Starting a business is an exhilarating yet challenging journey filled with unexpected obstacles and invaluable learning moments. From personal experience alongside Dr. Taryn Acosta, one essential realization is that many critical truths about entrepreneurship aren’t widely discussed upfront. For example, the image recalling “The shit that no one tells you when you start your own business” perfectly captures this reality. You quickly learn that managing your time, finances, and mental health becomes as important as building your product or service. One of the biggest surprises is how much emotional resilience is required. There is a lot of uncertainty, risk, and self-doubt that can come with making decisions every day that affect your business’s survival. It’s vital to cultivate a support system, whether that’s a co-founder, mentor, or business community. Communication and trust with partners like Dr. Acosta have proven crucial for navigating tough moments and sharing responsibilities. Another lesson is the importance of adaptability. Market shifts, customer feedback, and personal circumstances can prompt pivots in strategy. Being open to change while staying focused on your vision helps maintain momentum. Also, financial planning must be thorough and realistic; running out of cash is a common cause of startup failure and something often underestimated initially. Finally, patience is essential. Success rarely happens overnight. Incremental progress, continuous learning, and persistence can lead to breakthroughs over time. Sharing these warnings and insights from lived experience aims to prepare anyone embarking on starting their own business for the real challenges ahead while motivating them to persevere.