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<\/a> Sponsored<\/p>\nYou are scribbling ideas on a napkin, and every paper becomes your dashboard.<\/p>\n
Whispering plans to trusted friends and staying up late researching.<\/p>\n
You imagine a future where things work, and you tell yourself, \u201cIf I could just get capital\u2026\u201d.<\/p>\n
You need no encouragement here; you are high on hope, and that\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n
What you need in this phase is solitude in your thoughts. Protecting the spark before the noise begins.<\/p>\n
Here are some books that I recommend for you to read, at this stage: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries \u2013 how to test and grow fast; Zero to One by Peter Thiel \u2013 building things that don\u2019t exist yet; and Start With Why by Simon Sinek \u2013 define your purpose early.<\/p>\n
You start pitching. You revise your deck more often than you thought. You hear \u201cNO\u201d more than you imagined. Your purpose gets questioned, and some of your entrepreneurial friends run back to the safety of paid employment. If you endure long enough, eventually someone signs you a cheque.<\/p>\n
You raise funds, receive immense congratulatory messages, and you think, \u201cFinally, the pressure is off\u201d. But truthfully, this is when the real pressure begins.<\/p>\n
Capital doesn\u2019t solve problems; it only amplifies cracks.<\/p>\n
What you need most is a strong network that believes in your integrity.<\/p>\n
Recommended reads: The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz \u2013 the brutal truths of running startups; Venture Deals by Brad Feld \u2013 a must-read before signing term sheets; The Almanack of Naval Ravikant \u2013 deep thinking on wealth, leverage and self-mastery.<\/p>\n
You start hiring; some are brilliant, others are placeholders.<\/p>\n
You quickly realise talent is rare and ownership is near impossible to find.<\/p>\n
You are leading, mentoring, fixing, and teaching, often all at once.<\/p>\n
This phase can be described as the most irritating. One minute, the staff member you planned your strategy with asks to see you a week later and boom, the resignation letter comes.<\/p>\n
Founders experience numerous heartbreaks that no one talks about. But I will, in a future series.<\/p>\n
You are back to square one, building and motivating new talent and hoping to find a sync.<\/p>\n
Everyone\u2019s problem becomes your problem, and yours is no one\u2019s.<\/p>\n
What you need most is a world-class HR professional who can make the journey seamless.<\/p>\n
Recommended Reads: Who by Geoff Smart \u2013 Getting Hiring Right; The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni \u2013 essential team health; Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek \u2013 trust builds great teams.<\/p>\n
You launch. You promote. You pray. Some customers engage. Some ignore you.<\/p>\n
Some ask for more than you are ready to give. You are stuck between tweaking your offer and defending it.<\/p>\n
This phase is one of chaotic hope, and emotional whiplash is normalised. You are excited and exhausted simultaneously.<\/p>\n
What you need most are associates who can challenge you without breaking you.<\/p>\n
Recommended Reads: Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore \u2013 selling innovation to the masses; Made to Stick by Chip & Dan Heath \u2013 communicate value; Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller \u2013 clarify your message.<\/p>\n
The goal now is to stop the bleeding.<\/p>\n
You watch cash flow daily and become a master of unit economics. Every sale matters. Every cost hurts.<\/p>\n
You are gasping for survival and have to keep swimming. Break-even feels like oxygen.<\/p>\n
What you need most is financial clarity and ruthless focus.<\/p>\n
Recommended Reads: Profit First by Mike Michalowicz \u2013 how to build a business that doesn\u2019t eat itself; Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits! By Greg Crabtree \u2013 business math that matters; Company of One by Paul Jarvis \u2013 small, sustainable and focused.<\/p>\n
Then you realise: survival isn\u2019t the same as success.<\/p>\n
You are making money, but is it real profit? Can it scale? Does it justify the capital and sacrifice? You question efficiency, return on investment, etc. Suddenly, strategy matters more than effort. You are making money, but it is leaking.<\/p>\n
What you need most is a world-class leadership team (CFO and COO) to optimise processes and cut waste.<\/p>\n
