{"id":40013,"date":"2023-10-20T15:05:49","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:05:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/startupsmart.test\/2023\/10\/20\/the-startup-struggle-is-real-and-it-sucks-but-it-gets-better-startupsmart\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T15:05:49","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:05:49","slug":"the-startup-struggle-is-real-and-it-sucks-but-it-gets-better-startupsmart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/uncategorized\/the-startup-struggle-is-real-and-it-sucks-but-it-gets-better-startupsmart\/","title":{"rendered":"The startup struggle is real (and it sucks) \u2013 but it gets better – StartupSmart"},"content":{"rendered":"
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ntegrity founder Richenda Vermeulen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

By\u00a0Richenda Vermeulen<\/em><\/p>\n

Entrepreneurship: It\u2019s a field shrouded by inspirational quotes about reaching further, going where no one has gone before, and daring to make a difference. The reality is a bit different.<\/p>\n

Depending on who you ask, three out of four<\/a> or nine out of ten<\/a> startups will fail. And last week, Business Insider<\/i> reported<\/a> on a recent study linking entrepreneurship to depression. Of the 242 entrepreneurs surveyed, 49% reported having a mental-health condition, and 30% reported having depression. (As a point of comparison, only 7% of the US population identifies as being depressed.)<\/p>\n

This is evidence for something that entrepreneurs have sensed for a long time. It\u2019s hard to talk about. Often an entrepreneur’s greatest barrier is a roadblock that exists in their head or their heart. This is the part of startup culture that no one speaks about.<\/p>\n

No one tells you how hard it\u2019s going to be when you step out from behind your corporate desk, leaving behind any sense of job security.<\/p>\n

No one prepares you to have your identity thrust into the public sphere to be picked at, rejected, and critiqued.<\/p>\n

No one tells you what to do when your business is losing money month after month, and even your own staff are starting to wonder if this is still a good idea.<\/p>\n

No one tells you that you have to work as hard on your relationships as your work, because what\u2019s the point of success if you don\u2019t have anyone to share it with?<\/p>\n

After three years of struggle, I\u2019m finally reaping the rewards of following the entrepreneur\u2019s journey. We have a great team, amazing clients, and we\u2019re growing FAST. That\u2019s the part I love talking about. \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

The hard times<\/h3>\n

I don\u2019t love talking about the hard times. They still hurt just to remember. Here\u2019s a few:<\/p>\n