The 6 *Extraordinary* Truths About Entrepreneurship I Wish I Knew Sooner
It makes you grow exponentially
Entrepreneurship looks so different for every single person.
Most people claim entrepreneurship is only for some.
You are born with this burning desire to start a business.
Or
You know nothing else than being a seasoned founder. Forever.
Ummm, sorry, but I beg to differ.
The definition of entrepreneurship is changing at lightning speed today.
Everyone’s path to being an entrepreneur evolves whether you are a writerprenuer launching multiple digital products or a VC-backed founder.
However, there are a few extraordinary truths that apply to every kind of founder. I wish I had known these truths when I started Geeks and Experts.
It would have made this experience so much more fulfilling and joyous.
But history only happens once, so the best we can do is learn and move on.
Truth #1: The Laws of Detachment
I never truly understood the concept of detachment from your efforts.
I would send a few sales emails, pitch to top journalists, attend a few VC pitching events, and then wait for someone somewhere to respond to me.
The truth is, nobody owes you any damn thing.
Whether you are a 1st time founder or had a 3x exit — nobody owes you.
You can never control the output, but you can manage the input.
That’s entirely on you!
This simple truth changed how I approached any challenging tasks as a founder. I did everything I could without expecting anything in return.
I sent that pitch and stopped imagining the “possible” news feature.
I sent that sales deck and stopped obsessing about closing the sale.
I sent a partnership proposal to a mega national network and went on.
“You are in charge of the input and you release yourself from what the output is because that’s not on you. “
— Tiffany Aliche
Detach from the output and focus on the input — it will be a game-changer.
Truth #2: People Succeed Through People
The fastest way to succeed is through community.
I learned this when I got accepted into the Techstars accelerator and realized that entrepreneurship was SO much more than raising millions.
It was about the community. It was about giving first. It was about trust and networking. It was about collective growth. And oodles of good vibes.
Every business is a people’s business — even B2B businesses sell to somebody in that business — all decisions are eventually made by people.
Even business ones. Never forget that! Relationships over everything else.
At any point, you know something somebody else won’t know enough about. And vice versa, they will know a shit ton of stuff you don’t know.
So do things other people skip, like making that introduction for a fellow founder, giving them a shout-out on LinkedIn, sending them referrals, etc.
“When I think about my business, when I think about anything that’s been successful, it has not been accidental.
I figure out what I want; I figure out who already has what I want. I ask them, “Can you share some of those steps with me?” And then I do those steps to the best of my ability.”
— Tiffany Aliche
Truth #3: Goals Ebb And Flow
I love this one so much because it truly is an empowering thought.
Pivoting is essential as an entrepreneur.
No matter what you do, the market can fluctuate, or other players can enter or AI can take up some of the pie that you were banking on.
It is okay for our goals and desires to ebb and flow.
Don’t stay too fixated and let your business shape and shift as you go.
You learn so much more when you start working on your business. Your circumstances also evolve depending on what stage of life you’re in.
It’s okay to adapt and take the path that suits you the most.
Every entrepreneur's risk appetite varies. Some want all the ducks in a row before they take the plunge and some jump off and figure it out on the way.
The most crucial part is to be risk-aware and iterate accordingly.
“Over time, as you grow your confidence, you can adopt more risk because risk looks different when you are more prepared in the broader sense.”
— Tiffany Aliche
Truth #4: Corrective Experiences
I learned this term for the first time in the Financial Feminist podcast.
Therapists describe corrective experiences as challenging the way you relate to others, how you view yourself, and how you view the past.
Allow me to share a few examples.
I was terrified of speaking in public. And then I spoke on 10+ podcasts.
I did several LinkedIn lives. I pitched my startup in front of 100s of people.
My brain began to rewire and made me believe more in myself. My confidence grew slowly but surely.
The same applies to decision-making as well. Or managing people. Or getting good with money. Or with learning how to network and grow.
“Entrepreneurship has grown me up in such a way and given me such confidence in my abilities by showing me I am capable and able of doing anything that I put my mind to.”
— Tiffany Aliche
Truth #5: You Are Your Top Investment
We get so lost in the weeds that we forget why we started our business.
As unlikely as it seems in different points of the business, it all works out.
The crucial part is to not let the stress of it outlive you.
I’ve never heard of an entrepreneur who didn’t make it big because they took a few days off. I’ve known entrepreneurs who burnt out and gave up!
The fact that you are even here reading this is a testament that you are in the top percentile of people who are on this path or want to be.
Take a deep breath and reframe the thought that you GET to do this.
It changes your whole perception of the journey.
“The number one investment is always yourself.”
— Tiffany Aliche
Protect yourself. It’s always you versus you 2, 3, or 7 years ago!
I am the founder of Geeks and Experts, and I write about PR for startups, founder wellness, immigrant founders, and writerpreneurship!
Feel free to follow me on Medium or connect with me on Twitter or LinkedIn.
