How the world’s most successful founders approach failure
Failure.
For many startup founders, it’s a badge of honor worn with more pride than overpriced hoodies, Apple watches, and merino wool loafers.
The fail fast; fail often philosophy even inspired FailCon, an entire conference dedicated to embracing failure.
“In the startup world, failure is almost synonymous with learning experience,” says Erica Zidel, founder of an online babysitting co-op,
“Being a founder who has failed before signals to the community that you’ve done this before, and you’ve gathered information on what doesn’t work, and are better armed to create something that does.”
Unfortunately, most startups dissolve 20 months after their final financing round, which raises two important questions:
- Is failure absolutely necessary on the path to entrepreneurial success?
- And, if so, how much failure is too much?
As VC Bruno Bowden told the Guardian, investors only tolerate failure up to a point:
“You won’t get funding unless you’re credible,” he says. “One previous…
