Being an entrepreneur can be incredibly rewarding.
But it is not for everyone.
You will work harder than you’ve ever worked for anyone else.
There will be setbacks, strained relationships and stress.
No wonder so many “wannabe entrepreneurs” give up!
This image by Derek Halpern sums up being an entrepreneur rather perfectly…
According to the Small Business Administration (SBA) 30% of new businesses fail during the first two years of being open, 50% during the first five years and 66% during the first 10.
Of course, enormous success is also possible and there are advantages to being an entrepreneur.
But as stated…
Before success comes in any man’s life, he is sure to meet with much temporary defeat, and, perhaps, some failure.
21 Things They Don’t Tell You About Being an Entrepreneur
(+ 15 Ways To Handle Setbacks as An Entrepreneur)
How many of these things have you experienced?
1) People want you to fail.
It is remarkable how many people will put you down when you explain you plan on being an Entrepreneur.
I mean, how dare you want to want to make something of your life!
This includes your nearest and dearest.
My first business venture was in MLM – multi-level marketing. I “failed”.
For a number of years afterwards so called friends would ask me about it – in a sneering way.
They are no longer in my life. I have moved on and built several successful businesses. They on the other hand…?
I say “failed” because you see I didn’t really fail.
I learned so much from that experience and had my first exposure to personal development.
Things that I learned at that time enriched my life in ways I could never have imagined at the time!
2) If your idea is anyway unique and shows success competitors will quickly copy you.
I started my first online business back in 1998 (yes, that long ago). By 2001 one of the leading players in the industry I was involved in, literally copied and pasted my content onto their website. I had to take legal action to defend my Intellectual Property.
3) People you employ will leave your business and set up in competition with you.
These people could even be people you consider “friends”.
Additionally in a start-up people often employ friends – this puts strains on a friendship – especially if you have to FIRE them because they aren’t a “good fit”.
4) Customers don’t pay.
Or if you have an online business, especially any type of information product, they download the content and then ask for a refund.
5) In entrepreneurship there is no concept of weekends, you work 24/7.
You go from 9-5 to 24/7!
Start-up entrepreneurs tend to work more hours than the average full time employee in order to get their company off the ground.
6) No one cares about your business as much as you do.
Employees will work the hours you pay them to work and only that.
7) Some customers and competitors will bad mouth you in public.
Some will make up lies about you and your service and publish them on review websites.
8) People will let you down.
You will pay outside people to do work for you – web developers, virtual assistants etc – and discover they have not done the work you paid them to do.
9) You will spend money on advertising that does not work.
“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don‘t know which half.”
~ John Wanamaker (1838-1922)
10) There will be legal disputes with customers, employees, suppliers.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking this won’t happen to you.
That said, these wise words from
“Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser – in fees, expenses, and waste of time. As a peacemaker the lawyer has a superior opportunity of being a good man. There will still be business enough.”
11) Software and websites will not function as promised!
This happens even after you paid good money and thought you hired the best.
12) People over promise and under deliver.
Wise entrepreneurs prefer to under promise and over deliver.
13) People waste your time.
e.g. Potential JV partners and Customers
14) Professionals will let you down.
This includes Accountants, Lawyers, Consultants etc
15) You will pay more than once to get a job done.
This has happened to me numerous times, especially when when developing software or websites.
16) Everything takes longer than you budgeted for.
This includes making a profit, launching a new website and raising funding.
17) People will let you down on their promises.
People fail to deliver on their promises and you will feel frustrated that your business is not taking off as you had hoped.
18) Being an Entrepreneur is lonely
Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey. You will experience rejection.
You will be cash-strapped and your social life will take a hit!
19) You pay yourself last!
It should not be this way, but unfortunately, for many entrepreneurs this is the case.
But it does not have to be this way…
Recommended Read: Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine
20) That BIG Order you have been promised will fail to materialize
Or if it does materialize, it cancels.
21) The above things do not happen in isolation.
Many times a number of issues will all happen at the same time.
You will experience failure after failure, after failure.
This is normal.
15 Ways To Handle Setbacks as An Entrepreneur
Great entrepreneurs take challenges in their stride, they don’t get angry.
Every day as an entrepreneur is an opportunity to learn and develop as a human.
You must carry on regardless of the current circumstances.
#1 Observe what you tell yourself.
Self-talk is real. Thoughts can be positive and encouraging or they can be dangerous.
Believe in you and your abilities to overcome. Do not entertain a negative thought, even for a second.
“The next time life punches you in the face, stop for a moment and ask yourself this simple question: What’s the counter-punch? No matter how bad the situation, no matter how hopeless it seems, there is always an opportunity to turn it to your advantage. You just have to discipline yourself to spot the opening, and then find the courage to use it.”
– Jon Morrow
#2 Take Care Of Your Body
To succeed as an entrepreneur, you need to take care of your body and health. When you experience a set-back in business, you need all your strength and fitness. With a fit and healthy body you are better prepared for handling challenges.
Unfortunately for me, it took me far too long and two brushes with death to realise that I needed to take better care of my body. In that respect, don’t be like how I was!
You don’t want to be the richest person in the graveyard!
One of the biggest benefits of exercise, apart from improving your fitness is that it increases your creativity and concentration.
