What Would I do Differently
In this episode of The Startup Therapy, Ryan Rutan and Will Schroter explore the 'what if' scenarios that often preoccupy founders. Will shares personal milestones, showing how taking bigger risks shaped his journey. They discuss the hidden costs of success, the pitfalls of romanticizing alternative outcomes, and the importance of realistic risk assessment. The key takeaway? Embrace risk to avoid the regret of missed opportunities.Sign up for the Startups Newsletterhttps://www.startups.com/newsletterResources:Startup Therapy Podcast https://www.startups.com/community/startup-therapyWebsitehttps://www.startups.com/beginLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/startups-co/Join our Network of Top Founders Wil Schroterhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/wilschroter/Ryan Rutanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-rutan/What to listen for:00:07 – Reflecting on milestones and 'what ifs'00:44 – The risks and rewards of entrepreneurship04:00 – A hilarious temp job experience07:34 – The reality of alternate paths09:02 – The danger of romanticizing 'what ifs'13:48 – The cost of success15:29 – Building a realistic mental model16:18 – Stop guessing and get real answers16:26 – The cost of staying in a job you hate17:30 – Should you stay or leave?18:10 – The true cost of success19:12 – The hindsight trap: romanticizing outcomes21:56 – Learning from failure and modeling risk22:55 – Zirtual acquisition: a case study in risk28:47 – Surviving failure and moving forward31:35 – Avoiding regret and embracing risk