Reflecting on My Startup Journey: Week One
What the Hell am I Doing?
Last week, I quit my job. I decided to go all-in on my startup ideas. Yes, I have more than one. I see a bunch of opportunities and I plan on trying to take advantage of them.
Let’s look back on the week and see how it went.
Overall Impressions
It is interesting to control my own time for the first time in a long time. It is good and bad. I am not always the best at controlling my time, so this is something that I have to get used to.
One thing I have a very hard time doing right now is relaxing. I feel extremely guilty if I take any breaks. That sounds like a totally healthy attitude, right? Yeah, it needs some work. But I have identified it as a problem so I am at least getting better.
Progress
I have made a good deal of progress. I have started talking to a couple potential co-founders for a fintech company. I am pretty excited about the idea and I can see my work starting to bring this new idea to life. It is only about 24 hours old at this point, so still extremely early, but it shows promise.
I have also started exploring some other potential options. This has led me to have some really good conversations and it is exciting to see the potential.
The Bad
There is a lot of negativity around my projects, mostly from inside my own head. I hear a constant voice asking me what the hell I am doing. I regularly feel like I have absolutely no clue what I am doing.
Also, my family and friends think I am crazy. My wife is freaked out. My kids have had some lovely things to say about their dad who “quit his job because he is selfish and now we are going to be homeless.” Yeah, my kids are a bit dramatic, especially since I used this as an opportunity to show them the need to sacrifice a bit for the long-term good of the family. Maybe they don’t get that new toy they wanted or that Fortnite skin. I plan on showing them what hard work and dedication to your goal can accomplish. I want them to see that short-term sacrifice can be beneficial to longer-term plans.
This has all made for a pretty lonely time. I have been combatting this by talking to others online who are trying to start companies. The best source for me so far is Y Combinator’s Startup School. Their weekly progress meeting and forum have helped me meet a couple of founders who have similar issues to mine and a potential co-founder. I am having to build a new social network for myself and this has helped me greatly.
So to put it all together, I am sad, lonely, nervous, terrified, excited, energized, and optimistic. From everything I read about launching startups, it seems like I am off to a good start.
To another big week!