That for me is the greatest reward of exercising and my favorite form of exercise is long walks in the woods. The ideas and inspiration, flow and flow!
Recommended read: Fitness Routine for Busy Entrepreneurs
#3 Raise your Adversity Quotient
To succeed as an entrepreneur you need to raise your Adversity Quotient.
An adversity quotient (AQ) is a score that measures the ability of a person to deal with adversities in his or her life.
You have to be able to handle adversity and the suck factor!
Remember…
If you can’t handle the emotional roller coaster, don’t be an entrepreneur.
Hardy individuals don’t see the world as threatening or see themselves as powerless against large events; on the contrary, they think change is normal, the world is fascinating, they can influence events, and it’s all an opportunity for personal growth.
– Geoff Colvin
#4 Ask for help
A lot of entrepreneurs are loners and find it a challenge to ask for help.
It is almost like they have failed in asking for help!
This is your silly ego speaking (remember what we said earlier about observing what you tell yourself).
A fresh pair of eyes often brings a new perspective and viewpoint. Perhaps it is just a simple tweak you need to make in your sales copy that will make all the difference. Or maybe you need someone to tell you something you already know, but which you have not yet wanted to hear?
Remember that you are not alone in business?, ?there will be other people who have gone through the exact same thing as you and are willing to help. If you are fortunate enough to be part of a Mastermind Group, this will be a good place to start asking for help.
One other tip here – based on personal experience, sometimes the biggest breakthrough from asking for help is to ask someone outside your immediate business circle – in a different industry or even someone not in business at all.
#5 Recognize that failure as a part of life
If you are afraid of failure, don’t be an entrepreneur!
Successful entrepreneurs take ownership of personal mistakes – they don’t blame others.
Blaming solves nothing – look for solutions. Think positive.
#6 Reduce Stress In Your Life
Stress comes from being overwhelmed by negative emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety, or guilt.
Exercise and mediation will help but there are other practical things you can do.
Practical things such as creating a To-Do list eliminates the worry that you forget to do something.
Not only that, it allows to break down what needs to be done into ‘chunks’ and priorities and create a plan.
As Larry Winget said…
“Nobody ever wrote down a plan to be broke, fat, lazy, or stupid. Those things are what happen when you don’t have a plan.”
Recommended Reading: Leo Babauta – 20 Ways to Eliminate Stress From Your Life
#7 What you are going through is not a reflection of your abilities.
Believe in you, don’t worry – don’t beat yourself up.
If a friend experienced a set back what you would you tell them? My bet is you would encourage them and tell them things are not so bad and that they will overcome. You deserve to tell yourself at least the same when bad things happen to you.
Never be a prisoner of your past, it was just a lesson, not a life sentence, life goes on…
#8 Be willing to be uncomfortable.
Be comfortable being uncomfortable. It may get tough, but it’s a small price to pay for living a dream ~ Peter McWilliams
Again and again, the impossible problem is solved when we see that the problem is only a tough decision waiting to be made. ~ Robert H. Schuller
#9 Sometimes you have to go backwards, to go forward
“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” ~ Alexander Graham Bell
#10 Learn from Your Mistakes
Many times what we perceive as an error or failure is actually a gift. And eventually we find that lessons learned from that discouraging experience prove to be of great worth.
~
#11 Remain Focused
What you focus on is what you get!
Experiencing problems and set-backs comes with the territory. If you loose focus of your main objective you will not reach it and your business will fail.
Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.
~ Paulo CoelhoSuccessful people maintain a positive focus in life no matter what is going on around them. They stay focused on their past successes rather than their past failures, and on the next action steps they need to take to get them closer to the fulfillment of their goals rather than all the other distractions that life presents to them.
~ Jack Canfield
#12 Every Challenge is an Opportunity
Be thankful for each new challenge because it will build your strength and character.
When you face difficult times, know that challenges are not sent to destroy you. They’re sent to promote, increase and strengthen you. ~ Anonymous
The bigger the challenge, the bigger the opportunity for growth.
#13 Don’t be realistic
Successful entrepreneurs are rarely realistic. They don’t accept NO for an answer.
A “realistic” attitude is often a thinly disguised pessimistic attitude.
Every moment is a fresh beginning. – T.S Eliot
Die with memories, not dreams. – Unknown
#14 Meditation helps you to think more clearly and positively.
This is another thing I wish I had discovered the benefits of sooner,
Meditation improves your productivity. If you are completely relaxed and stress-free, then your mind will work more effectively. The right side of our brain, which is responsible for creating new ideas, will work actively when you do meditation regularly.
#15 Make More Sales Calls
Sometimes when things go wrong in business, we neglect the most obvious strategy…
Make more sales calls!
This applies, no matter if your business is offline or online.
Have a Sale!
Make an Irresistible Offer.
Create a Killer Offer That Converts Like Crazy!
If want to get cash into your company fast and you sell a physical product (eg home improvements) go back to all those people who said no – make them a new offer.
Related:
=> Top 10 Traits Of Successful Entrepreneurs
=> 6 Traits All Entrepreneurs have in Common
Author Bio:
Barry Dunlop is a lifelong Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, Mastermind Facilitator and Sales Coach who launched his first Internet Business in 1998.
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