Trail Building Startups and Grind Culture
Most often, when we think of or talk about startups, the prevailing images that come to mind are venture capital-backed tech startups in Silicon Valley. Yet a startup is a startup, whether you’re starting a bakery, a coffee roasting company, an apparel brand, or, yes, a trail building company.
In light of a recent article we posted on our website in which Greg Mazu shared the painful story of shutting down Singletrack Trails, I thought it would be timely to address trail building startups, the pressure faced by those launching these kinds of ventures, and the overall hype of grind culture that is prevalent in startups.
Why is this relevant? Through Trail Builder Mag, I’ve connected with countless people who struck out on their own to launch their own trail building company or some other kind of business related to trail building, outdoor recreation, and so on. I want to speak directly to you.
I understand what you’re going through. It’s hard. For many who responded and reached out after we posted Greg’s story, there’s the sobering reality that nothing is guaranteed. Launching a new business from scratch is hard—very hard. Also, it’s one thing to get it off the ground and a whole different thing to grow and sustain it.
One of the common threads in our series, in which we interviewed those who started for-profit trail building companies, is that it’s a lot of risk to strike out on your own. Many worked full or part-time as they began building their company. The financial burden can be suffocating at times.
Having launched multiple startups, I feel a deep empathy. Why? Because I’m in the same boat, rowing furiously against the current. Like many, I had no financial backing to get this magazine and media platform off the ground. I’ve been bootstrapping it one hundred percent of the way. Most of you are, too.
You start off with a few tools that you can afford. As jobs come your way, you use what you have, borrow, and rent what you don’t. But the good news is, you started. Some of you are a one-person operation. Others are doing this with your spouse. You’re small-scale, plucky, nimble, and determined.
There are also other factors at play that make life difficult. You’re constantly getting outbid by possibly larger companies or even non-profits who can underbid you. Then there are cash flow issues. Doing the job vs. the timing of when you get the money from those contracts. This only elevates the stress.
For many, the only solution is to grind more. Put in more hours. Do without. Grind. On one hand, that’s how it is. Bringing an idea to life takes enormous mental and even physical energy. It can also take a toll. It becomes easy to overlook your own health or even the health of relationships. When we have to pay rent or our mortgage and put food on the table, we often succumb to the pressure of pushing through the warning signs yelling at us that we need to take a moment to at least catch our breath.
There is also a dark side to what I call grind culture. On top of what I just highlighted above, at times, we can pride ourselves in sacrificing and doing what it takes to start, grow, and see a company (or non-profit) flourish. Again, nothing good and worthy comes easy. It is a grind and a glorious one at that. But this is a reminder to you … to me … that in the midst of all the activities and daily grind, we need to slow down at times to savor the moment. To savor and enjoy what we’re building.
I applaud you. Why? Because you did it. You’re doing it. You actually stopped saying, “What if?” You went for it. You sent it.
There are no guarantees. Some of you won’t make it. You may shut it down after three years, five years, ten years, or even 20 years. If you do, you’re not a failure. Interestingly, most entrepreneurs failed over and over again until one of their ideas finally hit. We learn from all of our experiences, bringing them into the next one. If that’s the case, then were they failures?
I need these words, too. Writing this is also a reminder to myself. As I previously shared, I’m in the same boat. Trail Builder Mag could come crashing down someday. Or it may ignite like a rocket erupting from the launch pad, shaking violently as it pushes against gravitational forces seeking to hold it down.
Three words capture the essence of our mission … inspire, inform, and connect. When I think of the word connect, it’s all about relationships. Community. That’s a common theme I read in communications, whether through DMs, emails, and more. I’m all about using this platform to connect with one another. We need each other. You’re not alone. I’m not alone. We’re in this together.
Get after it. You have nothing to lose.
Words: Sean Benesh Photos: Sean Benesh
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sean Benesh
Sean is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Trail Builder Mag. He is also the Communications Director for the Northwest Trail Alliance in Portland, Oregon. While in grad school, he worked as a mountain biking guide in Southern Arizona. Sean also spends time in the classroom as a digital media instructor at Warner Pacific University.
