Starting a business is like being strapped into a rollercoaster you designed yourself—equal parts thrilling, terrifying, and unpredictable. At Beyond M&A, I’ve had the privilege of helping founders and investors navigate the chaos of building technology-driven businesses. But when I look back on my own journey, there are a few things I wish someone had told me at the start.
Actually, there are eleven.
1. Cookie-Cutter Thinking Kills Innovation
If you have a natural aversion to “off-the-shelf” work, building a tech company will be both your playground and your battleground. Templates and frameworks are useful—but blind replication is a trap. Original thinking costs more upfront but delivers compounded value later.
2. Read The E-Myth, Not Good to Great
I wasted time applying big-corp strategy to a lean startup. The E-Myth hits where it hurts: most founders build themselves into a job, not a business. That book should come gift-wrapped with your Companies House registration.
3. Initially More Challenging Than Enterprise Life
I assumed that because I’d worked in enterprise, I was prepared. I wasn’t. Running your own show is not just next level—it’s a whole new game. There’s no IT desk, HR support or well-oiled machine to lean on. It’s you, some duct tape, and a to-do list that regenerates like a Marvel villain.
4. The Emotional Highs Are Exhilarating—The Lows Are Brutal
There’s nothing quite like winning your first client or launching a product. But when you miss payroll, lose a big deal, or face rejection after rejection? It hurts. No one tells you that it’s normal, or that it doesn’t get much easier—only different.
5. We’re a Team, Not a Family
This one stings. You want everyone to feel connected, valued, and ‘in it together.’ But unlike family, teams evolve, people leave, and roles shift. It’s healthier to treat your company like a high-performing team with clarity on goals, accountability, and roles—rather than clinging to the illusion of permanence.
6. 4am Wake-Ups Are the Norm
Forget the hustle culture cliché—I’m talking about real 4am anxiety jolts. The kind where your brain decides to play out a cashflow scenario or a client pitch on loop. Eventually, you stop fighting it and build habits around it.
7. Cashflow Turns Into CashLOW
This isn’t just a joke. It’s a way of life. Forecasting, chasing invoices, pre-paying for growth, investing in talent… it all creates an undercurrent of financial pressure. Mastering this rhythm is a survival skill.
8. Your “Original” Ideas Aren’t That Original
Turns out, someone else has probably tried your idea. The difference lies not in the concept, but the execution. Get humble fast, stay curious, and ask more questions than you answer.
9. Accountability Buddies Keep You Sane
Founders’ groups, mentors, mastermind calls—whatever you call them—are oxygen. You need people who get it, who won’t sugar-coat the truth, and who’ll drag you out of your own echo chamber.
10. Learning Marketing Shifts the Language From “ME” to “WE”
Marketing isn’t just about shouting louder—it’s about listening better. Once I truly understood my audience, everything shifted. The narrative changed from what I do to how we solve real problems.
11. Being Present Matters Most
This is the one that took the longest to learn. I missed a lot in the early days—birthdays, milestones, just being around. Work has a way of consuming everything unless you draw a hard line. I’m grateful that’s no longer a problem. Life outside work deserves to be front row too.
Starting a business doesn’t just test your strategy or stamina—it reveals your blind spots, insecurities, and beliefs. Fast. But if you’re willing to do the inner work while building outwardly, there’s something deeply fulfilling about seeing your vision come to life.
At Beyond M&A, we help others build with eyes wide open. Hopefully this post spares someone else a few bruises.
