Confessions (page 2) — Startups Anonymous

My startup was my life's work. It has been closed for over a year and I have found a good job. I am now working for a great startup doing exciting work, but it feels like I am building someone else's dream. I can't get used to it.

Confessions·Dec 1, 20172

My company is funded. Solo Entrepreneur. Have to raise $3M-$5M to go into production. Multiple leads into due diligence, no closings. Morale is low. Trudging. Drinking too much. They say keep at it with their support – all just words.

Confessions·Nov 25, 20173

Even though my startup is about to pass the £1m ARR mark, it's taken 5 years to get there, the niche we operate in isn't giving the growth we need to get excited, and I dunno whether to continue, sell, give up, or pivot.

Confessions·Nov 21, 20175

I was depressed, and even now that I'm feeling much much better I’m afraid to apply to new jobs because of the gap on my resume. The real irony is that I'm a leader in the mental health tech space.

Confessions·Nov 11, 20174

I was coding for a startup whose CEO cannot make decisions, the CTO doesn't know the difference between front-end and back-end and the VP of Sales sells not-existing products. I resigned today. I wonder how such clowns can raise money.

Confessions·Oct 24, 20173

I left a high paying, stable job to be a co-founder in a startup, which is about to die. And… I'm SO thrilled. I cant wait to go back to my old job. I should be embarrassed for failing but I'm too excited to not have the world on my shoulders

Confessions·Oct 16, 20171

'We just hit our 1,000,000th user!' 'We just billed $10,000,000' posted the founder on Facebook right before their company died.

Confessions·Oct 8, 20172

I wish I'd known how liberating and empowering ending a startup could be. I felt like my life was ruined when I made the decision, but now that it's all over, I feel like I have my whole life to spend on problems I actually CARE about!

Confessions·Oct 6, 20172

I am Fed-up with "build my app for exposure/free". Why the HK would I work for you for free when I cna work for Ubuntu/Firefox/Android/Chrome for free(great exposure and no equity) Bl*dy startups, every T**t thinks I'll now work for nought.

Confessions·Sep 19, 201712

I want out. How do you give up on something successful? If it ruined your life and happiness? I can't anymore. I thought I wanted it bad enough. I don't know what else I might do. But 4 years of pain is finally too much. It's like killing my own baby

Confessions·Aug 20, 20173

The problem we picked was technically way too hard and beyond my depth. As a tech-cofounder I've been getting three hours of sleep a night because every problem I fix causes three other unexpected ones.

Confessions·Aug 8, 20176

I am a CTO Co-Founder of a failed startup of 4years. What job can i get now? I can code but don’t want job as purely a coder. I can do sales but don’t want a pure sales job. What the hell do I do?

Confessions·Jul 10, 20177

Woke up painfully at 10:30. Worked a bit. Ate from 1pm to 3:30pm. Had a nap from 3:30 to 4. It’s 4 and I don’t have the energy to do anything. What happened to me?

Confessions·Jun 26, 20173

My startup launched with significant hype. After a few months I could see clearly that we were not going to get any traction. I still went out and raised money to try to make it stick – some from naive investors. Turns out I was right, we folded.

Confessions·May 27, 201712

We hit success and it can really be huge. I am too depressed to get out of bed many days. Faking it for a few months now. Has anyone ever come out of this? How long? Doing everything in my power to take care of myself but this is frighteningly long

Confessions·May 17, 20177

Somedays I look around at the success others are having and wonder what the hell I'm doing wrong. Am I not hustling hard enough or do I just suck at what I'm doing?

Confessions·Apr 17, 20174

I've created a profitable business, low 7 figures revenue, growing 30% a year, but I'm overweight, back issues, migraines. Burnt out and hard to do anything.

Confessions·Mar 28, 20174

Just shut down a service that I've poured my heart into for 4 years. I am sad. The weather is so beautiful outside. The sun is shining. People are laughing. Dogs are barking. Think I'll take a walk outside.

