Read time: 3 minutes 45 seconds

• Things Don’t Happen Overnight (No Matter How Hard You Try)
• Don’t Try to Do It All at Once
• Be Patient and Push Through ‘The Dip’
• Looking Ahead

Six months into this journey, I can confidently say it has been nothing short of a whirlwind – some moments exhilarating, others infuriating. But one thing is certain: I have learned and upskilled more in this short period than I ever imagined possible. Here, I reflect on the highs and lows, sharing the key lessons from my lived experience.

1. Things Don’t Happen Overnight (No Matter How Hard You Try)

I’ve always been someone who throws everything into achieving my goals. Naturally, when I started building my startup, I mapped out clear timelines, Gantt charts, and milestones – just as I would in any structured scientific project. But the reality of startups? They don’t follow a linear trajectory.

I used to beat myself up when things didn’t go as planned, even when delays were entirely out of my control. I’ve now realised that flexibility is essential in this unpredictable world. If I could give one piece of advice, it would be this: allow yourself more time than you think you need, and don’t take deviations personally. The startup journey is inherently chaotic, and setbacks are not failures – they’re part of the process.

2. Don’t Try to Do It All at Once

In an ideal world, you could devote 100% of your time and energy to your startup. But real life doesn’t work that way. Personal responsibilities, financial constraints, and even health and family considerations demand attention.

While I had the privilege of stepping away from full-time work, I still need to take on part-time locum shifts to support myself. What I initially thought would be a simple trade-off – working fewer hours while focusing on my startup – turned out to be more complex. Even the admin involved in arranging shifts has been more time-consuming than expected.

The takeaway? Make room for life. Productivity culture might glorify sacrificing everything for your business, but I firmly believe in maintaining a sustainable work-life balance. You can’t build something great if you burn yourself out in the process.

3. Be Patient and Push Through ‘The Dip’

Seth Godin, in his book The Dip, describes the inevitable slump that comes after the initial excitement of starting something new. It’s the moment when motivation fades, progress slows, and quitting seems tempting.

I’ve faced this dip not just in my startup journey but many times in life. And I’ve learned that, more often than not, the biggest breakthroughs happen right when you’re about to give up. Just when things feel stagnant or hopeless, a new opportunity, insight, or breakthrough emerges.

So my advice? Expect the dip. Prepare for it. And when it comes, push through.

4. Looking Ahead

A question I get asked a lot lately is, “How’s your startup going?” The answer? It changes every day. One day, everything seems to be coming together; the next, I feel like the whole thing is falling apart, and I wonder if I should pivot – or quit entirely.

But if there’s one trait I’ve noticed in the successful entrepreneurs and mentors I’ve met, it’s a stubborn curiosity – the drive to keep experimenting, questioning, and iterating, even when the answers aren’t obvious.

What I once saw as an annoying habit in myself, I now recognise as a crucial skill. Startups (and life, really) are one big problem-solving experiment, and I now recognise my ability to stay curious and keep moving forward as an invaluable tool in my arsenal of skills.

Stubborn Curiosity – the drive to keep experimenting, questioning, and iterating, even when the answers aren’t obvious.

As I keep going, this blog will continue to document the journey – through the highs, the lows, and everything in between. If you share even a smidge of that curiosity, tag along for the ride. And if you’ve got thoughts, experiences, or just want to connect – drop me a message. Let’s chat!