Entrepreneurship Is 5x Harder Than You Imagined

12 Aug 2023 · 1 min

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In this brief motivational monologue, the speaker warns prospective entrepreneurs that starting a business is far more difficult than commonly believed—approximately five times harder. Citing the Small Business Administration’s statistic that 50% of new businesses fail within five years and noting even higher failure rates from other sources, the speaker emphasizes the need for strong mental preparation. He highlights three concrete early‑stage hurdles: securing a loan, achieving the first sale, and hiring a top‑tier employee. Drawing on his Aikido experience, he likens the journey to earning a black belt, stressing that the intense training, sweat, and blood are only the beginning and that lasting success requires resilience and a long‑term commitment.

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If you think being an entrepreneur is tough, you're wrong. You're underestimating. Entrepreneurship is not for most people. So if you choose to move forward, be ready, be mentally ready that it's going to be 5 times harder than you think. The SBA says 50% of new businesses fail within 5 years. Other sources report faster and higher failure rates. So prepare yourself mentally for the challenges of building your own business. Know that it's going to be harder to get that loan. get that first sale, and to get that star hire. So be ready. I learned in Aikido that all the hard work, training, sweat, and blood that goes into a black belt is just the beginning. So yes, have the skills, but also have the resiliency to be in it for the long haul.