There Is No Glory in Entrepreneurship... Only More Work

For the brave soul attempting to make the jump into entrepreneurship, it is one of the most difficult journeys you’ll ever take.

I consider myself a veteran in the world of starting, building, and running start ups. I have had my share of success, but often I’ve failed miserably.

Obviously, specifying something as a failure can be subjective. Some say you’re simply learning what didn’t work and that will provide you insight when moving into your next big idea or start up. We celebrate the pain despite the results because we now have more understanding.

Regardless, failure is failure and it hurts all the same.

Lifelong entrepreneur.

Some say I’m addicted to the pain. I would agree with them. I have built online businesses, ran start ups out of the basement of my home, and more recently built and ran a brick and mortar restaurant.

I have learned a ton and it’s been one of the most expensive and useful educational experiences I have ever had. They don’t teach you what I’ve learned in any classroom.

And after running my restaurant for roughly 2 years now, I am ready to get out of the business.

No, I have not made my investment back. Yes, I am going to take a huge loss. No, I’ll never get the time back I put into this business.

And of course there are lessons learned and things that have propelled me in other parts of my life. However, as it relates to the business itself, I’d classify this business venture as a failure.

Work, work, and more work.

From the start I was doomed mostly because I spread myself too thin. I couldn’t be there to effectively run the restaurant to my expectations.

I was still putting in 60+ hours a week at my corporate job. And because I have never needed to hire and oversee a bevy employees at a brick and mortar location, I was unaware of the time needed to make sure that the business thrived.

The restaurant business is difficult. I could take comfort in the idea that I’m above water when observing looking at the numbers.

However, for the amount of effort required to continue to run the restaurant profitably, I don’t think it is worth it to continue.

Lessons not yet learned.

Of course, I appreciate the lessons learned throughout the journey, but those lessons do not make the conversation any less difficult when you’re trying to explain to your employees why it no longer is in your best interest to continue down this path.

If you put your own time, money, and resources up to open a business, you have my admiration and respect.

If you’re considering jumping into the ring… let me warn you, it’s not for the weak. It’s hard, tough, sleepless nights, stress, failure, and difficult roads ahead. That’s not to say you won’t be successful. It’s simply a warning.

And to answer the question you haven’t asked yet, the answer is YES. I am already knee deep into my next start up. What can I say? I’m addicted to the pain.