Solo Founders & Renting a Fortress of Solitude

It’s a lonely road, but one that must be taken for a while.

As a solo founder/owner of any business, you must take on the responsibility of making decisions. It’s your call. Honestly, for me this is the most satisfying part of bringing a company to life. But, it can get very lonely while you are building something only you can see.

To be successful, I’ve found the need to embrace the beauty of solitude.

I have numerous advisors and supporters on my current journey building Schooold, yet, I must make every single decision. The biggest advantage I see in that is the ability to learn how to continually own it. Alone.

Good or bad. Right or wrong. It’s always my fault.

No excuses.

Hard to do? Yes. The right thing to do? Absolutely.

Here’s two reasons why you’re gonna need that solitude.

1
Real $ Takes Real Accountability
I have been fortunate to have advisors who make real money. You’ve seen some of them on CNBC and CNN talking about how they built their fortunes. I’ve enjoyed many conversations over the years and one thing stands out. Each one of them COMPLETELY OWNS every move they make.

No blaming staff, investors, natural disasters, or shying away from the tough choices. They simply remove the emotion and make a call. if it doesn’t work out, they stand in front of the blame train so it doesn’t hit everyone else.

That conviction takes time to build. I’ve learned over time that you need to become a master of your emotions. Being alone gives you the freedom to honestly analyze if you have what it takes.

Want to know what other questions I routinely ask myself? Hit me @cedfunches

2
Defeat Your Inner Goon

I am the first person to admit I have had to do battle with myself quite a few times in the past 20 years.

I wasn’t only fighting fear, depression or low self-esteem.

I’ve had to fight the inner goon that exists in us all. It can remain hidden for years without the proper beatdowns. And the more friends/cheerleaders you have around you celebrating your minor achievements, the more powerful that goon grows. The goon makes you do all of the things the better part of yourself would not.

The means necessary to defeat the idiot inside us all
I’m sure you know plenty of people who have lost to that inner goon. It shows in their decision-making, the way they treat peers, and usually the inflated sense of self. Defeat that goon by any means necessary.

Being alone can be a scary thing, but as a founder/owner you have to embrace it. That is the only way to embrace the concept of owning it.

I’m still learning how to do this, so if you have any thoughts I may have missed feel free to respond to this post.