6 months of EVEN

We can’t quite believe EVEN is officially 6 months old. So how is it going?

It has been the best career decision we’ve ever made. But it’s certainly not been an easy ride. Every day something unexpected happens. We've had the most incredible wins, and also our low days when we’ve questioned ourselves. 

And so 6 months in, we’ve been reflecting on the things that kept us up at night when we made the decision to just go for it and become co-founders. Hope it helps you if you’re also figuring out some big career or life decisions.

6 things we were worried about

1. Does the market want to get EVEN? Will there be interest in our mission and offer? 

2. Not knowing all the things that we’d have to figure out – and actually not even knowing what all those things would be (e.g. trademark matters, cybersecurity provisions, etc.) 

3. Do I have the confidence and resilience to pick myself up on the days when you’re facing setbacks? 

4. Can I be a founder and be there for my family? Will I have to work 24/7? 

5. What if I fail? 

6. Not having enough money personally 

Luckily, the market does want to get EVEN!

The early wins when you’re putting a brand new idea and offer out there are an incredible rush of adrenaline. And the rest of the concerns are all real challenges but what we’ve learned, you can work through them, like no.6. With EVEN’s mission being “to accelerate women’s economic potential”, we can’t compromise on this concern, so we plan for it. Fortunately, we’re learning from the best in financial planning, through our EVEN Experts. 

And after taking the plunge, here are 6 things we learned. Many of those actually put our fears to bed. The lesson? You never fully know what something will be like by pondering over it or by trying to predict everything.  

6 things we learned 

1. You can figure everything out. Seriously. And even if you can’t, there’s bound to be someone who knows someone you can call. You just have to ask. 

2. GenAI and tech abound. It's 2024. Every tool you could possibly need for running a business is right there for you, designed to make it easy and accessible. You no longer need to be technical to run a tech-enabled business. 

3. You can never predict who will support you in creating your venture. It's probably people you didn’t expect. 

4. You'll build a thick skin quickly, and the fact that it’s your own business means you’ll do what it takes to make it happen. 

5. A great co-founder is worth their weight in gold. It's like a second marriage, and you’ll feel lucky if you’ve found someone who supports you on your best and worst days. 

6. This one is awkward to write, but...if you want to support women founders, don’t talk about it, don't ask for their time for free, just do business with them! 

If you’re a founder, what did the first 6 months of your journey teach you?