Why I Started a Business (And What I Didn’t Expect to Find)

Welcome to Letters of Wonder — a space to explore the truths behind clarity, creation, and what it means to live a truly wonderful life.

If you’d rather listen to the audio version of this newsletter:

A couple of years ago, I was just a kid chasing the idea of becoming an entrepreneur—what you might call a “wantrapreneur.”

I was 17, dreaming of freedom, money, travel, the parties, the CEO lifestyle.

But I had no idea how I was going to get there.

So I tried. And failed. And failed again.

I started random businesses in middle school, high school, and even college.

None of them worked… until something finally did.

That “something” became Trendify, a profitable business I now run with my brother.

But here’s what no one tells you about succeeding in business:

It took me five years to make real money.

And even now, as a 24-year-old founder, there are days I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing.

I’m still figuring it out as I go.

And this brings me back to the age old question:

What am I really chasing?

At first, it was about making money.

Then it became about having freedom.

And now, even after finding some of both, I’m still asking:

Is this it?

Is it really just about freedom, money, and building a business?

Or is there something more?

Here’s something else that pushes me: fear.

The fear of getting stuck in a job, stuck under someone else’s rules, stuck living someone else’s life.

I don’t admit this enough, but that fear was a driving reason that I forged my own path.

But fear only gets you so far.

At some point, you have to ask yourself:

What am I really chasing?

Is it peace?

I used to think money and freedom would give me peace.

And in some ways, they did.

But even as I keep working to earn, to stay free, I’ve realized there’s something beyond all of it.

Here’s something else they don’t tell you: entrepreneurship is not peace.

In fact, I think it’s more chaos.

You wake up wondering if you’re on the right path.

You worry about whether it’ll all disappear tomorrow (still do sometimes).

And yet, there’s a strange beauty in it.

• In the act of creating.

• In figuring it out as you go.

• In living life on your own terms.

If you really want to start a business, my advice would be simple: start.

Even if you have five minutes a day.

Just start.

And if you keep waiting or pushing it: ask yourself:
Is this really the path for you?

For me, I know it is.

Because I can’t not do it.

But I still wonder:

What am I really chasing?

I’m not sure I’ll ever fully know.

But I’ll keep going.

I’ll keep sharing.

And I hope you’ll stick around to figure it out with me.