Jenn believed we could successfully launch this business before I did. I hate to admit that. But it’s true. She pushed hard, but not hard enough to send me running from the picture that, at the time, represented all the tangibility of a mirage. It was an idea. A belief. A compelling suggestion that we could do this. We knew how. We just had to figure out the finer details.

Of course, this forced me to realize that I live my life ever aware of the devil in those very details and so I quickly found myself fearing our ability to launch without crashing and burning like Icharus.

After all, according to The Motley Fool (gulp!), nearly 50% of all businesses fail after five years. Well, shit. I’ve given just about as much time to endeavors I didn’t believe in – often because those in charge didn’t either. But, what would actually stop us from starting out like a shooting star and then burning out just as fast?

Continue reading “Circling the Launchpad – Harnessing the Fear of Starting a New Business” →