The starter: a nod to Founder mode

It took me 25 years to realize that not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. Yet, for nearly two decades, I urged others to "just start." Of those I encouraged, 98% never did, 1% started but quickly stopped, and the final 1%—myself included—have yet to find the success that once seemed so easy to achieve.

As our company grows, sometimes by 5%, other times by 43%, the lessons remain constant: humbling, forward-looking, and always evolving. The dream of building a billion-dollar empire has shifted—first to hundreds of millions, then to tens of millions, and sometimes even to daydreams of doing nothing at all, perhaps somewhere quiet in Maine.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, I come across an interview with Brian Chesky (Airbnb's CEO for over 15 years) or Bill Gates, where they talk about the pressure of ensuring their employees get their next paycheck. And I realize: others have walked this path, grappling with the same insecurities I feel now. So, you keep going.

Sometimes, the best thing you can do is break free from the "rules" of startup culture and write your own. That might mean simply focusing on building a great business—or it might mean becoming a great starter, you just haven’t finished.

Mark Michael, CEO / co-Founder DevHub.com