What advice would you give to someone feeling discouraged or doubtful about their entrepreneurial journey?

Give yourself grace. Don't give up!

I know what you mean. It’s tough out there and you have to stay positive. There is help out there but it’s difficult to navigate and locate.  Best option is determining how you want to and be approached by your business endeavors. If you’re extroverted, talk to a bunch of new faces in new places.  If introverted, like me, find niches to substantiate and optimize. Stinks when spending power is tight and space is competitive.  Look for unexplored territory to capitalize on in an earnest integruous way.  Always treat people the way that you want to be treated.

The advice I give myself on the hard days: the doubt isn't a signal that you're failing — it's a signal that you're actually in the arena. W-2 employees rarely feel this kind of weight because they aren't carrying the whole thing. If you feel it, it means you're doing the real work.

A few things that have pulled me out of the ditch more than once:

- Shorten the time horizon. When the 5-year plan feels impossible, I zoom in to "what's the one move this week that makes next Monday easier than this Monday?" Then I do that. Momentum beats motivation.

- Separate the business problem from the identity problem. A slow month doesn't mean you're a bad owner. A lost bid doesn't mean you can't estimate. Name the actual problem on paper and it shrinks.

- Track wins, not just AR. I keep a running note of jobs closed, problems solved, customers who came back, and people I've trained up. On dark days I read it. The brain remembers the losses and forgets the wins unless you make it otherwise.

- Find one peer who gets it. Not your spouse (they love you and will worry), not your employees (they need you to be the rock). Another owner in the trades who will tell you the truth and also tell you to keep going. That relationship is worth more than any course.

- Remember who it's for. I started my company so my family could have more options and so my guys could have a better place to work than the ones that burned me out. On the worst days, that "why" is the only thing that gets the boots back on.

You're not behind. You're building. Keep going.

I like this one because I'm in the middle of it. Excited to get started but often discouraged about some of the funding process taking longer than I thought. Gotta stay the course and trust. 

I love the saying, being a business owner is not about winning, it is about being the last man standing. That sits with us daily. The days we feel like we are winning and the days we feel like we are losing. One task, one job, one email at a time. Endure.

Feeling discouraged is completely normal, especially in the early days when results don't match the effort. My advice is to focus on daily systems instead of big outcomes. Track your small wins, review your numbers weekly, and remember that every successful entrepreneur you admire has felt exactly what you're feeling right now. The difference is they kept showing up. Connect with other business owners who are a few steps ahead, they can remind you the doubt doesn't mean you're failing, it means you're growing.

Do a quick health check.  We as people in general have a few pillars we need to be aware of or, legs on a stool. 

1. How is your physical health? I know I should probably drink more clear water than beautiful brown bean water (coffee), but I have a wife who makes sure I eat well and have a lunch. Are you taking time to exercise? You don't need to be bench-pressing or deadlifting 500 pounds (kudos if you can) but get outside and go for a walk. remember to breath. Seriously. In fact, as you read this inhale through your nose while counting to 4, now exhale for another 4 count.  *A body in motion tends to stay in motion, a body at rest, rusts.*
2. How is your mental health? are you taking time to do something you enjoy, owning a business is hard work, you need to schedule so much... INCLUDING mental health breaks. you may do less of a hobby, but don't skip it altogether. *Go find something to laugh about and someone to laugh with*
3. How is your spiritual health? Do you believe in a higher power? Do you have a community to lean on during the hard times? *There have been some crazy studies showing the power of prayer*

These are my basic three legs on a stool if one is weak you will fall over. 

Also, as this community will show/remind you. you are not an island unto yourself and y'all can reach out to me if you need a lift or a listening ear.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Spring, Simply Professional Inspections.

04/06/2026 was the very first day I embarked on my journey as the owner of Bell’s Mobile Mechanic company. I got let go from the company I was working for. I had been in my career for over 15 years worked for multiple companies in the skills trade industry as a Maintenance Technician II. In 15+ years I seen multiple layoffs, been let go due to company down sizing, and many other reasons. I took a leap of faith by starting my own business. No money coming in made a post on facebook. Got a few leads the first week thought everything would be okay second week nothing, third week more leads, 4 week just a few leads. Ready to give up and find another maintenance job. But I haven’t still trying. 3 days into the sixth week and I’m still not sure if I made the right decision. But I said all that to say this. Yesterday I noticed what I had done wrong with choosing my leads, so I have adult ADHD, if I choose jobs to work on that require a lot of time to finish then I will not be successful because there are too many things that can cause me to chase a squirrel so to speak. But if I choose jobs that are less time consuming I can get multiple opportunities to work on other things because I allow myself to have more time. I’m not good at giving advice but that’s how I see myself helping myself with getting discouraged 

There's only one YOU. You earned what you have, and you deserve your success. Every failure is a stepping stone to a victory. If it feels like the end, don't stop... It's only the beginning. 💪

My advice is to remember that setbacks don’t define your future. In 2015, I was diagnosed with **bleep** cancer after spending more than 20 years in the IT industry. During treatment, I wasn’t sure what the next chapter of my life would look like. What started as reconnecting with a woodworking skill I learned in middle school eventually became Restoration Hero. Today, eleven years later, we’ve served more than 1,200 clients and grown into a team of skilled technicians serving both residential and commercial customers across Atlanta. Entrepreneurship isn’t always about moving fast. Sometimes it’s about taking the next step, even when you can’t see the entire path ahead. Stay focused, keep learning, and don’t let a difficult season convince you to give up on a future that may be bigger than you can imagine today.