Silicon Valley grad Tiffany Liu (Co-Founder, Logrado) was recently featured on Women 2.0 to weigh in on some of the harsh realities of running a startup and to share some insights from what she has learned since making her mark in the Valley.
While most startup entrepreneurs will agree that building a company and dedicating yourself to a problem you're passionate about can be rewarding, the challenges faced by these brave (sometimes described as crazy) souls are not to be taken lightly. Now a seasoned entrepreneur herself, she knows that having to outlast self-doubt and continuously confront unexpected problems is to be expected for any startup, young or old.
Demystifying some of the romanticism that Silicon Valley can exude, Liu outlines 5 realities of running an early stage startup;
- Reality #1: You will have to make sacrifices.
- Reality #2: You’ll question yourself no matter how big your ego is.
- Reality #3: You’ll make mistakes, and they’ll make you wiser.
- Reality #4: You’ll need an army of people to get things off the ground.
- Reality #5: You’ll only face bigger challenges as you move forward.
While she still feels inspired by the seemingly limitless opportunities in the Valley, Tiffany now has a more realistic view of the challenges startup entrepreneurs are faced with constantly. She says that “Knowing that you are contributing to a greater cause is what will give you the bravery to go against the grain and explore unchartered space. You’ll never regret accepting nothing less than what is truly meaningful and worthwhile to you.”
Tiffany Liu is a graduate of the Silicon Valley Founder Institute and the Co-Founder of Logrado, a student success coaching platform that uses mobile technology to increase college retention. Click here to read the full article and for more great insights follow her on Twitter @tiffanywliu.
