Cat Stephens wrote that the first cut is the deepest. I’d imagine if he was referring to startup land, he’d have the same message. First time founder stories are chaotic. They are marked with stories of internal fighting, late hours, panic attacks and ‘almost broke’ moments. Nothing else matters while you start this potentially flawed mission. You’ve got to give it 100%. You’ve got to wear many hats to survive.

And that’s the crucial part — surviving. The survival of the company in it’s youth is build around the founder. It always is. The company could have the best idea around, but, if the founder can’t muster a team together, the idea is futile. Execution is everything. And execution depends on the founder.

The founder sets the tempo

The company will live and die by the speed of the founder. If the founder slows up, the mission grinds to a halt. If they go too fast, they go off the rails. The founder sets the tempo. You need a plan. Not just any plan, but a realistic one. Don’t get carried away with dreams of overnight success. Instead, focus on setting achievable goals that will lay the foundation for future growth. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.

Putting out the daily fires

As a founder, you wear many hats. And I mean many. In the beginning, you’ll have to be the CEO, the event planner, the salesperson, and the coffee fetcher. Embrace it. This is your company, and you need to be willing to do whatever it takes to keep it alive. No task is too small or insignificant.

You’ve got to love the problems. You’ve got to want to build systems to avoid these problems again. You need to be so in-tune with your company that you go to bed thinking of these issues and potential solutions. You are a natural born problem solver here.

Be willing to burn

If you really have hopes and dreams of brining this business to unparralleled levels, get ready to burn. Get ready to pack in almost everything outside of your work. Because that’s what it takes. There are no holidays anymore. You cannot switch off. Take a leaf out of Daniel Day Lewis’ method acting — this is all you. Speed is the name of the game in startup land. That requires unwavering commitment. 

If you want to buidl something great, think carefully. The journey requires off the charts committment and mental resolve. Lifestyle business are much easier in comparison. 

But, when you’ve been bitten by the bug, it’s hard to stop dreaming.