Categories How I Did It

Movies and reality TV, move over. Let's talk about what really happens behind a startup’s closed doors.

For one thing, entrepreneurship isn't as glamorous as the big screen would have you believe. (If you’re already working on your business, you probably know that.) But there's no better way to learn the ins and outs of starting a business than from the people who are one step ahead of you.

Read on for candid stories (including some embarrassing fails) from real-life startup founders.

How My 9-to-5 Became a Business Incubator

Eric Bahn, founder of Beat the GMAT, tells the story of how he worked his day job until his was business cash-flow positive and ready to go full-time.

7 Lessons From Bootstrapping a $15M Lifestyle Business

It took Vishen Lakhiani several years, mulitple failures and a good deal of anxiety to figure out that the only way to build the business of your dreams is to ignore 99% of the conventional advice.

Do You Want to Build a Startup — Or a Small Business?

The difference between building a small business and founding a startup is not about money, or growth, or technology. It’s about vision. What’s yours?

How to Deal With the Income Roller Coaster

Should you ever borrow from your savings to start a business? Jenny Blake left a six-figure salary and did exactly that. Here’s what she found out.