UNPOPULAR TRUTHS ABOUT BUSINESS: No One Talks About

We live in a time where entrepreneurship is often Glorified as the ultimate path to success. Online media amplifies this narrative, with influencers and self-proclaimed business gurus urging people to quit their jobs and chase their entrepreneurial dreams.

But here’s the thing: not everything about business is as straightforward as it’s made to seem. As someone who grew up in a family of entrepreneurs and has firsthand experience building ventures, here are my unpopular but necessary opinions about business.

1. Not Everyone Is Meant for Business

Let’s start with the truth we all know but rarely say out loud: not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. And that’s okay. Some people thrive in structured environments with stability, security, and predictability—attributes often missing in business.

Having a stable job isn’t a failure, and in fact, many jobs pay more consistently than a fledgling business ever will. The narrative that working for someone else is “settling” is misguided. Some of the most successful people in history were employees who worked within a system that enabled them to shine.

2. Not Every Business Idea Deserves to Be Pursued

The reality is, not all business ideas are created equal. Before jumping into a venture, it’s crucial to assess its realistic potential for scalability based on your capacity and the market size. Is this a “corner shop” idea or the seed of a multimillion-dollar enterprise? Both are valid, but they require different levels of strategy, effort, and resources.

For example, a neighbourhood photocopying business serves a purpose, but expecting it to turn over millions is unrealistic without significant innovation or expansion. Set your expectations based on the business’s true potential, not its hypothetical promise.

3. The Money Isn’t Always Clean

Here’s something that’s rarely discussed: not all successful businesspeople earn their wealth the same way. In the pursuit of profits, some compromise on ethics. It’s essential to evaluate your value system and let it guide your business journey.

Not all advice or inspiration is worth taking, align yourself with mentors and role models whose integrity matches your own.

4. Businesses Have Their Own Timelines

Like fruits ripening in different seasons, businesses also have unique growth trajectories. Some ventures are like broiler chickens—quick to mature but just as quick to fade away. Others are like elephants—slow to grow but built to last for decades, even centuries. Understanding your business’s growth timeline can save you unnecessary frustration. Resist the urge to compare your journey to others; patience and consistency are often the determining factors of long-term success.

5. Nobody Gets It Right the First Time

If most entrepreneurs were truly honest, they’d admit to the countless mistakes they made early on. Business is a learning curve, and failure is often the best teacher. Mistakes aren’t a sign of incompetence—they’re part of the process. The sooner you embrace this reality, the quicker you’ll grow.

6. Your Business Shapes You as Much as You Shape It

Building a business isn’t just about growth in revenue—it’s about personal growth too. The challenges you face will teach you resilience, discipline, and adaptability. A business isn’t just a vehicle for profit; it’s a crucible for self-improvement. If you’re open to the lessons it offers, you’ll come out stronger, wiser, and better equipped to tackle life’s complexities.

7. Don’t Compare Apples to Oranges

Not all entrepreneurs are the same, and neither are their industries. An agripreneur shouldn’t draw inspiration from a tech startup founder whose industry moves at lightning speed. A retail entrepreneur operates in a completely different world than someone running a logistics company. Learn from those who understand the specific challenges and nuances of your field. Otherwise, you risk chasing goals that don’t align with your reality.

The Final Thought

The business world isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey. It’s messy, unpredictable, and deeply personal. The glamorized version of entrepreneurship often leaves out the failures, the sacrifices, and the realities that don’t fit into a neat motivational post. But here’s the beauty of it: whether you succeed or stumble, the lessons you learn will be invaluable.

So, before jumping into business—or advising someone else to—ask yourself the hard questions. Is this the right path for you? Is the idea worth pursuing? And most importantly, are you prepared to grow alongside your business? The answers might surprise you—and they might just save you years of frustration.

Now, go rethink what you thought you knew about entrepreneurship. The truth is rarely what it seems.