F3TCH has been asked to participate in a new program called Startup EQ. We noted in past blogs, how hard it is to be an entrepreneur. We may have mentioned that oftentimes the only word we hear is “no” for long periods of time. High divorce rates, depression, etc. are the dark side of this wonderful ecosystem. It affects us all. These are not just companies, this is what we pour our funds, life experience, and our energy into. We understand that blood and treasure are not enough to make them successful, but they make them ours in a way that is very personal. Even successful entrepreneurs can have serious regrets along the way.
This program will not change those experiences, but it is a start to give us more mechanisms to work through the downside. For those of you who have known me for longer than you are willing to admit in public, I am finally seeing a professional psychiatric expert (two in fact). In all seriousness, the truth is that I am a result of a lot of pain and personally, that is kind of the point of the program. Is being a tank the best way forward? What is there to learn and what tools may make the process better and what can our experiences at F3TCH do to “pay it forward” so that the next “batch of crazy” to start their businesses have a better toolset?
So thank you to Mr. Jim Roberts (NEW), whom we nicknamed the Startup Whisperer, who applied for and received a grant to get this program set up. Thank you to NC Idea for making the funds available to make the program possible. Also thanks to the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Ms. Heather McWhorter) for including F3TCH and to the Wilmington Business Journal for publishing the story on NEW and the program (Ms. Johanna Cano & Mr. Rob Kaiser).
We start in a few weeks and we are looking forward to some new insights and tools from GO-OD Consulting founders June Gunter and Toula Ousouljoglou as we go through the inaugural program.