tech I had missed while being heads down -larger teams, more socialization I had missed -time and space to decompress and process what I have learned
Agreed. Had the same experience after getting dropped from my own company by the board politically, although the business was booming. Though tried to join few corporate as a entrepreneur in house, but didn't work out. Its better to recover with small group of folks rather than big ones. It bring back the morality.
Re: Ask HN: Starting over after business failure
#15Don’t jump into startups right away. Find a company to work for, preferably one which is interesting and positive (not just any stable BigCo but not someone else’s 4 people startup either). Do that without imposing any time limit - when you’re mentally ready, the startup bug will bite. That time you’ll be better all around.
Re: Ask HN: Starting over after business failure
#16Work a job as normal and boring as you can find. Boring is, boring. But boredom is a good way to build up energy for a future run at a startup.
Also, one thing you lose working in a startup for a long period of time is perspective on what "normal" problems are. Which is why so many startups look like they only target other startups. The best ideas come from working in an industry long enough to understand the specifics about a problem, how to solve it, and who would buy it.
Re: Ask HN: Starting over after business failure
#17I’ve been there. It was incredibly stressful and tiring, especially towards the end. I could not focus on anything for weeks after, let alone think about starting something new.
Give yourself some time. Eat, sleep, work out, live - chances are you might not have done much of that lately. I would suggest travel, but maybe not right now :)
Look after yourself first, allow yourself to be bored again, the creativity and the itch will come back. But you can’t force it if you’re running on empty.
Re: Ask HN: Starting over after business failure
#18I've been there. If you want to chat (and maybe even work on something together), mail me.
Re: Ask HN: Starting over after business failure
#19It depends on your financial situation. If you can afford it, take some time off and forget about the whole thing. If you need money, I would either get a steady job or a contracting position to reestablish a stable financial situation. It’s hard to think straight while being broke.
Re: Ask HN: Starting over after business failure
#20Go work for a big company. The work is slower and you can take a break. Big companies also mean big opportunities. And you don’t get to see what these opportunities are unless you’re on the inside. You will find some inspiration there for a great B2B company and you can leverage the connections you make there to make it happen.
All the big companies are freezing hiring. This doesn't seem like practical advice.
Starting a business right now probably isn't a good idea either, so if that's the position you want to take, then there's no practical advice right now.