Being Daniel 101

I have a goal of building my own startup, and over the last year I've given it a real try. It's not an easy feat. It's made me appreciate what it takes to be a founder — especially the clash between ego and a designer's love of perfection.

The biggest lesson: no one really knows what they're doing. There are so many factors at play, but if you're still figuring things out, you're good. Building young teaches you a lot and unlocks doors. The drive to do it sets you apart because it means you're willing to take initiative.

In early-stage companies, roles are never really defined — it's all hands on deck. I like to think of building a startup as owning a ship and being its captain.

Some days it's clear skies and smooth sailing. Other days it's chaos and stormy seas. The ship might be broken, or sailing perfectly. You might not know which way to go, or you might have to turn back. The most important thing is to stay afloat.

Earlier that year I had an idea I'd been keeping in the back of my mind. I built it out because I didn't want analysis paralysis. Market research, customer discovery, ads, a waitlist — I was excited to finally be building something.

After more research I discovered I was building something nice-to-have. Market adoption would have been the enemy. The real issue was lack of domain knowledge — it wasn't a pain point I understood deeply, which made problem-solution fit nearly impossible.

I had to pull the plug. It's important to know when you're sinking. A co-founder would have helped me get out of the silo. Would I still build a startup? Heck yeah. But getting more experience and finding the right team became the next steps.

I'm writing not only to share aha moments, but also regrets and failures. I want a space to share experiences and reflect on growth. If you're into asking bold questions and trying bold ideas — trying things out beats leaving them as concepts.