A Year of Setbacks and Growth: Rebuilding After a Startup Hit a Rough Patch
The last year has been a challenging journey. A startup project I began with a friend dissolved after mounting conflicts and an almost-launched MVP that never came to life. I exited before we crossed the finish line.
In the ensuing months, I moved through a murky period of depression and burnout, largely disengaged from work and confined to gaming and streaming as a respite from the stress.
Now I’m ready to return to the tech arena. I build apps and SaaS, and I’m exploring a few clear paths forward:
– Bootstrapping a solo venture, which offers flexibility but significant constraints in scale and funding opportunities for a solo founder.
– Finding a new co-founder to pursue a larger, more ambitious project.
Going solo has its limits: it slows progress, narrows the scope of what’s feasible, and makes funding harder to secure for a lone developer. A toxic co-founder relationship is something I’m hoping to avoid at all costs, so rebuilding trust and forming the right partnership is a top priority, even as I’m determined to create something of my own.
My current network is small, but I do have several side projects that generate enough income to sustain me long-term if necessary. It’s been a year, and I still don’t have a concrete product to show for it. The feedback from family is often negative and critical, and it sometimes feels like friends are advancing while I’m left behind. The prospect of success could bring its own set of doubts from people close to me, which complicates having a reliable support system for open discussion.
What would you do if you were in this situation?
Edit: A note of gratitude for the supportive responses. After a few hours away, I realize I came off more strained than I intended. The past year wasn’t all hardship. It was also one of the most educational and personally meaningful periods of my life. I’ve built several bootstrapped products that generate passive income, learned critical business skills, and expanded my network. I’ve gained experience working with lawyers, accountants, and navigating corporate taxes. I’m more confident than ever that this is the right path forward—preferably in a sustainable and healthy way—and I’m excited to continue growing in this direction.
