Why I Walked Away From The Startup Circus
A candid look at the pitfalls of the traditional startup ecosystem.
I walked away from the startup circus, and here's why:
Investors playing games
The startup world is flooded with wannabe investors, many lacking experience but still wanting to dictate terms, often at the expense of first-time founders.
The flood of bad advice
Everyone thinks they're a mentor. Much of the advice is terrible, but first-timers often listen because of who's talking, not what they're saying.
Equity-hungry advisors
Lots of advisors ask for part of your business in exchange for advice you could find for free. This just gets messy when things don't go well.
The accelerator hype
Joining a big-name accelerator seems impressive but is more about appearances than genuine support. It's mostly a distraction.
Analysts as scouts
Some investors use analysts to pretend they're interested in your startup, but they're just gathering info for other deals.
It's all a bit shady
Founders are all in, risking it all, but the system that's supposed to help is actually taking advantage.
That's why I quit playing along.
I focused on making sure we were making more money than we spent. That's the only reason I'm still here to tell the tale.
What about you? Are you still enjoying the startup show?