Confessions·Mar 23, 20173

I think Hackathons are just a tool to take advantage of entrepreneurs. They make it seem fun but the reality is that the pressure and unpaid work that you do is a toxic combination.

Confessions·Mar 17, 20174

I finally gave up on my startup after three years. It was the only thing I've ever wanted to do and I don't even have that anymore… I just don't want to feel so worthless for the rest of my life

Confessions·Mar 15, 20173

Shit sandwich. We're gonna go from 4 people to 2. I'm gonna be the one to tell them. Feels like a failure.

Confessions·Feb 24, 20178

Help: My startup is great but Im suffering. I'm a sole founder and been in and out of depression. I don't think it's supposed to feel this way. Maybe I'm not suited for this. Shutting down is impossible to conceive of. Where do I draw the line?

Confessions·Feb 21, 20174

I feel unable to set boundaries with my cofounder. The startup I'm in started as a fun side project and I didn't expect it to grow so quickly. All the talk of commitment has me terrified but I don't want to let him down.

Confessions·Feb 12, 20173

A company I built went from making 1-2 million a year for eight years to 30k this year. I'm letting the company fold. I'm afraid to become an employee for someone else and let the founders profit off my ideas while I get a pat on the back. Sadness.

Confessions·Feb 1, 20173

Brought some cofounders in right away to an idea. They were sold on it! Great, let’s get to work, two of them were working full time. They were slacking, I got very bossy so I kicked them off the team. We’re still in idea mode.

Confessions·Jan 30, 2017

I respond to challenges with "go big or go home". Sometimes I think that it is all just to cover how fucking insignificant I feel

Confessions·Jan 6, 20176

I feel defeated. I'm sick of chasing clients for payment, worrying about business, & always being a few months from total collapse. YET, I can't imagine going to work for someone else again. Am I just weak or do others feel like this sometimes?

Confessions

I'm 8 months pregnant and my company is currently using my pregnancy to terminate my position.

When a day starts like today has I question why I continue to put myself through this ringer.

Is everyone I meet a crypto-millionaire?

My startup was my life's work. It has been closed for over a year and I have found a good job. I am now working for a great startup doing exciting work, but it feels like I am building someone else's dream. I can't get used to it.

My company is funded. Solo Entrepreneur. Have to raise $3M-$5M to go into production. Multiple leads into due diligence, no closings. Morale is low. Trudging. Drinking too much. They say keep at it with their support – all just words.

Even though my startup is about to pass the £1m ARR mark, it's taken 5 years to get there, the niche we operate in isn't giving the growth we need to get excited, and I dunno whether to continue, sell, give up, or pivot.

I was depressed, and even now that I'm feeling much much better I’m afraid to apply to new jobs because of the gap on my resume. The real irony is that I'm a leader in the mental health tech space.

I was coding for a startup whose CEO cannot make decisions, the CTO doesn't know the difference between front-end and back-end and the VP of Sales sells not-existing products. I resigned today. I wonder how such clowns can raise money.

I left a high paying, stable job to be a co-founder in a startup, which is about to die. And… I'm SO thrilled. I cant wait to go back to my old job. I should be embarrassed for failing but I'm too excited to not have the world on my shoulders

'We just hit our 1,000,000th user!' 'We just billed $10,000,000' posted the founder on Facebook right before their company died.

I wish I'd known how liberating and empowering ending a startup could be. I felt like my life was ruined when I made the decision, but now that it's all over, I feel like I have my whole life to spend on problems I actually CARE about!

I am Fed-up with "build my app for exposure/free". Why the HK would I work for you for free when I cna work for Ubuntu/Firefox/Android/Chrome for free(great exposure and no equity) Bl*dy startups, every T**t thinks I'll now work for nought.

I want out. How do you give up on something successful? If it ruined your life and happiness? I can't anymore. I thought I wanted it bad enough. I don't know what else I might do. But 4 years of pain is finally too much. It's like killing my own baby

The problem we picked was technically way too hard and beyond my depth. As a tech-cofounder I've been getting three hours of sleep a night because every problem I fix causes three other unexpected ones.

