Founders, when did you discover that building a startup was tougher than expected?

I think it was when I had an idea and launched it when I was 21 years old that I realized it's not just about launching the product. There has to be some work done before and after launch, plus you need to be consistent before and after launch for distribution. Best ideas don't win the market; distribution makes the difference in whether this will work or not.

Great question @natiakourdadze , Building a startup taught me early on that success goes beyond passion and creativity—it’s about resilience. I realized things were tougher when the initial excitement of launching an idea quickly turned into long nights solving unexpected challenges: scaling issues, managing cash flow, and keeping the team motivated through setbacks. It's when plans didn't go as expected that I truly understood how adaptable and patient you need to be as a founder. The journey forces you to constantly pivot and rethink strategies, and that's where the real growth happens.

So true @natiakourdadze, the challenges of running a startup hit hard early on. For me it was the constant instability - like just when you think you've got traction, some massive curveball comes along whether it's running low on funding, a key hire leaving, technical issues with the product, etc. And you're always riding this rollercoaster between feeling on top of the world and wondering if you'll even make payroll next month. The toughest part is staying resilient and keeping the team's spirits up through all the chaos. You realize pretty quick that it's less about the initial vision and more about how scrappy and adaptable you can be to keep pushing forward no matter what gets thrown your way. But I guess that's where the real growth and learning happens as a founder, even if it's a brutal process!

I feel you @natiakourdadze. When I launched my first startup, everything seemed so exciting at first - the possibilities felt endless. But reality quickly set in when I was suddenly juggling product issues, unhappy early customers, dwindling runway, and keeping the team's morale up despite all the challenges. That's when it really hit me how much grit and adaptability this path requires. You have to be ready to constantly iterate, find creative solutions, and push through the tough times. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, but overcoming those obstacles is how you grow as a founder. The struggles make the successes that much sweeter.

Building my startup, I knew it would be tough but I underestimated just how relentless the challenges would be. The first wake-up call was when a key team member left unexpectedly early on. Then a major product launch got delayed by months due to technical issues. Fundraising took 3x longer than projected, almost ran out of runway. Had to make painful layoffs to extend the bank. Every day brought some new crisis to navigate. Learned that resilience and adaptability are everything. Things will go wrong constantly, what matters is how you respond, rally the team, and just keep pushing forward. The emotional rollercoaster never ends but those tough times force you to evolve and get stronger. The journey is humbling AF but wouldn't trade it for anything!