Raising money fucked me up (blog.yakkomajuri.com)

Article summary

The author, a startup founder, shares their personal experience of how raising money from investors, including former bosses, affected their mental state and decision-making process. They felt pressured to meet expectations and grow the business quickly, leading to self-doubt and anxiety. The author reflects on how they had to re-evaluate their priorities and focus on building a great business rather than just trying to impress investors. They conclude that it's essential to be honest about one's struggles and to prioritize their own process over external expectations.

Main themes

• Startup funding
• Founder mental health
• Pressure to perform
• Self-reflection
• Entrepreneurial journey

What commenters say

• Admitting to uncertainty and insecurity is a sign of strength, not weakness, and can be beneficial for founders to share publicly.
• The pressure to meet expectations from investors can be overwhelming and may lead to counterproductive decision-making.
• Probabilistic thinking and expected value can be a helpful framework for making decisions, but estimating payoff potential and success rate is the hard part.
• Some argue that ancient philosophies, both Western and Eastern, still offer valuable insights into the human condition and can be relevant to modern entrepreneurial struggles.
• Others believe that contemporary thought and modern philosophers are more relevant and useful for understanding the world and making decisions.
• The concept of identity and self is complex, and it's possible to separate one's true self from anxiety and fear, but it requires self-reflection and acceptance.
• The idea that 'who you are' is just a story one is attached to, and that transformation happens through life's journeys, is a perspective that can help individuals re-evaluate their priorities and values.
• There is disagreement on whether it's possible to 'be who you choose to be' or if certain traits and anxieties are inherent to one's personality.