Over the past year or so, I’ve met so many of you who are on a similar journey from the security of a W-2 job to the uncertainty (and opportunity) of entrepreneurship. If you’re there right now, or even just considering it, this one’s for you.
Leaving the Safety Net
When you have a paycheck every two weeks, benefits, and paid time off, life feels predictable and safe. You know what’s coming most of the time, until you don’t. Entrepreneurship is the opposite. Suddenly, you’re in charge of creating your own paycheck, building your own benefits, and figuring out your own future. As a wise friend and boss said to me once, “How many times do you have to get kicked to the curb like yesterday’s trash before you stop?” and “If you put all your eggs in one basket and the basket goes away, you have no eggs.” I listened. Finally.
That leap is scary, but it’s also where growth happens.
Building Something from Scratch
Today, I’ve founded or co-founded three businesses, with a fourth partnership on the horizon:
- Barracuda B2B Marketing helps manufacturers grow through proven strategies.
- Manufacturing Resource Group connects manufacturers with the resources, networks, and solutions to solve their challenges.
- Humac.ai uses AI to transform machine operations and production efficiency.
- A new partnership in development with a nutraceutical and beauty care manufacturer.
But let me be clear: none of this happened overnight. It started when I began my company on the side in 2023 while I worked full time then took a full-time commitment 8 hours per day 5 days per week for more than a year. None of it happened without grit, relationships, and hope.
The Grit It Takes
Entrepreneurship isn’t a straight line; it’s exhausting days, setbacks, and moments when you wonder if you should quit. I’ve had all of those. What gets you through it is refusing to give up that dream and the reality that you know is just around the corner. You keep showing up. You keep doing the work even when it feels like nothing is happening. Progress is slow, then sudden.
The Power of Relationships
I could not have built these businesses alone. Relationships are everything.
- Clients who trusted me before there was a track record because of my experience and knowledge.
- Mentors and coaches who shared their wisdom and saved me from mistakes.
- Peers who reminded me that the struggles are normal and that I have value.
- Friends and family who provided encouragement, and took me out for dinner and drinks, when it was most needed.
Entrepreneurship is a community effort even if you’re the one with your name on the business card.
Asking for Help
One of the hardest lessons I had to learn is to be humble and vulnerable; you don’t have to do everything yourself. I’ve asked for help more times than I can count, for probably the first time in my life, whether it was advice from seasoned entrepreneurs, guidance from financial pros, or introductions from my network. I was a giver. It was hard. At first, I felt like a taker, but I still kept giving. And every single time, someone showed up. Every time.
People want to help. But you have to ask.
Finding Free Resources
In the early days, every dollar counts. I leaned on every free or low-cost resource I could find: Small Business Development Centers, manufacturing associations, SCORE mentors, local chambers, and yes, even free webinars and LinkedIn connections. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. There are people and organizations whose whole mission is to help you succeed.
Learning from Those Who Went Before
I make it a point to surround myself with people who have been there before me, who have what I want, who are truly good people, and who make the world (theirs, mine, their clients and friends, even strangers, which I once was) a better place. Every coffee, every lunch, every conference call is a chance to listen and learn.
Hope as a Strategy
Hope isn’t fluffy; it’s fuel. If you don’t believe tomorrow will be better than today, you’ll quit. And quitting is the only way to truly fail. When I “quit” looking for a full-time job, I was told that I am not a quitter. I was told that I learned to surrender to where the universe was leading me instead of fighting to go back to the past and hang on to what no longer exists. Hope keeps you moving when results aren’t immediate. Hope tells you that the work with no income will eventually pay off. Hope is the foundation of grit.
Why It’s Worth It
Today, I feel more supported than ever. Clients, partners, and colleagues feel like a warm blanket. I’ve stretched in ways I didn’t know I could. And the work matters; it creates jobs, builds communities, and strengthens manufacturing.
Entrepreneurship is not just about building businesses. It’s about building yourself.
So if you’re on this journey, or considering it, know this:
- You’ll need grit.
- You’ll need relationships.
- You’ll need hope.
- You’ll need to ask for help.
- And you’ll need to keep going and believe in yourself and your worth, even when it’s hard.
But the reward is bigger than a paycheck. It’s the joy of creating something that matters. Of doing IT. Of making something uniquely yours. Here’s to building, stretching, and not giving up.
I’d love to hear from you. What has your entrepreneurial journey looked like? What lessons have you learned along the way? What scares you? Send me a message. Let’s keep building and supporting each other.