I am a CTO Co-Founder of a failed startup of 4years. What job can i get now? I can code but don’t want job as purely a coder. I can do sales but don’t want a pure sales job. What the hell do I do?

Woke up painfully at 10:30. Worked a bit. Ate from 1pm to 3:30pm. Had a nap from 3:30 to 4. It’s 4 and I don’t have the energy to do anything. What happened to me?

My startup launched with significant hype. After a few months I could see clearly that we were not going to get any traction. I still went out and raised money to try to make it stick – some from naive investors. Turns out I was right, we folded.

We hit success and it can really be huge. I am too depressed to get out of bed many days. Faking it for a few months now. Has anyone ever come out of this? How long? Doing everything in my power to take care of myself but this is frighteningly long

Somedays I look around at the success others are having and wonder what the hell I'm doing wrong. Am I not hustling hard enough or do I just suck at what I'm doing?

I've created a profitable business, low 7 figures revenue, growing 30% a year, but I'm overweight, back issues, migraines. Burnt out and hard to do anything.

Just shut down a service that I've poured my heart into for 4 years. I am sad. The weather is so beautiful outside. The sun is shining. People are laughing. Dogs are barking. Think I'll take a walk outside.

I think Hackathons are just a tool to take advantage of entrepreneurs. They make it seem fun but the reality is that the pressure and unpaid work that you do is a toxic combination.

I finally gave up on my startup after three years. It was the only thing I've ever wanted to do and I don't even have that anymore… I just don't want to feel so worthless for the rest of my life

Shit sandwich. We're gonna go from 4 people to 2. I'm gonna be the one to tell them. Feels like a failure.

Help: My startup is great but Im suffering. I'm a sole founder and been in and out of depression. I don't think it's supposed to feel this way. Maybe I'm not suited for this. Shutting down is impossible to conceive of. Where do I draw the line?

I feel unable to set boundaries with my cofounder. The startup I'm in started as a fun side project and I didn't expect it to grow so quickly. All the talk of commitment has me terrified but I don't want to let him down.

A company I built went from making 1-2 million a year for eight years to 30k this year. I'm letting the company fold. I'm afraid to become an employee for someone else and let the founders profit off my ideas while I get a pat on the back. Sadness.

Brought some cofounders in right away to an idea. They were sold on it! Great, let’s get to work, two of them were working full time. They were slacking, I got very bossy so I kicked them off the team. We’re still in idea mode.

I respond to challenges with "go big or go home". Sometimes I think that it is all just to cover how fucking insignificant I feel

I feel defeated. I'm sick of chasing clients for payment, worrying about business, & always being a few months from total collapse. YET, I can't imagine going to work for someone else again. Am I just weak or do others feel like this sometimes?

Confessions

I'm 8 months pregnant and my company is currently using my pregnancy to terminate my position.

When a day starts like today has I question why I continue to put myself through this ringer.

Is everyone I meet a crypto-millionaire?

My startup was my life's work. It has been closed for over a year and I have found a good job. I am now working for a great startup doing exciting work, but it feels like I am building someone else's dream. I can't get used to it.

My company is funded. Solo Entrepreneur. Have to raise $3M-$5M to go into production. Multiple leads into due diligence, no closings. Morale is low. Trudging. Drinking too much. They say keep at it with their support – all just words.

Even though my startup is about to pass the £1m ARR mark, it's taken 5 years to get there, the niche we operate in isn't giving the growth we need to get excited, and I dunno whether to continue, sell, give up, or pivot.

I was depressed, and even now that I'm feeling much much better I’m afraid to apply to new jobs because of the gap on my resume. The real irony is that I'm a leader in the mental health tech space.

I was coding for a startup whose CEO cannot make decisions, the CTO doesn't know the difference between front-end and back-end and the VP of Sales sells not-existing products. I resigned today. I wonder how such clowns can raise money.

