The struggles of a founder

AAnonymous ·September 4, 2014 ·13 answers

I’m running a startup on my own. I have no office, no employees yet, and no partners. I was trying to get a board of advisors together, but that never panned out. And, I am still working a 9-5 in the financial industry to provide for my family.

I struggle with trying to get my startup off the ground, working on my marriage (just got married two months ago), volunteering at a non-profit, trying to continue to advance at my regular job, and keeping my head on. I’m stressed all the time. At all hours.

I try to trust in God for my life and make the best decisions I can. But I feel like I need a mentor. Just don’t know anybody that can help me or counsel me. I hope I can get help soon instead of doing everything on my own.

– Founder of a great tech Startup.

13 answers from the community

AAnonymous· Sep 4, 2014

I'm running a tech startup as a solo too. It is hard if you have a lot of things you have to worry about.

It's hard to focus when you have multiple things going on. That is why I quit my job when I started mine. I am now focused on developing my own product. It has been 16 months now. So I'm basically living off my savings. The good thing is i'm still single. So no obligations.

So did I made the right decision. I would say yes.

My MVP gets a lot of users now. A social site with 15k daily users and 400+ daily signups. Traffic has been increasing. I still got a lot of work to do. And when I finish what I'm working on, I expect the traffic to grow more rapidly. I sometimes think of getting a partner so I can speed things up.

I'm still not making enough to pay my bills. So I am in a lot of stress sometimes. Startup is not easy.... I lost 20 lbs due to lack of sleep. I don't have insurance. I think I got older faster the past year. But I'm getting back to my healthy body. I got back to the gym and gaining back my lost weight.

Goodluck.

AAnonymous· Sep 4, 2014

---Ok i'm trying to reply to the original poster. Will this work ?

-----You don't need a mentor. You need some common sense. You need a priority list. You can't do all of this crap you wanna do. Virtually impossible. I'll be your mentor. Make a priority list and follow it . Your start up I guarantee you will be dead last. Where it is now.

AAnonymous· Sep 4, 2014

Don't be a jerk. Having a coach/mentor/advisor/confidante/whatever-you-want-to-call-it is a great thing for anyone, and may help provide focus. Try it sometime.

AAnonymous· Sep 4, 2014

I'm a realist.... 24 hours in a day... 60 minutes in an hour. Should I go on ?

AAnonymous· Sep 5, 2014

What is the minimum number of daily active users these days to make a decent living off of ads?

AAnonymous· Sep 5, 2014

That depends on the type of user traffic. The 15k daily users I'm talking about are mostly mobile traffic where users don't click ads. But my main business model is not display ads. I'm creating a market place and subscription service.

AAnonymous· Sep 5, 2014

Yea I just got a haircut today after holding out for a month or so. Havent even bought myself a tshirt in the last two years. I unofficially started my startup last year, and just registered it this past july. Finally worked out the right business model, idea, and product. Now it's just the profitability and prototype thing that I'm workig on. but thanks that's good stuff 16 months...is right around where I'm at as well. No real customers yet. Interesting tho,I have plenty on hold....alright I think I know what to do....

AAnonymous· Sep 4, 2014

Oh here's the comment box. --Ok. Hard to see.

AAnonymous· Sep 4, 2014

you can't be everything to everyone, including yourself

AAnonymous· Sep 5, 2014

Hmm. That's my problem. I'm too ambitious and want to do everything at once. I hate letting people down and losing opportunities.

AAnonymous· Sep 4, 2014

Who the F works 9 to 5 in the financial industry? Where are you-- Sweden?

AAnonymous· Sep 5, 2014

Network! Go to every event you can go to around work. I am a 3 time loser in startups. I can tell you exactly my problem. No tenacity. You have to want it more than you want to live. Find people that are able to join and do what you cannot and ride the wave to a ipo.

AAnonymous· Sep 5, 2014

I.P.O . is the goal huh ? WoW !

Look at Dell now. Why did they retreat ?

DO what you love, the money will follow.

Look at Zynga now. I.P.O. the goal ?

The struggles of a founder

13 answers from the community

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