Successful, but Burnt-Out Founder Quits Start-Up Life, Advises: ‘No Shame in 9-to-5 Jobs if You Are Happy’
Not every entrepreneurial endeavor leads to success. Leaving behind a predictable and routine nine-to-five job for the allure of making a mark in the startup ecosystem might seem exciting, yet the outcome often falls short of the aspirations.
Consider the story shared on a popular salary and career discussions platform, where a disheartened startup owner opened up about his journey from quitting a high-paying job to facing entrepreneurship challenges. He candidly confessed, “I failed as a founder.” His admission stemmed from realizing he was more enamored with the idea of being a founder than actually prepared to confront the complexities of the role. “I wanted to be a founder. Turns out, I just liked the idea of being a founder. It took me two years, many sleepless nights, and more stress than I imagined to admit this,” he wrote.
Under the alias ‘GrizzledTrillion,’ he recounted how a profound dissatisfaction with his routine life in 2021 drove him to act. Feeling he was letting valuable time slip away, he resigned from his job, secured funding, and embarked on building a venture that eventually turned profitable.
“Had a salary of Rs 50 LPA as a VP Of Ops, job security, weekends off, life sorted. But no, that wasn’t enough. LinkedIn posts, podcast founders, and million-dollar valuations made me feel like I was wasting my life not building the next big thing,” he reflected.
Reflecting on 2022, he described a year marked by outward success: “We developed a solid product, attracted paying customers, and reached operational profitability. There was no reckless spending, no major setbacks. By conventional standards, everything seemed to be on track.”
However, he confessed these accomplishments didn’t lead to personal fulfillment. “Throughout this journey, something felt inherently wrong. My team was genuinely excited about solving challenges, but I felt like I was just going through the motions. Each morning, I woke up wondering, is this all there is?”
This inner turmoil culminated in a panic attack. He realized he wasn’t cut out for the relentless demands of entrepreneurship. “It’s not just about working hard; it’s the constant decision-making, the never-ending uncertainty. I wasn’t invested in the problem we were addressing; I was more captured by the allure of being a founder,” he admitted.
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The unrelenting stress affected his well-being profoundly. “The pressure was mounting. I hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep in months. My personal relationships were unraveling. My mental health? Completely deteriorated. On paper, I had built something successful, but it was utterly draining me,” he disclosed.
Ultimately, he made the hard decision to step away. “This is me, calling it quits,” he announced. He explained that although he hadn’t failed at building a viable business, he fell short in embracing the role of a founder. Assuring the company was responsibly handling its employees and returning unspent funding, he reflected on what he’d learned.
He shared five crucial lessons: firstly, not everyone is suited for the entrepreneurial path and that the “founder” title is overrated. Secondly, success does not guarantee happiness and mental health should always take precedence over professional achievements. Lastly, he emphasized the often-undervalued significance of stability.
The narrative echoes larger trends within the Indian startup ecosystem. A 2018 study noted that 90% of Indian startups fail within their first five years, primarily due to a lack of innovation. Despite aspirations to become the third-largest startup ecosystem worldwide, India grapples with mounting challenges, including rising unemployment as more startups close their doors.
The sharp decline in IT startups, dropping to 800 in the first nine months of 2017 from over 6,000 in 2016, highlights ongoing hurdles. Though the valuation of Indian startups has surged over four years, a significant percentage of venture capitalists believe these businesses lack distinctive models.
Industries such as logistics, e-commerce, and food technology have been particularly affected by these failures, driven by a repetitive adoption of Western business models. As one industry expert noted, “Since 2015, 1,503 startups in India have shut down. The primary issue isn’t a lack of investor funding but the repetitive adoption of Western business models.”
The founder’s personal journey underscores that while the startup world can promise success and fame, it does not suit everyone and isn’t the only path to fulfillment. There’s no shame in opting for a stable nine-to-five job if it means being happy.
