Have you ever wondered why some startup founders, despite their efforts to “work smart,” struggle to get their businesses off the ground?

Here’s a reality check that many don’t want to hear: the right startup founder mindset starts with “working hard“, not “working smart.” While it’s tempting to believe that optimizing your workflow and finding shortcuts will fast-track your success, the truth is that the real foundation of success in a startup is pure, relentless hard work.

In my experience as a startup co-founder and a growth marketer for multiple SaaS startups for over the last 14 years, I’ve consistently seen one pattern: the founders who work tirelessly and embrace the grind build faster, more successful companies than those who try to optimize everything from day one. I’m not a big fan of hustle culture for its own sake, but when it comes to building a company from scratch, hard work is non-negotiable.

In this post, I’ll explain why adopting a startup founder mindset rooted in hard work will set you up for long-term success, and why it’s essential before transitioning into a more “work smart” mentality.

Why Hard Work is Crucial for Startup Founders

The idea of “working smart” sounds appealing, doesn’t it? Why work long hours when you can optimize, delegate, and automate your way to success? But here’s the hard truth: in the early stages of a startup, you don’t have enough data, insights, or infrastructure to truly “work smart.” Before you can scale and optimize, you need to do the hard work that builds the foundation for future growth.

Here’s why hard work is essential for shaping the right startup founder mindset:

1. It Builds Deep Understanding
   As a founder, you need to have a deep understanding of your product, market, and customers. The only way to gain that understanding is by doing the work yourself—handling sales, talking to customers, and refining your product based on real-world feedback. You can’t shortcut this process with hacks or tools.
2. It Builds Confidence and Overcomes Impostor Syndrome
   Most founders suffer from impostor syndrome at some point, but one of the best ways to overcome it is by stacking up small wins. Whether it’s closing a new client, delivering a successful demo, or improving your product, these wins only come through hard work. As you gain these experiences, you’ll build the confidence necessary to lead your team and company.
3. It Creates Momentum
   Nothing breeds success like success. In the early days of your startup, you need to build momentum by putting in the hours and making things happen. Once you’ve landed your first few customers or raised your first round of funding, that momentum will carry you forward—but it starts with hard work.

My 14-Year Journey to the “Work Smart” Phase

Let me share my personal story. It took me 14 years of hard work before I truly felt I could transition from “working hard” to “working smart.” During those years, I did everything—from sales prospecting and customer demos to product development and team building. I made mistakes, learned from them, and gradually built the foundation of what would become a successful business.

For many of my clients, the timeline was shorter but still significant. For example, Removal.AI, a company I invested in, took 3 years to grow its organic traffic to millions per month. This was no accident. The founders worked tirelessly to improve the product, generate leads, and increase customer satisfaction before focusing on automating processes and optimizing workflows. Similarly, SaaSLaunchr, another business I’ve been involved with, took 4 years to hit its stride. For several of my other clients, the process took anywhere from 4 to 6 years.

The lesson is simple: working smart comes after years of working hard. You can’t skip that initial phase if you want to build a company that lasts.

Developing the Right Startup Founder Mindset: Hard Work Comes First

So, what does it mean to develop the right startup founder mindset? It starts with accepting that hard work is the key to success in the early stages of your company. You need to focus on doing the things that will move your business forward, even when they’re uncomfortable or exhausting.

Here are four key areas where startup founders need to work hard:

1. Sales Prospecting
   In the beginning, sales are your lifeblood. You can’t delegate sales until you’ve mastered it yourself. This means spending hours cold calling, sending emails, and doing whatever it takes to get in front of potential customers. Every no brings you closer to a yes, and every yes brings you closer to success.
2. Sales Demos
   Once you have prospects on the hook, it’s your job to sell them on your product. As the founder, no one can do this better than you. Not only does this help you close deals, but it also gives you critical feedback on what resonates with your audience and what doesn’t.
3. Talking to Customers Daily
   In the early stages, customer feedback is everything. You need to be in direct contact with your customers every day to understand their pain points, gather feedback, and iterate on your product. This hands-on approach helps you learn what works, what doesn’t, and where you need to improve.
4. Building a Strong Team
   Eventually, you’ll need to hire a team to help scale your business. But before you can do that, you need to know what kind of people you need. The hard work you put in at the beginning helps you understand where your strengths and weaknesses are, which makes it easier to hire the right people to complement your skills.

Why You Can’t Delegate Too Soon

Many founders make the mistake of trying to delegate tasks before they’ve truly mastered them. The right startup founder mindset involves understanding that you need to get your hands dirty before you can effectively delegate. If you try to offload tasks like sales or customer service too early, you won’t have the insights necessary to train your team or optimize those processes.

Take the example of one of my clients who, early on, tried to automate his entire sales funnel. After six months of minimal traction, he realized he needed to return to the basics. He started personally reaching out to prospects, learning their needs, and adjusting his pitch accordingly. Within three months, he had closed enough deals to build real momentum, and only then was he able to effectively automate and delegate.

When to Shift to “Working Smart”

While working hard is essential in the early stages, there comes a point when you’re ready to transition into working smart. This happens after you’ve established a few key milestones:

1. You Have a Proven Sales Process
   Once you’ve done enough sales yourself, you’ll have a deep understanding of what works and what doesn’t. This is when you can begin documenting your process and training others to follow it.
2. Your Product Is Refined
   After gathering enough feedback from customers and improving your product, you’ll have a clear sense of what features are critical and which ones aren’t. This is when you can start optimizing and automating certain aspects of product development and customer support.
3. You’ve Built a Strong Core Team
   Once you’ve hired key team members who understand your vision, you can begin to delegate more tasks and focus on higher-level strategy.

In my own journey, it took me 14 years to reach this stage. The timeline may vary, but the principle is the same: hard work lays the foundation for working smart.

Your Turn… Embracing the Right Startup Founder Mindset

The right startup founder mindset starts with accepting that hard work is the key to early success. In the initial stages, you need to roll up your sleeves, put in the hours, and do the uncomfortable tasks that will build the foundation for your company. Only after you’ve built momentum through hard work can you transition to working smart by optimizing, delegating, and automating.

Ready to embrace the grind and build a strong foundation for your startup?

Let’s talk about how you can cultivate the right startup founder mindset and take your business to the next level. Schedule a call with me today! Keep pushing, keep learning, and keep working hard 💪.

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