The reason my business failed the first time was that I was TOO successful

I mushroomed.

I started an online business in my bedroom which grew to be the largest of its kind, went from one laptop in my bedroom to over 100k sales in 2 years and shipped globally.

1 year later I was answering emails one after the other for at least 10-12 hours a day, had 9 full time employees.

At the ripe old age of 21, I got ambitious and expanded, launched 3 sister brands under the same umbrella and by 23 I was burnt out, mentally and physically and had lost that spark.

You can always keep pushing but when that spark fades it is the hardest thing in the world to reignite.

When it gets bigger, you have to be the one who manages not the one who does. Delegate tasks then provide leadership and guidance, don't do everything yourself.

That's the lesson I learned.

2 years later and Im trying to rekindle it for round 2 but next time I know how to do it.

From my own experience and also In the startup community + have watched many a start up fly and fail.

Here's the lessons I want to keep for myself and any other starters should know:

1. Pick your co-founders like you pick a marriage partner — with the expectation that they may very well screw you over anyway.
2. Don't invent a product for a problem that doesn't exist. If you do, you will have to spend a lot of time inventing the problem as well.
3. Take your experience and apply it to what you want to do. Don't jump in to app building b/c all the cool kids are doing it.
4. Don't get in it for the money. You will likely be working for AT LEAST two years without adequate (or any) pay.
5. Don't try to be a BFF to your employees/boss. It seldom ends well.
6. Specificity and focus are your friends. You can't be or do everything for everyone.
7. Your first customers are your employees. If they don't see value in you or what you're selling, you're in trouble.
8. Working for smart, kind people is totally okay. There are hundreds of ways to do cool things, without entering the startup world.
9. Most importantly, Take care of yourself first. Throwing everything you have into a biz is no good if you destroy your health in the process.

Thank you, Hope it was helpful