Forget raising the first round – try building a business.

Dear first time founders, please stop being so laser focused on raising your first round of funding. Sure, the first round is hard, but it is nothing compared to the second one and it is even easier when you compare it to the task of actually building a growing business.

I am reminded of the first time I went solo skydiving in Volokolamsk some 17 years ago. Back there/back then, the first jump was not a tandem with an instructor. We jumped solo after 6 hours of training. Most had to be pushed out by the instructor (he didn’t wait too long). One guy was so scared, that the instructor could not push him out. The one thing that all of the skydivers agreed on though – the first time is hard, but the second time is the hardest.