Warning: These Truths About Entrepreneurship Might Surprise You!

When you start thinking about launching a business, it feels like everyone has something to say—and not all of it is helpful.

“Most businesses fail.”
“If I were you, I wouldn’t do it.”
“You won’t make money for at least five years!”

I’ll be the first to tell you—it’s not all roses. It’s not always easy, and success is certainly not guaranteed.

But here’s something else I’ll warn you about:

~ You won’t believe the amazing people you’ll meet on this journey.

~ You’ll build so much trust and faith in yourself and your abilities.

~ Win or lose, you’ll become a better version of yourself.

Over the past decade in business, I’ve learned how to create marketing plans, give speeches, ask for loans, draft (sort of) business plans, unclog toilets, order merchandise, and find common ground with just about anyone.

I asked some of our CoHo members—who are in business for themselves—what warnings they’d give to someone just starting out. Here’s what they said:

P: Warning: You’ll develop a deep sense of personal fulfillment and accomplishment.

G: Warning: You’ll learn pretty quickly how to fail. I know it’s a weird thing to celebrate, but it teaches you how to respond positively when things don’t go as planned. Plus, that’s often where the best ideas and inspirations come from.

H: Warning: You’ll learn to adjust course, but that doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path. You’ll learn to trust yourself.

I didn’t stop there. I reached out to some of my closest friends—also very successful business owners—for their hot take. Here are their warnings:

A: Warning: Be prepared that only 20% of your time will be spent on what your business is actually about. The other 80%? Sales. 

A: Warning: You'll want to read and re-read The Science of Getting Rich every year.

J: Warning: You’ll realize you know more than you think, and no, someone else can’t always do it better than you (even if you think they can). Oh—and you’ll learn to love spreadsheets!

E: Warning: You’ll need to assemble your own board of directors. This can be literal or figurative!

The main theme I heard over and over again: you will be successful if you enjoy the journey. You’ll build trust in your intuition, sharpen your problem-solving skills, and meet some truly incredible people along the way.

Now, I’m lucky enough to work in a beautiful community full of people who believe that building success is possible. At CoHo, we support each other, cheer each other on, and offer help when it's needed. If this sounds like the kind of environment you've been looking for, come join us for a day. Grab a day pass and experience the CoHo community for yourself!