Entrepreneur James Sackl: Starting a Business Expectations

James Sackl is the CEO and Co-Founder company that makes it easy for people to live healthier lives. He’s also the co-founder of Greenfield, a plant-based meal delivery service. In this interview, Sackl talks about what it’s really like to start a business from scratch—the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Q: What are some common misconceptions about starting a business?

A: I think one thing that is really misrepresented in the media is how much work goes into starting a business. People see the final product and they think, “Oh, that looks great. That’s so easy.” But what they don’t see is all of the late nights, early mornings, weekends, and blood, sweat, and tears that went into making that final product look so effortless. It’s important to remember that overnight successes almost never happen overnight. It takes years of hard work to get to that point.

Q: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced when starting your businesses? 

A: I would say one of the biggest challenges has been learning how to wear all of the hats. When you’re first starting out, you’re doing everything yourself. You’re responsible for sales, marketing, operations, customer service, accounting—everything. It can be really overwhelming at times. Another big challenge is funding. When you don’t have any money to work with, you have to get creative with how you’re going to get things done. We’ve had to do a lot of bartering and trading in order to get things off the ground. 

Conclusion: 

Starting a business is not for the faint of heart. It takes years of hard work, dedications, late nights—and that’s just for starters. If you’re thinking about starting your own business, it’s important to be prepared for the challenges ahead. Keep your head down and power through; eventually, it will all be worth it. Thanks for advice James!