Thread by @dunkhippo33

Entrepreneurship is a mind game. Can you push to get that next customer by next wk? Can you stretch your dollar to get something done?

But there are plenty of HARD mental activities.

What makes it hard are the relationships involved >>

1) Yrs ago, I started a co w/ a friend. I didn't realize then that his wife was not excited about his working on a startup. She wanted him to get a stable job.

Ever since then, I spend a LOT of time getting to know SOs & spouses. They are just as impt as your co-founders.

2) Morale is so so impt. Not just your morale but everyone on your team. And all the impt ppl in their life.

Often it's hard to know what the true morale is, because you're the boss, and no one tells the boss what they really think. It's your job to find out.

3) Even if everyone is onboard and excited about the co., life happens as well.

Ppl get sick or injured. Ppl's loved ones get sick or injured. Ppl start a fam. Wrenches get thrown your way all the time.

How do you keep going? How do you respond? It's never easy.

4) And then there's incentives. You have no money. No prestige. Nothing meaningful that anyone would want to work w/ you.

Just hope. (maybe)

How do you keep everyone motivated and excited? Esp when things are not going well? How do you retain great ppl?

5) All of these things combined is what makes it hard.

You're constantly trying to fill in gaps when ppl leave (either temporarily or forever) w/ no resources. It's like a house of cards being held up by nothing while trying to play whack-a-mole at the same time.

6) This is why entrepreneurship is ups and downs and mostly downs -- even if the business is going well.

So how do you stay positive?

This is where you need to be really good at being mind control.

7) 1st: perspective. Someone leaving or not being able to get a sale is not the end of the world. It may feel like it. But it will pass.

Once, a client went over their ad budget by $45k & later wanted it back. We didn't have the cash! V stressful. But you work it out & move on.

8) 2nd: reframing. For many companies growth is slow. You haven't figured out PM fit. We often look at the slope of the curve and what's ahead more than the progress.

But if you look back at all the things you've figured out since you started, you should be proud of yourself.

9) If you are methodical about the steps you are taking, you'll get there. It's just a matter of time and putting these "thoughts" aside.

10) 3rd: Moral support / community helps!

The irony is that most founders who are starting out don't really have community. But that's probably when they need it most to help figure things out when you don't know what you are doing.

Get a community you can lean on.

11) It's lonely being a founder. You have all these problems (see above) and they are all in YOUR HEAD. The weight of the world can feel isolating.

Your fam / friends / partner won't understand. You can't always share details w/ your team.

12) Founder communities that are at the same stage as you show up in many places these days:

-accelerators
-cohort based courses
-co-working spaces
-other portfolio cos of a shared investor (if you have one)

Communities also keep you accountable.

13) 4th: coaches. Many ppl have a coach for fitness. Or a therapist. They keep you accountable, help you figure out how to improve, & push you.

I used to think they were a waste of $$. But later I realized it's one of the best investments you can make in yourself.

14) When everything is falling apart around you and you feel the weight of your team and your team's family / friends, it's impt to keep your head in the game.

Take the steps to build mental infrastructure so you can stay strong when you need to.