There is a version of the founder story we rarely tell. Not the one about surviving the lean years, managing cash flow through drought, or holding a team together when the system turns hostile. That version has its own dignity and difficulty. The one we rarely tell begins later. It kicks in when things start working.
It is easy to assume that success is the reward for surviving. That once the early friction eases, revenue steadies and recognition arrives, the hardest work is behind you.
