Entrepreneurs who regret starting businesses
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Re: Entrepreneurs who regret starting businesses
#2It definitely looks easier than it is. You have to want it.
Re: Entrepreneurs who regret starting businesses
#3I am 100% certain that many entrepreneurs regret their choices. But kicking off this article highlighting a person whose stated alternative to entrepreneurship was "consistent 7-figures at a management consulting firm" is laughable, as though that's an option for most people.
Re: Entrepreneurs who regret starting businesses
#4The YCombinator model seems pretty good. Try something bold when you are young, if it doesn't work out - whatev. The 1%-2% that go on to become successful are able to fund the whole system.
Re: Entrepreneurs who regret starting businesses
#5Great first article to see in the morning, while trying to bootstrap a startup! Today is gonna be a good day.
Re: Entrepreneurs who regret starting businesses
#6One of the things I learned running my first startup was that I really don't enjoy running a business. The mountains of admin work, the never-ending decision making, the constant anxiety of whether or not I made the right call, the pressure to never actually switch off and just work work work, all of the pointless 'networking' with people who're pretending to be interested ... it all adds up to a pretty horrible experience. The high points (raising a successful round, first revenue, first hires, etc) kind of make it worthwhile, and obviously an exit is nice (not that I'd know... I've never got to that point), but I don't think I'd do it again unless I have an amazing idea that I have to build.
Anyone who tells you being a C-level person in a startup is fun and glamorous isn't running a real startup.
Re: Entrepreneurs who regret starting businesses
#7I don’t know that I fully regret starting a business but boy does it suck like 90% of the time.
I’m fortunate in that the business does really well, but…. I just can’t stand it anymore. The stress, the boring, the frustrating, the getting taken advantage of, the weekend hours….
I suppose I fell a little bit into the trap of someone wanting to open a cafe because they like being at a cafe… well I like programming, I like solving problems… but running a business (and a successful one at that) is tough.
I can see why most CEOs are non-technical, because it’s a special type of sadistic person who would ask for this.
I’ve tried steering the ship towards some goal or task that would maybe make things better but there’s no point. The business is on autopilot.
The business is like it’s own person with its own wants, needs, desires… and they come first. They always come first. Bending over backwards to keep something running, get some bug fixed, satisfying some customer, putting out fires… takes higher priority than friends, family, personal time, etc…
It has to. I can’t let the business suffer. People depend on its success, most of all my family.
I can understand why the rich suffer so.
Re: Entrepreneurs who regret starting businesses
#8Entrepreneurship is like one of those carnival games where you throw darts or something.
Middle class kids can afford one throw. Most miss. A few hit the target and get a small prize. A very few hit the center bullseye and get a bigger prize. Rags to riches! The American Dream lives on.
Rich kids can afford many throws. If they want to, they can try over and over and over again until they hit something and feel good about themselves. Some keep going until they hit the center bullseye, then they give speeches or write blog posts about "meritocracy" and the salutary effects of hard work.
Poor kids aren't visiting the carnival. They're the ones working it.
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Original comment from notacoward here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15659076
Re: Entrepreneurs who regret starting businesses
#9I am 100% certain that many entrepreneurs regret their choices. But kicking off this article highlighting a person whose stated alternative to entrepreneurship was "consistent 7-figures at a management consulting firm" is laughable, as though that's an option for most people.
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Re: Entrepreneurs who regret starting businesses
#10I started, boostrapped and sold a SaaS business.
By most standards, this was a resounding success. I won't have to work again ever if I don't want to. This being my first company, I was obsessed with it. Towards the end, I burnt myself out, I had neglected my wife and kids for years, and I was just so miserable. I used to love programming, but I could not concentrate anymore. I started developing resentment against the entitlement of the software engineers I would hire. My heart was broken every time I would read articles/comments on HN about how working for a start up is a scam that only benefits the founders.
It was time to get out. I was lucky that I sold in 2021, when the multiples were higher than ever. But I have lost my marriage along the way, and I have definitely lost a few years of life expectancy.
I really wonder if it was really all worth it. I know at the end of the day though I had to go through that. I had to see it with my own eyes.
In the end, things worked out for me. I can't even fathom how I would feel if the whole thing had failed. I really came to the conclusion that most of the time, starting a company is for suckers.