Most of the advice out there is about tactics: fundraising, marketing, product-market fit. But honestly, the hardest lessons I’ve learned have been about mindset, relationships, and mental stamina.
Some personal truths fr:
- Loneliness: No matter how many mentors or podcasts you binge, there are months where it feels like nobody truly gets what you’re building.
- Uncertainty: You wake up believing, go to bed doubting. There’s no external validation for a long, long time.
- Small wins matter: It’s not always the “big launch” that keeps you going, but the tiny unexpected email, the positive feedback, the day you solve a bug that’s been crushing you.
- Sacrifice: Friendships change, schedules implode. Most people only see the highlights, not the isolation or self-doubt.
I’m curious:(being a SaaS Founder myself)
- What’s one unfiltered reality you wish you’d known before starting?
- How do you handle the emotional rollercoaster during the silent phases… when there’s no traction yet and momentum feels slow?
- Any routines, mindsets, or support systems that keep you grounded through the ups and downs?
Let’s swap real stories and support, especially for newer founders who need to hear that the gritty parts are normal, and often the most important.
What’s the hardest truth you’ve faced on the founder journey?
byu/Apurv_Bansal_Zenskar inEntrepreneur
Posted by Apurv_Bansal_Zenskar
5 Comments
i have started many business at once, but I havent fully completed any of them. and I can’t give proper time to each one. Sometimes I feel like I should just focus on a job because maybe business isn’t for me. But then I think I’ll never really grow if I only stick to a job. Some days I feel motivated, but other days I get completely demotivated. Honestly, I’m just confused about what to do.
For me, the hardest truth was realizing that passion doesn’t shield you from bornout. When I started Smart Tales, I thought loving the mission (helping kids through stories) would be enough to keep me going. But building something meaningful in edtech is a rollercoaster of uncertainty and emotional ups and downs.
What keeps me grounded now iss remembering who I’m doing this for. I’ll never forget a message from a parent of an autistic child who said Smart Tales helped their kid connect with stories for the first time. That one message made all the late nights worth it.
My advice: protect your “why”. It’s the thing that keeps you steady when everything else feels shaky.
The hardest truth for me : you can0t outsource belief in your vision. Early on I kept waiting for external validation to confirm I was on the right track. But during those silent months with zero traction, I realised no one else will believe in it as much as you need to. That belief has to come from within, and it’s exausting to maintain alone. Small day wins, being honest and knowing others are in the trenches too helps cut throught the isolation and keeps me grounded. Loneliness in real. It’s making decisions that only you fully understand the weight of.
Founders sleep is optional reality checks are mandatory. Small wins feel huge when nothing else moves.
ngl this one hit diff.. that loneliness part yeah no one really prepares u for that
like you can talk to mentors all day but still feel like no one really gets what ur tryna build. There’s this weird mix of doubt & hope every day, feels like a mental gym
and yeah small wins fr keep u alive, one good feedbac & suddenly ur like ok maybe im not crazy after all
idk man I learned that slow doesn’t mean dead it’s just quiet growth but our brains dont see that right away