Pursuing a Startup

It is hard doing a startup. It’s really hard.

I’ve always had the fantasy of inventing something new, whether it’s a physical product, a piece of groundbreaking research, or even an abstract idea, and then sharing it with a vast audience worldwide. It might be for the money, or it might be for the fame, but ultimately, I believe that even if I had everything I’d ever wanted, I’d still find joy in creating something new and sharing it with the world.

Throughout my career, I’ve noticed a trend: the size of the companies I’ve worked for has steadily decreased—from five digits to two digits, and now down to single digits. I’ve found that in smaller companies, my impact and sense of agency grow exponentially. While there are things that only large teams can achieve, these instances are so rare that they’re almost the exception rather than the rule. I feel far more fulfilled when a significant portion of the idea—say, 30%—is mine, compared to a minuscule 0.1% contribution in a larger setting.

Now, back to the topic of startups. I’ve invested tens of thousands of hours in side projects, absorbing educational content, and participating in early-stage startups. There’s this well-known rule suggesting that 10,000 hours of practice can make you an expert in any field. Despite surpassing this milestone, I don’t feel like an expert. The startup world is fraught with uncertainty, and strategies that worked in one scenario may falter in another. Fortunately, much of my acquired knowledge is transferable—the fundamentals of building a product from scratch and fundraising remain consistent, as does the importance of effective communication.

Currently, I’m at the helm of something new, a project I believe has significant potential to make an impact. Yet, I’m acutely aware that high-potential ideas are also incredibly fragile in their nascent stages and require meticulous care to flourish. Scaling from 1,000 to a million users or customers is an exciting prospect, but it’s the initial step—from zero to one—that’s truly daunting. Big ideas can often lead to early distractions. Without a solid foundation, the journey from 10 to 1,000 or even 1,000 to a million can’t begin.

So, I’m doubling down on building and finding money. After all, while passion is a crucial driver, it doesn’t cover the bills.