I Had to Start Over Three Times — Here’s What It Taught Me

Entrepreneurship isn’t always a fairy tale with billion-dollar exits, TED talks and champagne celebrations. Sometimes, it’s about starting over. And then starting over again, and again.

I’ve had to rebuild my career not once, not twice, but three times. Not because I failed, but because life threw me a plot twist. And through it all, I’ve learned a few key truths that every entrepreneur should carry in their back pocket, especially when the road gets rough.

First zero: Building a PR agency from scratch

In 2016, I left my job at the largest PR agency in my home country and started a small PR firm. I wasn’t new to PR as I had the experience, but running a company is an altogether different ball game. I had to figure out how to register the business, hire a team, manage clients and pitch to the media, all while trying not to combust.

In those early days, I was fighting for attention, as big corporations preferred established names, and I wasn’t one of them. But then I had a mindset shift, and I realized I was talking to the wrong crowd. Startups were the ones hungry for PR. They needed the visibility but couldn’t afford big agencies, so that was my niche.

Once I found the right audience, things moved. Slowly at first, with two clients in six months, but from there, momentum built. I thought I had found my forever path, but life had other plans.

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Second zero: Uprooted by opportunity

In 2018, I moved to the United States. With the move, I got the opportunity to expand my business. What I didn’t expect was the cultural and logistical gap. Time zones made client calls in my home country painful, and the remote work culture hadn’t caught on yet. So, after six months of juggling, I had to admit it wasn’t working.

I was in a new country, with no network, and starting over again. I leaned into a skill I’d sharpened in PR — writing. I signed up on a freelancing platform and took every gig I could. From website copy and corporate bios to resume writing and blogs. It was far from glamorous, but it paid the bills and eventually, it paid more than I expected. Then came another hit.

The platform I was working on got shut down. Years of reviews, ratings and client work were gone. I had no way to prove that I’d done the work, as most of it was ghostwriting, and just like that, I was back to zero again.

Third zero: A long-forgotten dream reignites

At this point, most people would’ve thrown in the towel, but quitting was never on the table for me. I’ve always been self-motivated, not because it’s trendy, but because it’s how I survive.

So, I went back to something that had lived quietly in the back of my mind. I always wanted to start a magazine to spotlight underrepresented brands and founders doing real, meaningful work without the attention of the mainstream media. Launching a full-blown publication felt like too much, at least for now. But I had stories to tell, and some platforms gave me a voice. I began contributing regularly, writing about entrepreneurs, startups and stories that needed to be heard.

I also got back into PR, but this time, I’m doing it my way with a stronger voice, clearer vision and zero tolerance for clients who ghosted after discovery calls.

Here’s what all these years and experiences have taught me about starting over.

1. Zero doesn’t mean failure; it means freedom. When things fall apart, it hurts, but it also clears the slate. Starting over gives you the rare opportunity to choose again — this time, more wisely.
2. Your skills are your safety net. When businesses collapse or markets shift, your core skills can carry you. Writing, strategy, marketing, communication — these will always be in demand.
3. Niche is everything. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. Find the people who need exactly what you offer, even if they can’t pay premium prices yet. Loyalty and trust go further than you think.
4. It’s not about hustle, it’s about resilience. Burnout isn’t a badge of honor, but persistence is. Keep showing up, even if it’s just one article, one pitch, one email at a time.
5. You are allowed to evolve. Your first idea doesn’t have to be your last. Pivot, reinvent and grow, but never quit.

Entrepreneurship isn’t linear. It’s messy, unpredictable and rarely follows the script, but here’s the thing — every time I started from zero, I built something better. I came back wiser and stronger.

If you’re staring down your own version of zero today, take it from me — It’s not the end. It might just be the beginning of your best chapter yet.

Entrepreneurship isn’t always a fairy tale with billion-dollar exits, TED talks and champagne celebrations. Sometimes, it’s about starting over. And then starting over again, and again.

I’ve had to rebuild my career not once, not twice, but three times. Not because I failed, but because life threw me a plot twist. And through it all, I’ve learned a few key truths that every entrepreneur should carry in their back pocket, especially when the road gets rough.