From Public to Private: What Surprised Me the Most About Entrepreneurship

In the world of public and private sector work, you're a single cog in a vast, well-oiled machine. As a startup entrepreneur, though? Suddenly, you are the machine. Every mistake—whether it’s yours or a teammate’s—has your name stamped on it, and every tiny decision comes with a cost you can feel in real-time. And trust me, when it’s your own money at stake (money that definitely has a ceiling), you feel that cost deeply. It’s a bit like trying to solve a puzzle while watching your budget meter tick down. Let’s just say my focus has never been sharper!

After a decade as a senior executive, I was used to looking at things from a bird’s-eye view. I led teams, set goals, and worked on big-picture plans. Now, as a business owner, I’m not just overseeing the plan—I’m drafting it, running it, and tweaking it at 2 a.m. It turns out "learning uncomfortable new skills" isn’t just a motivational quote; it’s real life. I’m out here doing everything from payroll to the marketing plan, and I still have to put on my leader hat to keep the team motivated and solve the big, hairy problems that pop up every other day.

Then there’s the whole security for risk trade-off. Saying goodbye to a steady paycheck and benefits? That’s enough to keep you up at night. Gone are the days of knowing exactly when and what my paycheck will be—now it’s all a leap of faith. I can honestly say it's a constant test of my confidence in this venture. I’ve learned to channel a weird mix of excitement and dread, but hey, who doesn’t enjoy a good adrenaline rush, right?

Next up, the surprise of being a jack-of-all-trades. Roles? Titles? Forget about it! Now I’m flipping between product development, accounting, customer service, and marketing like it’s a full-blown identity crisis. I’m constantly stretching beyond my comfort zone, Googling things I never thought I’d need to know, and wondering if "chief everything officer" is a real title.

Setting the course has been another shift. Back in my old roles, I was executing someone else's vision. Now, it’s my job to steer the whole ship. I’m the one plotting the path, calling the shots, and, occasionally, questioning my sanity. But there’s something empowering about it too—like driving a car for the first time, only the car is your livelihood, and there are no brakes.

Oh, and let’s talk about work-life balance. What’s that again? As an entrepreneur, the line between work and life is basically non-existent. I’m always "on." Whether I’m brushing my teeth or trying to fall asleep, my mind is turning over ideas, problems, and to-do lists. Learning to switch off is a whole new challenge, and let’s just say it’s a work in progress.

Despite these surprises, I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. There’s a unique thrill in building something from the ground up, seeing my passion take shape, and knowing that this could actually make a difference. This is just the start of my journey, and I’m beyond excited to share it all with you. Here’s to the sweet chaos of entrepreneurship—and maybe a little luck to keep me going!