It Ain't Easy, But It Can Be Done: Life As An Entrepreneur BOXKnocks founder Tareq Samara shares the obstacles he's faced as an entrepreneur, and the lessons that came with it.
By Tareq Samara
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In late 2015, I took a brave decision of introducing my startup BOXKnocks to the UAE (and the world), and since then, my whole life has been turned upside down. There were obstacles aplenty- but I also found ways to get past them. In the hopes that the lessons I learnt will be of use to other entrepreneurs, here are a few of the hurdles I found in my path, and how I worked with them:
1. Negative people It is almost impossible to start a new business without getting discouraged even from the people closest to you. That is when you realize that it's time to reprioritize your life goals, and know exactly who you want to keep around you, or simply let go of.
2. It's lonely going solo It is a fact that not everyone in your circle will share your vision, and thus, you will often feel lonely on this journey. It is a very bad feeling you simply need to live with- but you can also learn how to work around it in order to reach your goals.
3. Work is non-stop One of the reasons for becoming an entrepreneur is to escape the 9-to-5 day job, but what most entrepreneurs don't know is that they are entering a new phase of working twice as much in order to have a successful business. Entrepreneurship is not easy, and it's definitely not for everyone.
4. Lack of financial support If you believe in your idea and you totally breathe it day in and day out, you will do the impossible to keep it running no matter what. That's why you keep feeding it from your own money (if you couldn't secure a seed funding), but you won't be able to see returns for a long time.
5. Lack of sleep Since your startup is your baby, you keep thinking about it 24/7. Especially at night when you're about to sleep, all of the positive and negative thoughts will rush into your mind- and that makes for an uncomfortable night. That's why it is highly recommended to practice some sports in order to release some of this stress, and get a good night's rest afterward.
Related: 10 Things You Should Know Before Uprooting Your Life To Become An Entrepreneur
