Page 9 - iNetrepreneurfall2019

Why is Entrepreneurship

so HARD??

-by Jay Fiset

You might question the subject of this article if you spend 5 minutes on Facebook reading and seeing
images and stories of entrepreneurs being so joyful, profitable, and living an easy life while they hang
out on the beach in Hawaii, helicopter to a yacht in the Mediterranean, or frolicking in the surf with
their sexy partner.

These two things don’t add up. to become an entrepreneur, exceptional employee are not
So I want to do a quick reality things like independence, the same as the beliefs, traits,
check: resourcefulness, willingness to and characteristics that make an
risk… all-powerful and meaningful exceptional entrepreneur.
80% of entrepreneurs starting a abilities for entrepreneurs…also
business fail within the first 18 have a dark side. That may seem obvious, and
months. yet time and again I encounter
The truth is that for most of us, our a successful employee who
30% of entrepreneurs suffer from greatest weakness is our greatest believes that they are ready to
depression compared to 7% of the strength turned up too loud. This tackle entrepreneurship on their
general population. is where independence turns into own. It’s a recipe for failure and
loneliness, resourcefulness turns disaster.
These are just the cold hard into making things harder than
facts, and don’t get me started they need to be, and willingness The failure rate would drop
about the quality of their primary to risk becomes betting the farm. significantly if people who are not
relationships and the connection So what should an informed equipped for entrepreneurship
with their kids. It’s usually non- and savvy entrepreneur do to simply did not start!
existent. increase their odds for success
and happiness? Now if you are cut out for
“Successful” entrepreneurs are
notorious for not being there Let’s start with the truth. entrepreneurship, it is vital to
and having strained familial recognize that it is still not a walk in
relationships. So what the hell is I believe that the first truth the park and your most powerful
going on? that MUST be told is that business skill is self-awareness,
entrepreneurship is NOT for an objective view of yourself.
Clearly, there are many everybody. The reality is that
contributing factors but I want to many entrepreneurs are simply For most entrepreneurs, their
zero in on a few. Entrepreneurs not cut out to cope with the greatest weakness is simply their
in today’s world have been sold a pressure, inconsistency, and self- greatest strength turned up too
dream that is fundamentally not motivation that is required to be loud. Entrepreneurs leaning
true. successful. too heavily on their strengths
create blindspots that harm their
Some of the traits that make it The beliefs, traits, and business.
possible for you to take the leap
characteristics that make an

7