Sold my last startup to an interested party due to feeling stressed/burnt out as a solo founder. Got a job at another startup thinking it’d be great.
A position with lots of responsibility without the stress of being a founder? Sounded perfect.
I’m a fast-paced worker. Like to execute new ideas quickly. But even though I’m working for a small startup, it sometimes takes weeks for new ideas to be approved, even though I’m technical and could deliver right away.
It’s not much different than working for a large corporation. Everyone on the team (yes, the team—not the department) needs to have their say before anything gets pushed through. It’s unproductive and I’ve voiced my concerns, to no avail.
I miss the days of having the freedom to try new things and deliver quickly, as long as it was in the company’s best interest.
After trying really hard not to go the founder route again, I’m already working on a side project on weekends because it at least gives me the freedom to execute and feel excited + alive.
Has anybody else had a hard time adjusting to becoming an employee after being a founder? Is this normal?