Surviving The Valley of Death

If you want to be an entrepreneur, unless your business grew gradually over years as an extension of your hobby, you will have to get through The Valley of Death.

I am in The Valley of Death now.  In fact, I’m in the early stages of walking this journey.  For me, The Valley of Death is the fact that I left a stable career to pursue a more creative path that better matches my skills, interests, and personality.

This valley means going from plenty of income flowing in to something more modest.  This has been a greater psychological shock than I expected.  I estimate that for people pursuing entrepreneurship any time later than their early-to-mid-twenties, this will be a real shock.

The Valley of Death is the financial (and other) opportunity cost that anyone experiences when they leave a good, paying job to start their own venture with uncertain prospects and reduced income in the short-term.

So be ready.

And then muscle through.