Great post. Entrepreneurs by default have a certain degree of optimism embedded in their DNA, and often need to draw on it to get through the tough spots. Responding to "we're crushing it" with, "tell me more" usually creates a pause... :)

Don't compare your business with another Entrepreneur's highlight reel.

This is precisely why I am starting that FounderTherapy group. We cannot afford to stay silent about what isn't going well or what we need help with.

And fwiw my typical response — if it's to someone who doesn't need to know my business beyond a certain point — is "hanging in there."

Whenever someone asks me how my startup is doing I respond in one of three ways, depending on the person:

1) If I trust them and think they are sincerely interested, I say "Let me show you" and pull up the dashboard I use to manage my business.
2) In all other cases, I try to tell them an anecdote that is true and recent, like "We sold three subscriptions yesterday" or whatever problem I'm currently trying to solve, like "we're trying to figure out how to scale customer support to keep up with the demand".

The advantage of this is simple - the response is real, it invites substantial discussion, and it's factual.

If you're enthusiastic about your business you won't need to act. It will be obvious.

Well put.

There definitely needs to be a balance between optimism and realism when talking about your start-up, otherwise you'll never get the help or advice you need.

THANK GOD someone wrote this. Kudos to you, Sharon. If we're not honest about where we are we don't learn from one another. Constant chest thumping turns the entire environment into a competitive place where no one feels comfortable saying, "I have no fucking clue what I'm doing. Maybe you can help me." And that's where, I think, the best work starts getting done. And the best collaborations start happening. And you find the best people to add to your team. Etc., etc.

Chicago doesn't have to be Silicon Valley. We've already been criticized for focusing too much on apps that "actually do stuff in real life." Hopefully we can carve out a reputation for keeping it real in other ways, too.

Thanks Sharon, you are right..And, I love Entourage :-)

I love the honesty of this post Sharon! Some of my favorite talks from entrepreneurs are when they share their truths...the up and more importantly the downs. For me, hearing the downs makes me feel like I am not in this alone and that others too have been through tough times.

Couldn't agree more. In addition, while the spotlight and press is great for a young company, it can absolutely deter you from focusing on your business-a trap many have fallen into and takes a fine balance to avoid.

Great post. Ups and downs are just part of life. How we handle them is what makes us who we are (or who we aren't). Just like a startup. "hard times come and hard times go" Bruce Springsteen

Nice post Sharon.

There are two kinds of entrepreneurs – those who are compelled to be an entrepreneur and those who find it compelling to be one.

After that, it comes down to whether you're optimist or an opportunist. Optimists are better equipped emotionally to weather the highs and lows that come with being an entrepreneur.

Yup, great advice and goes for the investors too! Investors shouldn't make commitments they can't keep or follow up on. That keeps entrepreneurs from "crushing it", or at least doing well.