Recommended Reads: Good to Great by Jim Collins \u2013 what separates great from average; The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber \u2013 why many businesses break at this stage. Measure What Matters by John Doerr \u2013 using OKRs for real accountability.<\/p>\n
Growth is a drug. Things are working.<\/p>\n
However, growth has plateaued, and complacency now threatens to erode momentum. This is when you ask more complex questions: Are we efficient? Why are we here? Are we still relevant? There is a deep need for a foundation review and the courage to evolve before you\u2019re forced to.<\/p>\n
What you need most are systems built for operational excellence.<\/p>\n
Recommended Reads: Scaling Up by Verne Harnish \u2013 mastering growth through systems. Traction by Gino Wickman \u2013 EOS for structure and execution; Essentialism by Greg McKeown \u2013 focus on what truly matters.<\/p>\n
At this stage, you\u2019re no longer focused on building a product but on securing your legacy.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re proactively reducing risk by entering new markets, launching new ventures, and exploring different business models.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re spinning multiple plates, with each new plate demanding its own leadership and resources.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s often exhausting, as diversification means more people, more capital, and more products. Your past achievements are now the fuel for new dreams, and you might find yourself missing the simplicity of Phase One.<\/p>\n
What you need most is discernment and the discipline to say NO.<\/p>\n
Recommended Reads: Think Again by Adam Grant \u2013 stay adaptable. Reinvention by Shane Cragun \u2013 thriving in disruption. Blue Ocean Strategy by Kim & Mauborgne \u2013 finding untapped markets.<\/p>\n
The goal now is to build a team that can grow the business beyond your personal bandwidth.<\/p>\n
You need leaders who can take your vision beyond your imagination.<\/p>\n
You are shaping culture, passing on authority, and mastering the art of letting go. Letting go comes with its grief, and doing it without losing the vision is even harder. This is the phase where you build leaders who can think and act independently.<\/p>\n
What you need most: leaders you can trust and a culture that can scale without you.<\/p>\n
Recommended Reads: Multipliers by Liz Wiseman \u2013 how great leaders make others great; Radical Candour by Kim Scott \u2013 leading with honesty and care; High Output Management by Andy Grove \u2013 still a gold standard.<\/p>\n
Finally, you have built something, the ovation is loud, your name rings a bell, but at what cost?<\/p>\n
You are tired, isolated, and spiritually empty. You missed out on milestones, birthdays, and memories that money can never buy back. You barely know your kids\u2019 favourite colours, let alone their friends\u2019 names. Life didn\u2019t pause while you built.<\/p>\n
Your health now needs attention. Your relationships still need nurturing. Your identity must be rooted in more than success.\u00a0 Because if you lose yourself while winning, did you win?<\/p>\n
What you need most is rest and reflection on your true purpose.<\/p>\n
Recommended Reads: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer \u2013 slow down to stay whole. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel \u2013 wealth, perspective and peace. When the Day is Done by Edwin Friedman \u2013 leadership and inner calm.<\/p>\n
Today, I still build. I still pray. I still chase bold goals, but I no longer tie my joy to results. I no longer confuse pressure with purpose. I pray less for breakthroughs and more for peace.<\/p>\n
I build not only for profit but for impact that outlives me.<\/p>\n
I have seen people build incredible products and still feel empty.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the point of \u201csuccess\u201d if it costs you the people and purpose you started with? If you reach the top, but your peace and family didn\u2019t survive the climb, was it worth it?<\/p>\n
Wherever you are dreaming, raising capital, or hiring your first team, you are not alone. It\u2019s never too late to make amends.<\/p>\n
Living through the chaos is as important as any success you will ever taste.<\/p>\n
Forward this story and share your experience so we can normalise real conversations around peace and purpose.<\/p>\n
Author: Ola Daramola<\/a>, Co-founder and CEO of Bluebulb Financials Limited.<\/p>\n Bluebulb is a leading cross-border payment company, operating in four countries, that has served over 4,000 enterprise clients. Visit the Bluebulb website<\/a> to learn more.<\/p>\n