5 Painful Truths About Business Success You May Not Be Ready To Hear

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Posted: May 5, 2022
Andre Oentoro
Last Updated 21st October 2024
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When you hear people say how remarkable a company is for achieving prestigious awards and acknowledgements, you can't help but think if such companies have endured a lot of things to get into that state. After all, it's not a secret that the road to success can be bumpy, with serials of failure along the way. But, how much does it take for businesses to be successful? And what costs them to be recognised as successful companies? Surely, motivational quotes alone won't take them to where they are now.

Is that perseverance? Or grit? Even better, a bit of luck or good timing?

Maybe it's beyond all these, just like how people perceive the word 'success' itself, business success can be anything. Still, the practical thing you can measure is the outcome, the revenue a business brings from serving customers. That's how people define a business' success.

What You Don't Want To Hear About Business Success

Reality speaking, people love the idea of owning/starting a business. This trend has been around for a while, even years! Ever since motivational books have become insanely popular in the past decades, the "entrepreneurial" journey has been glorified.

It's always about starting from scratch and working your way up to the top. You hear stories of people who have achieved business success, and they make it look like it's a piece of cake.

The media loves to talk about these "rags to riches" stories because it's newsworthy and it sells. No one wants to read or watch something that's not inspiring, right? That's why you hear a lot of business success stories that inspire many for a short while. But what the media doesn't show you are the years of hard work, training, struggles, and failures that these people had to go through to get success. Here are the painful truths about business success you may not be ready to hear.

1. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to achieve success

It's always been the hard work that speaks for results. You can't expect a huge outcome if you give a little. Nature doesn't work that way. Many business owners take entrepreneurship to the next level. They leave their jobs and focus all their energy on building the success they've dreamed about. And that's the sacrifice some people make in order to achieve success.

2. There will be setbacks along the way

Even with hard work and dedication, there are times when things don't quite work out as planned. It could be due to uncontrollable situations or even your own mistakes. In the world of business, failure is inevitable - especially early on in your career. There are numerous examples of successful entrepreneurs who have failed many times before achieving the level of success they have now. The key is to learn from your failures and use them as stepping stones to reach greater heights.

3. It's not always about the money

For most people, business success is defined by the amount of revenue a company generates. While it's true that revenue is important, it's not always the most important factor. Business success is also measured by how you serve your customers and help them achieve their goals. If you create a product or service that truly makes a difference in people's lives, then it doesn't matter how much money you're making - because you're still successful in your own way.

4. It takes time (years) to see any significant results from your efforts

This is one of the most difficult things to accept, especially for those just starting out. It takes a lot of time and patience to achieve business success. You may not see any major results for months or even years. And this can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you're used to seeing quick results in other areas of your life. But the key is to stay focused on your goals and continue to put in the hard work that's necessary for success. With time, you will start to see results - and then, business success will be all yours.​

5. Building a successful business is not for everyone

This is perhaps the most painful truth of all. Not everyone is willing or able to put in the hard work required for business success. And that's okay. Not everyone is cut out for entrepreneurship. It takes a special type of person to be able to handle the ups and downs, the stress, and the sacrifices that come with building a successful business.

If you're not sure if you have what it takes, ask yourself this question: Are you willing to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals? If the answer is yes, then you're ready for business success.

Final Thoughts

Building a successful business takes hard work, dedication, and persistence. There will be setbacks along the way, but with time and determination, you can achieve the success you've always dreamed of. However, it's important to remember that not everyone fits an entrepreneurship journey - only a select few have the drive and determination to succeed. So, if you're serious about pursuing business success, be prepared to put in the hard work and make the sacrifices necessary to reach your goals.​

About the author: Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video production company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos.

Twitter: @breadnbeyond

Email: andre@breadnbeyond.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreoentoro/

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