The tough side of startups, Ex-Founder shares his struggle to get a job after shutdown

New Delhi: A former Indian startup founder recently opened up on Reddit about a side of entrepreneurship we rarely hear about, what happens after the startup ends.

He ran a healthy food and beverage startup with two of his friends. They built it from scratch, without any outside funding. That means they handled everything themselves, from marketing and customer support to finance, content, and compliance. They learned on the go and tried to make the most of their limited resources.

But as time passed, things didn’t work out the way they had hoped. Without investor money, the startup couldn’t grow. Slowly, the two co-founders moved on, and the founder had to shut things down. That’s when the real struggle began, job hunting.

Not a good fit for “Regular” jobs?

Even though he had experience running a company, finding a job was harder than expected. In many interviews, he was told things like, “You’re too founder-y” or “You don’t have a specific skill set.” This feedback was confusing. He was open to learning and didn’t expect any big role, just a fair chance. But companies didn’t know where to place someone with such a wide range of experience.

In his own words, he said, “I’m just floating in between, asking friends and network connections for help and wondering if I’m asking for too much by just wanting a chance.” He added that he wasn’t looking for sympathy, just sharing the truth about a part of the founder journey that often ends quietly.

His post struck a chord online. Many others shared how they went through the same thing after their startups failed or shut down. One person advised him to skip formal job applications and directly approach founders of other companies. In India, referrals and networking often work better than online job portals.

Another user shared that after spending all his savings on his startup, he was struggling to find both a new job and investors for his next idea. “Nothing seems to be working,” they said, showing how lonely and confusing this phase can be.

A problem nobody talks about

This story shows a very real and common problem in India’s startup world, what happens when the startup ends. Most startup founders are “generalists.” They’ve done a bit of everything, but when applying for jobs, this wide skill set works against them. Companies often prefer specialists who fit into clearly defined roles.

Also, many founders are seen as “overqualified” or “too independent,” which makes companies hesitate. This makes it even harder to start fresh after a failed venture.

Maybe it’s time we see founders differently

I feel this story shows how important it is for companies to change their mindset. Founders may not have fancy job titles or corporate-style resumes, but they come with real-life problem-solving skills, creativity, and guts. Instead of seeing them as a misfit, why not see them as people who’ve already been through fire?

Also, maybe schools, colleges, and startup networks should prepare founders for the possibility of failure, not just in business, but in bouncing back into the job market.

<p>The post The tough side of startups, Ex-Founder shares his struggle to get a job after shutdown first appeared on Hello Entrepreneurs.</p>