As Gregor Startup began his third day of founder errands without sleep he found himself transformed into a giant cockroach. This was a frightening development that came with some encouraging news. Though he could no longer remember his life before launching his company, he took comfort in knowing that he’d become impossible to kill.
A few startups prevail and celebrate Tumblresque acquisitions. A lot of startups disappear. Then there are the legions that find themselves stuck somewhere in-between success and failure. And this can be hell.
Evernote, AirBnB, FedEx, Google – all of these companies were pushed to the brink of collapse before their fortunes turned around. How did they endure? How did their founders keep their ships and shit together?
Few founder stories are quite like the one of Ellie Cachette, CEO of ConsumerBell, whose startup’s survival has the makings of crazy fiction. Somehow she held together and led her company out of purgatory. In an article for Business Insider, she offers founders hard-earned guidance for enduring the surreal days. She shares her story and five suggestions that keep a startup moving even when things seem to be crawling along.
Every startup undergoes transformations. Cachette’s experience should serve as a comforting reminder that no matter how dark the days appear, founders need not slink off into hiding. There is work to be done. And hope. And a good chance that you have a lot of company with whom you can share your strange existence.
