The shit & the struggle
The side of solopreneurship people don't talk that much about
What you mostly see about being an entrepreneur are the success stories. John started his business and, within two months, managed to generate 10k in sales. Phoebe, who was just thinking about starting a business, got invited to pitch on national TV. Or maybe you see Steve driving a Lamborghini, supposedly paid for with last week's profit. It’s easy to think that making money as an entrepreneur is a breeze.
But you? You’re struggling. You barely get by. When you break down what you earn per hour, it’s next to nothing—kids with a paper route are making more (yes, I have been there..). Getting customers is hard. You started your business for more freedom, but now your "free time" is consumed with worry about not making enough money. Nothing enjoyable about that! When you first started, everything seemed easy—no problem. But a few months in, you realize it’s anything but.
Soon, the doubts start to creep in. Maybe you're not cut out for this. When you see all those success stories, you feel like you're failing. Lately, you've even been thinking about quitting. Those quitting thoughts are coming more often now...
Wait! Stop wallowing in self-pity. That doesn’t help at all. It’s time for a shift in perspective. A reality check.
I've been there. I’ve felt like a total failure. I couldn’t make it work. I’m smart, right? So why can’t I figure this out? Why do others seem to succeed while I’m stuck struggling? Then, I started talking to other solopreneurs and found out—they all struggle. What you see isn’t the whole story.
To illustrate:
The person posting about how great their life as an entrepreneur is? They’d rather stay in bed because they’ve lost all of their passion for the business.
That Lambo? It’s rented. For an hour.Â
Those 10k months? Don’t get me started. Maybe the costs are 9.9k. Maybe it's a one-time thing followed by 10 months of nothing. Maybe it took three years of failure to get there. You don’t know the whole story.
The instant success? That might be their tenth attempt at building a business.
Being an entrepreneur is hard. It takes effort. It takes mistakes, learning, and growing. Don’t be fooled by other people’s success stories—make your own. You're not alone in your struggles. Do what needs to be done. If that means taking a part-time job to pay the bills while you build your dream, do it. If you're struggling to find clients, don't give up—find a way that works for you. Be proud of your journey. It's all part of the process. Keep going, you will get there!