We don’t live in an ideal world that presents us opportunities at every corner. Even when we take those opportunities, it’s not like we are handed a free pass to a comfortable life and a successful business. A lot of starry-eyed entrepreneurs imagine that they’ll be successful within a couple of weeks and that their new startup will get off the ground and become something worth talking about.
Sadly, that rarely ever happens and even if your first business does become somewhat successful, that doesn’t mean the rest of your career will be smooth sailing. So whether you’re new to the game or if you’ve got some experience, here are some truths that you’ll have to learn to cope with.
People will hate you
Even if you create a product that enriches the lives of people around you, people are going to hate you. Whether they’re trying to steal your product or slander your name, someone out there is going to have so much hate for your business or your product to the point of taking legal action.
Whether it’s warranted or not, you’re going to need a team of litigation lawyers to protect you at almost every stage of your business’s growth. If you don’t have legal help, then you’re an easy target for people who are trying to make a quick buck off you or take down your business to make way for their own.
You will work harder than ever before
When people think of starting their own business, they think everything will go according to some routine and that they’ll sit in their office twiddling their thumbs while everyone around them works. This just isn’t true and even when your business has become successful, it takes a lot of hard work to remain successful and not fall into the pit of failed companies.
If you want an easy job and an easy life, then starting up a company isn’t for you. You’re going to be working harder than you used to, you’re going to be staying up after midnight speaking with clients and dealing with issues, and coffee is going to be your best friend.
You can’t make everyone happy
It could be your employees, your customers or even your investors, but at some point in your career, you’re going to make someone upset sooner or later. This is, sadly, something that has to be accepted in the world of business.
A change you make to your product might upset your customers but make your investors happy, or a change to your business could make your employees happy but upset the investors. It’s a balancing game that has to be managed carefully if you don’t want to make enemies with the wrong people, and you’re going to be forced into making difficult decisions.
Don’t let it discourage you
Hopefully, these three points haven’t put you off starting and growing your own business. Despite all of the fame and glory you could get as a business owner, you’re more likely to be a mediocre entrepreneur without much to talk about. It’s tough owning a company, and it’s best not to go into the world of business with high expectations.