Here are the financial situations of a few founders I know:

1) Salary paused indefinitely.
2) Searching for side jobs to pay the bills while continuing to run the company.
3) Relying on a spouse with a normal job because the startup isn’t making money.

We’re talking enormous stress here. But money isn’t the only problem a lot of founders have.

They also pay a toll in terms of their personal relationships. Here are some of the tougher situations I’ve seen:

1) Rarely seeing young children.
2) Losing a future wife.
3) Drinking escalating.
4) Health deteriorating.

Everybody wants to be a founder when it’s all parties and hoodies and TED talks. But that’s not the reality of being an entrepreneur.

The reality is a stressed out guy or gal sitting at a computer, isolated from friends and family, and slowly going broke.

And here’s the worst part: for most of them, all this sacrifice won’t lead to success. The company will fail anyway.

“Gee Francis, that’s some black attitude for a guy that just came back from vacation!”

I know. But I see so much rah-rah on Twitter that I think it’s time to tell the truth.

That said, many founders would not want to do anything else. And if you don’t feel the same way, that you absolutely must build this thing, don’t.

It all comes down to a scene in one of my favorite movies, Heat:

“So you never wanted a regular type life.”
“What the f— is that, barbecues and ballgames?”

What are some sacrifices you’ve made along the way?

More on tech:

When Co-Founders Divorce

How to Get Warm Intros the Easy Way

Remote vs. In Person: What’s Better for Startups?

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