Thoughts from an Honest Entrepreneur
Not gonna lie. There is very little glamor in the early stages of chasing your dreams, working for yourself, and being an entrepreneur. You are constantly inviting more and more stress into your life than may already be there. Why do it then? Why work over 100hrs a week, still make time for relationships, family, and sleep? Perhaps I am certifiably insane. I do think that could be part of it, in all honesty. However, I also know it to be more.
I know that I do what I do because there is a fire in me that won’t settle. It won’t let up. I feel as though if I were to shelve these dreams that I would be consumed by them over time. I have always dreamed of living a life that helped other people succeed. I started this journey for myself this year by starting Endangered Gentleman, a company that exists to help men take better care of themselves. So far we are growing well, making strides, and are slowly on track to disrupt the personal care market as it relates to men. I love talking about our victories, because it makes me feeling seemingly more significant. The victories are far outweighed by the long, hard days that come in between. The days that I am struggling to pay my bills, can’t sleep, and have to fight the mental battle of “what the heck am I doing with my life??” Those days are torture. The 3 and 4 am bedtimes are brtual. However, these days build towards the greatness ahead. I’m done sharing only the good things that happen. I want you to get a full picture of the good and bad days. The highs and lows. The victories and the entrenched battles. It’s the only way you can understand that I do what I do because I have to. I dont know any other way to put it.
Chasing your dreams requires a little bit of crazy to do anything of significance. One of my favorite authors, Simon Sinek, posted this to facebook the other day:
“Safe is good for sidewalks and swimming pools
but life requires risk if we are to get anywhere.”
He is absolutely right. There is no room for the status quo when it comes to doing anything that is going to improve culture or make an impact. The way things are traditionally done don’t do anything other than keep people comfortable. I’m determined to change what you know to be normal. I’m out to pick a fight with the way things have been done. I don’t know what I am doing every day. I don’t always know where my next meal is coming from, but what I do know is this:
Everything I do, and every focus that I have is angled towards helping improve people’s lives.
Sure, it would be great if everyone I know took what I do seriously, and didn’t see it as just a hobby… but even that is ok. I didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur because I wanted people to approve of me. I did this because I didn’t see any other way of making my mark on this earth than to run after what I know had been put inside of me to do. Sure, it’s terrifying. It’s stressful. It’s borderline insane. At the end of the day though it is the most fulfilling thing I have ever done in my life.
Maybe you are just like me, chasing your dreams and it seems the hard days outweigh the easy ones. These posts are for you. These posts are for your friends that may not understand your dream. These posts are for anyone that needs to connect with the authentic experience of the struggles and triumphs of being an entrepreneur.
Why am I writing this? I decided it was time for me to be honest about my experiences as an entrepreneur. So expect more things like this from me.
Until then, keep running after dreams. At the end of the day you are faster runner than they are. You’ll catch them.
Cheers.
-The Honest Entrepreneur
