The Hidden Costs of Founding Young

People often say it’s impressive that I started a company in high school.
They say I’m ahead of the curve. That I figured it out early. That I’m lucky.

What they don’t see are the tradeoffs.
What they don’t talk about are the costs.

Because when you start young, you don’t just skip steps.
You skip moments. You skip safety nets.
You skip the chance to take your time.

I Grew Up While Building a Company

While most people my age were settling into dorms, I was answering investor emails.
While others were figuring out who they wanted to become, I was hiring, managing, pitching, and debugging at 2 a.m.

I didn’t take a gap year. I didn’t get a clean slate.
I made a choice, and then I had to make it work.

I don’t regret it. But I felt pressure I didn’t always know how to carry.
When someone believes in your vision, you don’t get to slow down.
You build or fall behind.

You Learn Fast. But You Give Up Quietly.

When you’re young and people take you seriously, it feels like a superpower.
But it also forces you to become someone fast.

You don’t want to seem inexperienced, so you overprepare.
You don’t want to lose momentum, so you say yes before you’re ready.
You don’t want to look like a kid in the room, so you learn how to act like you’ve been there — even when you haven’t.

And slowly, you start letting go of things you didn’t realize you needed.
You lose rest. You lose weekends. You lose lightness.

You grow up fast. But you grow tired too.

You Miss What You Didn’t Know You’d Miss

There were birthdays I worked through.
Trips I skipped. Friendships I let fade.

Not because I didn’t care.
Because there was always something urgent. Always something I thought couldn’t wait.

I thought the work was the only thing that mattered.
But over time I’ve learned the personal cost is real — even if it’s not visible to others.

What I’ve Learned

Founding young gave me access to things most people spend years working toward.
But it also meant I had to figure things out in real time.
With no script. No safety net. No room to drift.

And eventually, I realized something important.

Being young doesn’t mean you need to prove everything.
It means you get to learn in public.
It means you get to build before you're fully ready — and figure it out as you go.

Most people go to top schools, chase internships, or leave $500,000 jobs to be in the position I’m in.
I didn’t take their path. But I ended up in the same room.

I’m just glad I’m here.
Grateful that I get to build something people care about.
Grateful that I get to learn by doing, not waiting.

I know I have a long way to go.
But I also know I’m right where I need to be.