Being a Lousy Employee Made Me a Successful Entrepreneur

Restless and rebellious desk jockeys, take heart

Joe Procopio
Index

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A young man experiencing stress after a video conference on his laptop, working from home.
Photo: MR.Cole_Photographer/Moment/Getty Images

Whenever a young person asks me how they can make a career out of being an entrepreneur, I try really hard not to disillusion them. But I feel like it’s my duty to warn them that being an entrepreneur is a terrible career choice.

Don’t get me wrong: There is nothing I would rather do with my life than start businesses, grow companies, and help and advise other entrepreneurs to build their own businesses. Being an entrepreneur makes for an awesome life — just not an awesome career.

I’ve faced a ton of challenges founding, leading, and advising companies for over 20 years, but the toughest among them is the fact that I’m this deep into the startup game still haven’t found what I’m looking for. The biggest hurdle in my entrepreneurial career is that I still don’t feel like I have a career at all.

Is this you too? Are you fighting an uphill battle explaining to friends and strangers what you do, struggling with problems and decisions no one else worries about, and maybe getting a little jealous when corporate perks are thrown at your peers?

If so, you’re not alone. Let me tell you how I discovered that walking your own path, especially when you have to create that path…

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Joe Procopio
Index

I'm a multi-exit, multi-failure entrepreneur. AI pioneer. Building TeachingStartup.com. Write at Inc.com and BuiltIn.com. More about me at joeprocopio.com