When people talk about founding a business, they often focus on the highlights. The big wins, the milestones, the growth.
And yes, those moments exist, but what no one really tells you is what sits underneath all of that.
For me, one of the biggest lessons has been that consistency is everything.
You can have game-changing moments, but they are rarely what builds a business.
It’s the small things, done well, every single day, that create real, sustainable growth.
The compound effect of showing up, staying disciplined and executing the basics is what truly moves the needle.
There are also days when everything feels overwhelming. In those moments, I’ve learned to shift my mindset to ‘bite-sized chunks’.
Focus on what’s in front of you. Deal with the immediate. Progress doesn’t always come from big leaps. Often, it’s about simply moving forward, one step at a time.
The comparison trap
A big lesson I’ve learned is that comparing yourself to others is both pointless and dangerous.
In today’s world, it’s easy to get caught up in what people are sharing on LinkedIn or other platforms.
But the reality is, what you see is rarely the full picture.
I think it’s healthy to stay aware of what others are doing, but it’s essential to remain grounded in your own values, your own vision and your own journey.
Increased awareness
Founding a business has also made me far more aware of the world around me.
Things that once felt distant suddenly matter. What’s happening in the Middle East, for example, can have a direct impact on my business, from fuel costs to energy prices.
When you work for someone else, it’s easier to detach. As a founder, you can’t. Everything connects back to your business in some way.
Personal sacrifices
But alongside the wins come the challenges, and these are the parts people don’t talk about enough.
I took just four days of maternity leave. In the early years, recruitment meant early starts, and my husband, Martin, took on the responsibility of doing the nursery and school runs every day for our daughter, Charlotte.
I missed a lot of those moments, school events, nursery milestones, things many parents take for granted.
Thankfully, Charlotte understood that. She’d say: ‘Mummy runs her own company,’ but that doesn’t mean those choices were easy.
Always ‘on’
Then there’s the mindset. The reality is, you are always ‘on’.
I can honestly say that for 21 years, I haven’t had a single day where I haven’t been thinking about the business.
Whether it’s checking emails on Christmas Day or dealing with an issue while on holiday, it never truly switches off.
And that doesn’t just affect you, it affects your family too.
They feel the pressure, they sense when things aren’t right and they carry that with you.
Hidden pressure
There’s also the weight of responsibility. As a founder, there’s no buffer. You don’t always have a mentor to guide you. I didn’t.
Imposter syndrome can creep in more often than people realise. You question your decisions, you doubt yourself, and yet you still have to lead from the front.
Despite what people may think, it isn’t always glamorous. It isn’t always fun.
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Behind the scenes, you’re dealing with things you may never have anticipated. Corporation tax, staffing challenges, employee wellbeing, rising costs.
You become responsible for areas of a business you may never have had exposure to before.
More than just business
But perhaps that’s the reality of being a founder.
It’s not just about building a business, it’s about growing as a person.
Becoming more resilient, more aware, more adaptable. Learning to navigate uncertainty, make decisions under pressure and keep moving forward regardless of how you feel.
The wins are real, but so is everything it takes to achieve them.
- Recruitment Solutions (NW) is an independent business recruiting across the North West of England since 2004.