Many people dive into entrepreneurship with a spreadsheet dream — imagining the business will follow a predictable path of instant profits, steady monthly growth, and clear results by the end of month one. But true entrepreneurship is a very different reality, especially in the early days. It’s like building the base of a hockey stick: all the hard work, hours, and capital poured in without immediate payoff. In this phase, you’re putting everything on the line, working harder than ever and investing upfront without seeing returns.

Unlike in corporate roles, where you work and get a paycheck right away, here you work without guaranteed pay, putting in more hours than you probably ever have before. You’re paying suppliers, handling overhead, marketing, and reinvesting in every piece of the business. And this period — often longer than anyone expects — is what sets entrepreneurs apart. True growth doesn’t come from an instant spreadsheet projection but from relentless perseverance and a long-term vision. It’s the ultimate test of resilience, where you’re putting everything down with faith that someday, that hockey stick will turn upward and all the sweat equity will pay off.

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