The Hardest Part about Entrepreneurship that is Rarely Talked About

·47 min·4 clips

Derek Vidal reveals that achieving success in entrepreneurship will cause you to lose over 90% of your friends.

In this solo episode of the Social Media Entrepreneurs podcast, host Derek Vidal addresses the emotional challenges of entrepreneurship, focusing on the loss of friendships and social support. He begins by stating that success leads to losing over 90% of friends, including childhood and family connections. Derek explains that people often prefer friends who don't intimidate them, and entrepreneurs become unrelatable due to their disciplined habits, self-belief, and control over their lives. He shares a personal story where his girlfriend discouraged his entrepreneurial path, telling him to get a normal job, which contributed to their breakup. The host also mentions how even family members, like fathers and uncles, can feel threatened by a relative's success. Derek references public figures like Alex Hormozi, Andrew Tate, and Hawk Tua to illustrate how success attracts criticism and isolation. He discusses the difficulty of maintaining friendships with people who don't share entrepreneurial mindsets, noting that conversations become strained. The episode touches on broader societal divides, such as culture wars, and suggests that loneliness is a designed aspect of the entrepreneurial journey. Derek advises avoiding substances like alcohol to prevent fake friendships and recommends finding genuine connections with other entrepreneurs through podcasts or conferences. He highlights the trade-off between old social circles and new growth, using the movie Good Will Hunting as an analogy. The host encourages listeners to embrace change and reach out to him for support, emphasizing the importance of self-belief and perseverance.

As heard by us

A candid episode on how entrepreneurial growth can reshape friendships, family ties, and the need for approval.

Derek Vidal takes on a lonely, often under-discussed cost of entrepreneurship: the way success can change the room around someone. The episode is most effective when it stays close to everyday restraint, from muting excitement about new clients or ambitious plans to sensing that…

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Why you'd press play

You are building a business and bracing for the part Derek says people do not talk about enough: success can change how your closest relationships feel.

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