Startup Struggle

Is startup life really the 24/7 grind it’s made out to be? Well, that answer depends entirely on who you ask.

We’re all familiar with the stereotypical image of the startup entrepreneur, working 18 hour days, barely sleeping, laughing at the thought of a social life. An entrepreneur who describes himself as “lazy, getting up at 1PM, and never working weekends,” would hardly be considered someone who could hack it in the demanding startup world. But that’s exactly the way Andrew Wilkinson, founder of MetaLab, describes his work habits – and he’s never had more success.

In an autobiographical piece for Pando, Wilkinson readily acknowledges that he would be considered by most standards “A lazy bastard. I wake up around 1PM and almost always get eight hours of sleep. Most days, I head to the office in the early afternoon and work 5-6 hours. Sometimes I put in another couple hours at night, but I take the majority of my time away from work, and I never work weekends.” You may think that this self-indulgent behaviour led to a decline in his productivity, but actually just the opposite happened.

Wilkinson begins by explaining that he wasn’t always this way. He began his startup career as a full-time desk jockey, which led to two years of over-working and failed relationships. It was a personal decision for him to relax his working habits and he was prepared to take whatever financial hit may come. Amazingly, he didn’t have to take a hit. In fact, after leaving the 24/7 startup grind behind him, his company actually grew. His staff grew from 5 to 50 people and revenues doubled year-over-year, now reaching well into the millions. His message to budding entrepreneurs is that you don’t need to make yourself miserable to be successful. He also points out that many things startup founders forego to get their company off the ground – a social life, hobbies, relationships – are actually essential for running a successful company.

Interestingly enough, he contrasts his comments with those of another startup entrepreneur, Aaron Levie, who truly embodies the idea of the 24/7 startup entrepreneur. In an interview with Inc. Magazine, Levie describes a work day that starts at 11AM, ends at 2AM, and doesn’t pause for weekends. He refers to vacations as “the V-word” and claims he hasn’t taken one in the seven years since he started his company. He readily admits to not working out, giving up on his piano playing, and that his eating habits would not make his mother very happy. But he gets results. The company Levie founded, Box, has over 600 employees and has more than doubled sales every year; it’s currently valued at $1.2 billion.

So, is startup life a 24/7 grind? It really seems to depend on the type of entrepreneur you are rather than the demands of the industry. While all successful entrepreneurs must be passionate about what they do, different work habits work for different people. Some feed off the adrenaline rush of 24/7 workweeks and barely miss the social life they left behind. Others become stronger and better leaders when they allow themselves to take time away from work and develop personal interests. One thing every startup entrepreneur can agree on is that it is a grind, and a tough one. Better love what you’re doing or it’s best to get out!