The Scariest Part of Entrepreneurship Isn’t Starting — It’s Continuing When Nothing Seems to Work

Prateek Khanna
Apr 19
7 min read

I’ve always believed that entrepreneurship is a lot like life at sea.

When you start sailing, the first day feels incredible.

There’s wind in your hair, hope in your eyes, and a deep sense of purpose in your heart.

You stand on the bridge (or the poop deck , in my case) looking at the horizon and imagine the destination — all the places you’ll go, all the milestones you’ll reach.

That’s how startups feel in the beginning too. There’s excitement, energy, and ambition. You share your ideas and people clap. You build something small and everyone cheers. It feels like the winds are in your favour.

But here’s the truth: the sea doesn’t stay calm forever.

Neither does the startup journey.

The Calm Before the Storm

As a sailor, you don’t quit the moment the sea gets rough.You tighten your grip. You trust your vessel. You rely on your crew. And above all, you remind yourself of the training that prepared you for this exact moment.

The same holds true for entrepreneurs.

Because the scariest part of entrepreneurship isn’t starting. It’s what happens after the storm hits.

When your best idea fails. When your co-founder quits. When a key investor backs out. When your team is demotivated. When your family begins to worry.

When you open your laptop and feel dread instead of joy. When no one claps anymore. When you’ve done everything “right,” and yet — nothing is working.

That’s when most people give up. But not sailors. And not true entrepreneurs.

Lessons From the Engine Room

I’ve stood in engine room in 50+degree heat (My only ship was a beauty for sure, 6289 would know), with alarms blaring and systems shutting down one after the other. There was no time to panic. No luxury to run away.

You had to fix it — because lives depended on it. You had to adapt — because the ship wouldn’t stop for your frustration.

That’s exactly how it feels in business when cash flow dries up. When customers churn. When deadlines are missed. When you look at your runway and realize you’ve got three months to make something happen — or shut everything down.

But here’s what those engine room hours taught me:

You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to keep moving.

One pipe. One valve. One system at a time. Until things start working again.

Isolation and Inner Battles

Sailing taught me the meaning of loneliness. Weeks — sometimes months — away from family, with just a vast ocean around. No one to share your burdens with. No one to understand the weight you carry.

Entrepreneurship feels eerily similar.

You smile in public, but your mind races at night. You celebrate your team's wins, but quietly absorb the losses. You act confident in boardrooms while feeling unsure in your soul.

And yet, despite the storms outside and the silence inside — you show up. You keep showing up. Day after day.

Because you believe in the vessel you’re building. Even if no one else sees it yet.

Why Most People Quit — And Why You Shouldn’t

Most ships don’t sink because of the water around them. They sink when water gets inside.

Likewise, most startups don’t fail because of market conditions or competition. They fail when the founder lets doubt, fear, and fatigue flood their mind.

You’ve got to seal the cracks. You’ve got to anchor your spirit. And you’ve got to remind yourself — this is part of the voyage.

The rough seas. The sleepless nights. The empty bank accounts. The lost clients. The failed launches.

They’re not signs that you’re not meant to succeed. They’re part of what will make you succeed.

When the Sea Finally Calms

Eventually, the waters do calm.

Just like that one voyage where we battled a 3-day storm in the Pacific, holding course with sheer determination — Only to wake up one morning to sunlight, silence, and a horizon so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes.

That’s what entrepreneurship rewards you with too.

One good client. One viral campaign. One successful pitch. One moment of clarity.

And suddenly — all the pain becomes worth it. You realize you didn’t just build a product. You built yourself.

A better version. A braver version. A version you never thought possible.

To Every Dreamer Reading This

If you’re in that phase where nothing seems to work — please know that this is not the end of your story.

This is the part that tests your grit. This is the part that builds your character. This is the part that will one day make your success story worth telling.

You don’t need to be fearless. You just need to be relentless.

Like a sailor in a storm — trust your ship. Like an engineer under pressure — trust your instincts. And like a founder in freefall — trust your journey.

Keep going. Keep building. Keep believing.

Because the real win in entrepreneurship doesn’t go to the one who started fast — It goes to the one who never gave up.

From the bridge to the boardroom, from the sea to the startup world — I’ve seen that storms don’t last. But those who withstand them, do.

With you in this journey,

Prateek Khanna

P.S. If you are a DMETian starting out or in need of guidance — reach out to us. Write to us at hello@dmetclub.com We promise we’ll try to help you in the best way we can.

Baaki sab Rab Raakha.

My Advice for DMETian Entrepreneurs:

1. Your Discipline Is Your Superpower

Four years at DMET taught you something most B-school grads never learn — discipline under pressure. Use it. When startups get messy (and they will), fall back on your engine-room mindset: focus, fix, and move forward.

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Pivot

At sea, you adjust course depending on the weather. In business, do the same. If a product or plan isn’t working — adapt. Let go of the ego. Hold on to the mission.

3. You’re Not Alone

DMET taught us the value of camaraderie. Leverage your alumni network. Reach out. Ask. Collaborate. You’ll be surprised how many doors open when you say, “I’m a DMETian too.”

4. Sailing Alone Is Noble. Sailing Together Wins.

Build a good team. Don’t try to do everything solo. Trust people. Empower them. Invest in culture like you invest in equipment — it will save you in the storms ahead.

5. Build Like a Marine Engineer

Don’t cut corners. Whether it's code, strategy, or customer experience — build systems that last. Check for leaks. Run trials. Document everything. Your marine training is your blueprint.

6. There Will Be Noisy Decks and Silent Bridges

At times, you’ll hear too many opinions. At other times, no one will say a word. Learn to trust your internal compass. Make space for silence — that’s often where the best decisions come from.

7. Raise Your Sails, Not Just Funds

Chasing investors is important. But chasing value is more critical. Raise sails first — get momentum, revenue, results — and the right investors will find you.

8. Take Care of Your Mental Hull

Burnout is real. Entrepreneurship is demanding. Schedule breaks. Talk to peers. Reflect often. You took care of machines for years. Now, take care of yourself.

9. Legacy Over Likes

Don’t build for vanity. Build for impact. Your company should make life better for someone — even if it’s just one person at first. That’s how real legacies are born.

10. Rab Raakha, But Backup the Systems

Have faith. But also have a plan. Hope is not a strategy. A checklist, a financial runway, and a plan B — that’s the marine (or DMETian Way) way.

When Things Go South and You’re Feeling Low — Read This

1. Acknowledge the Storm. Don’t Pretend It’s Sunny.

It’s okay to admit: “I’m not okay.” You’ve faced cyclones at sea — but emotional storms? They hit deeper. Recognise when you’re sinking. Don’t brush it off. Don’t bottle it up. The strongest captains cry too.

2. Talk to Someone You Trust. Seriously.

A mentor, a batchmate, a therapist, your mom — anyone. Just talk.The silence in your mind can grow louder than reality. Speaking out breaks that loop.

3. Stop Comparing Your Chapter 3 to Someone’s Chapter 20.

Instagram is a highlight reel.Success is rarely as fast or glamorous as it seems. You’re not behind — you’re becoming.

4. Simplify. Shrink the Problem.

You don’t have to solve everything in one day.Pick one small win. Make one call. Send one email. Fix one bug.Momentum starts with micro-movements.

5. Reconnect with Why You Started

Want to read more?

Subscribe to dmetclub.com to keep reading this exclusive post.

Subscribe Now