There was a morning, early in PowerNow’s journey, when I sat in my car outside the office and didn’t want to go in.
The night before, a deal we’d been chasing for months had fallen through.
It wasn’t just any deal — it was the deal that was supposed to fund our next big move, the one we had pinned our hopes on to scale faster.
I gripped the steering wheel, stared at the dashboard, and thought, “Did I make a mistake leaving a stable job for this?” Up until that point, entrepreneurship had been exciting.
We had a clear vision, some early wins, and momentum that made it feel like things would only get better from there.
But that moment in the car reminded me of a simple truth: building a company is not a straight line.
The Reality of Entrepreneurship
When people talk about entrepreneurship, they often focus on the glamour — the freedom, the big decisions, and the success stories.
What they don’t talk about enough are the long nights, the missed targets, and the problems you didn’t see coming.
Running a business means waking up to a new challenge almost every day.
Some are small and easy to solve.
Others hit you so hard you wonder if you have what it takes to keep going.
That day was one of those moments for me. I had to sit there in silence for a few minutes, take a deep breath, and remind myself why we started PowerNow in the first place. And then I went inside.
The Turning Point
That morning became a turning point in how I approached building a company.
I realized that being a founder isn’t about avoiding the hard days.
It’s about showing up — especially when it’s hard.
It’s about facing the problems head-on, even when they seem bigger than you.
It’s about making decisions when you don’t have perfect information.
And it’s about learning to keep moving forward, even when everything in you wants to hit pause.
Three Lessons That Have Kept Me Going
Over time, that one experience shaped how I lead and build. Here are three lessons that have stayed with me — lessons I think every founder can relate to.
1. Progress Beats Perfection
One of the easiest traps founders fall into is waiting for things to be perfect before taking action.
The perfect product. The perfect pitch. The perfect timing. But entrepreneurship rarely gives you perfect conditions.
You build with what you have, where you are, and trust that the next step will become clear as you move forward.
At PowerNow, we learned to launch quickly, gather feedback, and adjust on the go.
Perfection is slow — progress is what keeps the company alive.
2. Your Team Matters More Than You Think
In those early days, I thought I had to carry every problem on my shoulders.
I felt responsible for everything — every mistake, every shortfall, every missed target.
But that moment taught me the value of leaning on my team.
When I started sharing the weight, I discovered two things:
People rise to the challenge when you trust them.
The burden feels lighter when it’s shared.
A strong, empowered team is the backbone of any company. They are the ones who keep moving forward when you, the founder, feel like standing still.
3. Celebrate Small Wins
When you’re building a company, it’s easy to get lost in the big vision.
You’re always thinking about the next milestone, the next deal, the next breakthrough.
But the truth is, it’s the small wins that keep you motivated.
Closing that one customer. Fixing that one process. Getting that one positive piece of feedback.
At PowerNow, we started tracking those small victories and celebrating them as a team.
It turned out to be one of the best ways to stay motivated through the tough days.
Why This Matters for Every Founder
If you’re a founder reading this, maybe you’ve had your own “car moment.”
Maybe you’ve had days when you’ve questioned why you’re doing this.
Here’s my advice:
Don’t see those moments as a sign you’re failing. See them as proof that you’re building something that matters.
Hard days are part of the process. They are what make the good days meaningful.
And when you get through them — and you will — you’ll look back and realize those were the days that shaped you the most.
Final Thoughts
Today, when I face challenges, I think back to that morning. I still have tough days, but I no longer see them as roadblocks. They’re simply part of the founder’s journey.
So if you’re building something and today feels heavy, here’s your reminder:
Keep showing up.
The future you’re working toward is waiting — and every problem you solve today is a step closer to making it real.
