Entrepreneurship isn't hard because of the work.

When I first stepped into entrepreneurship, I thought I’d have a valuable product and investors lining up in 6 to 8 months. LOL. What an idea.

I didn’t realize then that building is the easy part.

Creating something people actually value? Harder.

But here’s the twist:

not only do you have to create value, you have to convince others that value exists.

And that’s the part no one warns you about.

There was a point where I felt stuck. Maybe even desperate, though I wouldn’t have said it that way at the time.

It felt more like being stuck in wet cement: you can move, but just barely.

I hadn’t talked to a single user. Not one. I figured if I needed the product, other people would too. That should’ve been enough.

It wasn’t.

Even if your idea comes from personal need, building in isolation will slow you down.

You need people around you: excited, skeptical, honest people.

Not because they’ll always give you great advice (they won’t), but because they’ll help you pressure-test what you’re doing.

The discussions, debates, and even disagreements will sharpen your vision.

One reminder that helped me stay centered: don’t lose sight of your values and vision.

Users will offer suggestions. Lots of them. Some will be gold. Others will tempt you off-course.

It’s like fishing for a marlin but catching sardines every five minutes. Sure, the sardines are easy wins. But they’ll keep you from catching what you’re really after.

Sometimes you need a different hook. Or just more patience.

Building something meaningful takes longer than you want, and longer than you planned. The work isn’t what breaks most founders. It’s the waiting, the wandering, and the self-doubt.

But if you keep walking and if you surround yourself with people who challenge and support you, you’ll get there.

Just don’t trade the big fish for a bucket of sardines.