I left a high paying, stable job to be a co-founder in a startup, which is about to die. And… I'm SO thrilled. I cant wait to go back to my old job. I should be embarrassed for failing but I'm too excited to not have the world on my shoulders

'We just hit our 1,000,000th user!' 'We just billed $10,000,000' posted the founder on Facebook right before their company died.

I wish I'd known how liberating and empowering ending a startup could be. I felt like my life was ruined when I made the decision, but now that it's all over, I feel like I have my whole life to spend on problems I actually CARE about!

I am Fed-up with "build my app for exposure/free". Why the H**K would I work for you for free when I cna work for Ubuntu/Firefox/Android/Chrome for free(great exposure and no equity) Bl***dy startups, every T**t thinks I'll now work for nought.

I want out. How do you give up on something successful? If it ruined your life and happiness? I can't anymore. I thought I wanted it bad enough. I don't know what else I might do. But 4 years of pain is finally too much. It's like killing my own baby

The problem we picked was technically way too hard and beyond my depth. As a tech-cofounder I've been getting three hours of sleep a night because every problem I fix causes three other unexpected ones.

I am a CTO Co-Founder of a failed startup of 4years. What job can i get now? I can code but don’t want job as purely a coder. I can do sales but don’t want a pure sales job. What the hell do I do?

Woke up painfully at 10:30. Worked a bit. Ate from 1pm to 3:30pm. Had a nap from 3:30 to 4. It’s 4 and I don’t have the energy to do anything. What happened to me?

My startup launched with significant hype. After a few months I could see clearly that we were not going to get any traction. I still went out and raised money to try to make it stick – some from naive investors. Turns out I was right, we folded.

We hit success and it can really be huge. I am too depressed to get out of bed many days. Faking it for a few months now. Has anyone ever come out of this? How long? Doing everything in my power to take care of myself but this is frighteningly long

Somedays I look around at the success others are having and wonder what the hell I'm doing wrong. Am I not hustling hard enough or do I just suck at what I'm doing?

I've created a profitable business, low 7 figures revenue, growing 30% a year, but I'm overweight, back issues, migraines. Burnt out and hard to do anything.

Just shut down a service that I've poured my heart into for 4 years. I am sad. The weather is so beautiful outside. The sun is shining. People are laughing. Dogs are barking. Think I'll take a walk outside.

I think Hackathons are just a tool to take advantage of entrepreneurs. They make it seem fun but the reality is that the pressure and unpaid work that you do is a toxic combination.

I finally gave up on my startup after three years. It was the only thing I've ever wanted to do and I don't even have that anymore… I just don't want to feel so worthless for the rest of my life

Shit sandwich. We're gonna go from 4 people to 2. I'm gonna be the one to tell them. Feels like a failure.

Help: My startup is great but Im suffering. I'm a sole founder and been in and out of depression. I don't think it's supposed to feel this way. Maybe I'm not suited for this. Shutting down is impossible to conceive of. Where do I draw the line?

I feel unable to set boundaries with my cofounder. The startup I'm in started as a fun side project and I didn't expect it to grow so quickly. All the talk of commitment has me terrified but I don't want to let him down.

A company I built went from making 1-2 million a year for eight years to 30k this year. I'm letting the company fold. I'm afraid to become an employee for someone else and let the founders profit off my ideas while I get a pat on the back. Sadness.

Brought some cofounders in right away to an idea. They were sold on it! Great, let’s get to work, two of them were working full time. They were slacking, I got very bossy so I kicked them off the team. We’re still in idea mode.

I respond to challenges with "go big or go home". Sometimes I think that it is all just to cover how fucking insignificant I feel

I feel defeated. I'm sick of chasing clients for payment, worrying about business, & always being a few months from total collapse. YET, I can't imagine going to work for someone else again. Am I just weak or do others feel like this sometimes?

I am Fed-up with "build my app for exposure/free". Why the HK would I work for you for free when I cna work for Ubuntu/Firefox/Android/Chrome for free(great exposure and no equity) Bl*dy startups, every T**t thinks I'll now work for nought.