15 Entrepreneurs Share How They Stay Motivated

Entrepreneur looking excited and motivated.

Any entrepreneur can tell you, finding ways to stay motivated is key to maintaining necessary momentum. However, finding the best way to keep yourself motivated can sometimes be the hardest part. Learn from these startup entrepreneurs, in a range of industries from healthcare to dating apps, to stay motivated and excel as a startup founder.

How Startup Founders Stay Motivated

1. Ken Babcock, Dan Giovacchini, and Brian Shult, Tango

“Staying grounded on how fortunate we are to have a shot at redefining how people work. No frustration is worth overlooking what a tremendous opportunity we've been given.”

See our full interview with Tango.

2. Circles, Irad Eichler

“Feedback from our members. We really save lives. There are many [customers] coming each week, but there is one that was particularly meaningful. We did a holiday campaign where we provided free Circles for three days over Christmas and New Year's for people who lost a loved one. There was one woman from Mississippi who shared that she lost her husband and two sons. She joined the Circle from Hawaii, and she went there because [she] couldn't stand being in her empty home during the holidays. She was so grateful for the opportunity of having people saying ‘Merry Christmas’ and caring about her. She said, ‘I have no one in the world.’ In these moments, I know it is all worth it because she felt connected. She wasn't alone anymore. People really cared about her.”

Check out the complete interview with Circles.

3. Rinseroo, Lisa Lane

“There is nothing quite like being an entrepreneur. Running your own business can be stressful and unpredictable. The day-to-day outcome depends on my performance, and when I get up in the morning, I am always fully aware of that fact. That alone is motivating.”

Read the full interview with Rinseroo.

4. Hempitecture, Matthew Mead

“Benefitting people and [the] planet.”

See the whole interview with Hempitecture.

5. e-gree, Keith Fraser

“I am a lawyer, and, as such, I feel an obligation to help people protect their legal rights. I want everyone to be able to engage with others in legal and business affairs confident that they are able to protect their rights in a quick, efficient, affordable way.”

Read our full interview with e-gree.

6. So Syncd, Jessica and Louella Alderson

“Helping people find meaningful connections and hearing all of our success stories.”

See the full interview with So Syncd.

7. Bizzy Coffee, Alex French

The possibilities of life that can be lived while running a successful company.

Check out our full interview with Bizzy Coffee.

8. Autimely, Joshua Bowlin

“How I stay motivated is I truly believe in what I'm doing. I believe I'm on the edge of changing car buying forever and for the better. So when you have [that] big of a goal and plan, it helps you stay pretty motivated to keep moving forward.”

Read the full interview with Autimely.

9. Blitz Checkout, Adel Nasser Abdalla

“When you care about something enough, you always stay motivated. Blitz is something we both care deeply about and will continue developing to perfection.”

Read our complete interview with Blitz Checkout.

10. Chaos Audio, Landon McCoy

“Honestly, the ability to make your own decisions and to go from [a] mere idea to [an] actual, physical product can't be beat. You're in complete control of your journey through the execution of your own ideas, and the only way to create this experience is through hard work and an incredible thirst for success.”

Check out the whole interview with Chaos Audio.

11. Pepper, Jake Aronskind

“Read founder stories (‘Shoe Dog,’ ‘Steve Jobs,’ ‘Hatching Twitter,’ ‘Amazon Unbound,’ ‘Elon Musk’ by Ashlee Vance).”

See the full interview with Pepper.

12. Rentround, Raj Dosanjh

“I always think back to how I didn't enjoy my 9-5 role: the tasks, the long commute, the environment. Don't get me wrong, I was grateful for my career, [and] I met some great people and learned a great deal, but it just wasn't me. I think back to those days, and it helps me appreciate my business and push me to continue its growth.”

Check out the whole interview with Rentround.

13. Anapi (Acquired by Aetna Insurance Brokers), Ruth Haller

“Speaking to other founders and listening to podcasts to be inspired by others. Also, reflecting on how far we have come as a team to remind myself of what we have already achieved is a good motivator to keep pressing on.”

Read our complete interview with Anapi.

14. Scrapp, Dan Marek

“Getting plans with friends in the calendar that I can look forward to. For me, staying active, eating well, and working out does a lot of good stuff for my mental health.”

See the full interview with Scrapp.

15. Field Complete, Tim Tesluck

“A good plan — five-year, one-year, one-month, one-week, one-day. Envision what you will be in five years every day.”

Read the whole interview with Field Complete.

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