❤️ Founder Love: I get it — the struggle is real.
- Becky Fittro
- Feb 13
- 3 min read
I’ve got a familiar story for you.
You're a first-time founder in year one, working long hours, often alone, trying to launch your MVP, define your ICP, carve out a corner of your TAM, and turn all those acronyms into money. Hopefully a lot of it.
It’s a Tuesday morning. The alarm goes off. The day’s to-do list hits like a cold shower. (At least put on a clean shirt and fix your hair in case you have a video meeting.) Not great, but let’s go.
Grab the much-needed coffee from the kitchen and make the long trip to your workspace (aka dining table).
By mid-morning you’ve made it through a few tasks. Code, test, repeat. Jump into customer support for a quick fix. Posts shared. LinkedIn connections requested. Emails sent, no replies yet. Skimmed five “helpful” newsletters. Checked the three Slack channels. Switched hats at least six times.
Several coffees later (who's counting?), you take a break and catch yourself in the mirror. And then you get ambushed:
- I look tired and stressed.
- I’m forgetting something, for sure.
- I need to pay the mortgage. Again.
- What am I doing? What do I have to show for nine months of this?
- Why hasn’t anyone responded to that email yet?
- I mean… who am I compared to all those other super smart, accomplished people out there?
You sigh and pour the remaining coffee into your mug. ☕️
Building a business is mentally and emotionally harder than most people expect.
My parents — incredible people — ran their engineering consulting business for over 25 years. Through ups and downs, they tried to keep work stuff separate from home. But as I got older, sometimes I saw that same look on their faces. Tired. Stressed. Maybe asking themselves those same questions.
I swore I’d never start my own business… 😳
I get it. As a founder, the early days are especially tough, and imposter syndrome is real. You are not alone in this feeling. It’s human nature. And it’s entrepreneurship.
I’m sharing a few things that help me on tough days and hope they help you too.
1. Call "Linus."
Find one person you trust and can be completely real with. Ideally another founder who’s survived this stage. Ask if they’re willing to be your “Linus.” Someone you can text when you’re spiraling, stuck, or just having a day. Maybe come up with a funny code word so they know you’re having a moment and need a quick reality check.
(Pro tip: find a Linus, not a Lucy. When you’re feeling down, you need kind, honest support.)
2. Get it out. Claim a private space and scream — pillow optional, repeat as needed. Get outside and go for a walk or run. Watch something crazy funny and laugh out loud! Play with your dog (he's been begging you to anyway.) These physical outlets release anxious energy, endorphins, and do all kinds of amazing things in your brain and body to help you remember the sky is not actually falling. (Pro tip: do this before you meet with your "Linus.")
3. Turn it up. It’s incredible how much music affects mood. Curate a playlist of your favorite upbeat, happy songs, and when you’re having a rough day, and turn it up. (Pro tip: hold the sappy songs for now.)
4. Turn it down. I pray. Honestly, this helps me more than anything. It calms me, centers me, gets it out, and fills me up. (No Pro Tip here. It's always raw.)
Find your own practice. It won’t fix everything, but it helps you stick with it.
Grit isn’t about pushing harder or doing it all alone. It’s about staying in the game long enough to learn, adapt, and grow.
So, hang in there. Tomorrow is a new day and amazing things can happen suddenly.
Please share!
👉🏻 What are some of your tips for keeping going when the going gets tough?
👉🏻 What's your favorite happy song! 🎶
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