Is it what you think it is? Use these quick quotes & tips to understand if they are worth your love, time & investment!
According to one survey, approximately half of all CEOs get less than six hours of sleep every night. As you can imagine, it is definitely even worse for early-stage startup founders or business owners.
Given how challenging and lonely the entrepreneurial journey can be, it will be useful to understand their traits before getting into a relationship with one. Here is some advice if you are looking into a relationship with an entrepreneur from an actual 7-year entrepreneur herself.
1. Be ready to feel like dating two people at the same time.
Dating an entrepreneur feels like you are dating both the person and the business at the same time. There will be times you wish there is more attention on you, but advice: donāt compete yourself up against a new business. While this may seem daunting at first, they are also likely to inspire you and be equally supportive and dedicated to help you with your dreams and ambitions.
2. Their business will become your business!
You see, ānone of my businessā is not an option here when you are dating an entrepreneur. While you are attracted by the charm, determination and vision that an entrepreneur exudes, even the surest of us can feel shaky and vulnerable at times. Your support and forgiveness for us working late means more than you may ever know and will make you a solid rock in our lives.
3. BUT, WAIT-FOR-IT, itās worth it.
Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people wonāt, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people canāt.
While we donāt have a normal 9-5 and can often work on the weekends and need to take a call during the vacations, dating us can be a thrilling and extraordinary experience that is worth all the investment. The future we are working so hard on and how much we want to provide you when we are done (and of course the solution we would like to provide to the world too) makes it worth the wait. And Oh, we are also passionate creatures who are likely to throw lots of surprises too!
- Books are a huge turn-on.
We are constantly learning and enjoying self-development as we believe that formal education will make us enough to get by, but self education will make us a fortune. The thirst and width of knowledge and intellect are perhaps what attracted you to them in the first place.
5. They are very selective with friends.
Entrepreneurs are likely not to enjoy being around lazy people with no goals and those who only spend time on personal indulgence. They enjoy being inspired. On the same line, entrepreneurs are analytical by nature, so we tend to ask a lot of critical questions to try to understand a person 360 to see if he or she is worth our time.
6. Buckle up! Get ready for the wild ride.
An emotional roller coaster can happen daily to an entrepreneur. One moment they are high on hitting a key milestone, the next moment they are convinced they canāt do it anymore. And, the tricky part, they might feel the exact opposite within the same day!
Here is a simple illustration:
Another funny and famous quote from Ben Horowitz as a startup CEO and Silicon Valley VC: I sleep like a babyā¦ because I woke up every 2 hours and criedā
(now thatās an exaggeration, but you get it)
- We sometimes have a hard time “turning off.”Relaxing might not come naturally to entrepreneurs. Never ask: “Why are you working so much?” A true entrepreneur is a doer, not just a dreamer. Owning a business means if anything goes wrong, we are in charge. Donāt be surprised if we get lost in their thoughts occasionally.
- Give us the D.T.L and the purpose of hanging out.
Iām saying date, time & location when you are planning a day or an event you want them to attend with you. Busy entrepreneurs can plan by the minute and we are often looking to do things in the most efficient way possible, so give us all the information in one go and donāt ditch on us! Good news, and because of how busy we are, we also have no time for drama and tend to be loyal.
- They live to achieve and are laser-focus on their goals (yes, there can be more than 1 goal).It can also be difficult to explain what they do at times as itās either so new or they are trying so many different things. You may need to remind them not to spread themselves too thin. If your significant other is working excessively and it makes you feel left out or ignored, ask them kindly to spend 30 minutes with you to take a walk outside or to do an activity you both enjoy. We never flake once we are committed.
10. Strain on resources. Likely be on a budget at the beginning.
When you start your own company, you put everything into it, including your finances. So, be prepared to be living lean and flexible at times.
Extra bonus, here are more tips and things you should know If your girlfriend is an entrepreneur/ business owner in particular:
- She is independent.
See her as your teammate. If you are looking for someone that just sits there and admires you full time, you might have to look elsewhere.
- Spoil them with high-value qualities.
By that, I donāt mean material, but your aspiration, your loyalty and the goals you have achieved and how you get there. Successful boss ladies are not impressed by the money in your pocket and the fancy cars you drive.
- Appreciate her decisiveness and assertiveness. Never call her bossy or dominant.
Dating an entrepreneur can be a one-of-a-kind experience and we are likely to push our partners to venture out of your comfort zone and become your best version of yourself at the same time. But during our down time, we are also super fun and flexible and are very understanding of difficult situations that came your way.
If you enjoy being around an exciting, risk-loving, inventors, relentlessly ambitious-motivated person with multiple skill sets who are constantly improving themselves, Iād say entrepreneurs are theĀ right breedĀ for you. Come down for a ride, you might end up with an exciting life beyond your imagination! Have fun!
