lessons from the trenches
Entrepreneurship looks one way from the outside—liberating, exciting and full of possibility. But once you're in it? Whole different story.
You think you’re signing up to build something great, to solve real problems, to make an impact. And yes, that’s part of it. But what they don’t tell you is that you’re also signing up for a fucking PhD in patience, resilience, discipline, and (le plus important) letting go.
Here are five lessons that have hit me the hardest so far.
1. no one is coming to save you
There’s no single breakthrough that suddenly makes everything easy—no investor, mentor, or life-changing moment that ensures a smooth ride.
The only way out is through, and the only person who can really figure it out is you.
Terrifying? Absolutely.
Freeing? Also yes.
Because once you stop waiting for validation or a golden ticket, you actually start building.
2. numbers won’t save you
I love data. It’s how I make decisions, how I help brands grow, how I see the bigger picture. But here’s the thing:
Numbers tell a story, but they’re not the whole story.
How people react to what you’re building? That’s data.
How they describe your brand in their own words? That’s data.
What they don’t say? Sometimes, that’s the most important data of all.
Knowing the numbers is good. Knowing how to read the room is better.
3. you can’t skip the hard parts
Every entrepreneur wants the fun stuff—launches, press features, big wins, the “I did that” moments.
But 80% of the game? Operations. Legal. Cash flow. Admin.
The things no one posts about but that make or break your business.
You don’t get to skip them—you just get to decide how well you handle them. The sooner you accept that, the smoother the ride.
4. your network is your currency
Forget clout. Your network isn’t about looking connected—it’s about being connected.
The people who vouch for you.
The people who send the right opportunities your way.
The people who remind you you’re not insane for doing this.
The key? It’s not about what you can take—it’s about what you can build together.
5. the plan is useless, but planning is everything
Nothing ever goes as planned. Ever.
But the process of thinking through different angles, preparing for what could go wrong, staying ready to pivot? That’s what keeps you from falling apart when things shift.
Entrepreneurship is just one long game of adapting in real time. The only way to survive is to get comfortable with that.
I could probably list a hundred more lessons, but these are the ones I feel in my bones.
Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone. It’s chaotic, exhausting, frustrating as hell.
But for those of us who can’t imagine doing anything else?
It’s worth every second.