Jennifer Williams on Failure, Doubt, and the Journey of Building a Business
In this interview, Jennifer talks about overcoming failure, battling imposter syndrome, and the small victories that make the journey worth it.
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In today’s edition of The Struggles of Being a Founder, we sat down with Jennifer Williams.
Jennifer shares the honest struggles of being a founder, from dealing with imposter syndrome to walking away from ideas that didn’t work. She talks about the sacrifices, the doubts, and the determination that keeps her pushing forward, even when things get tough.
In this interview, Jennifer shares:
Her journey into the entrepreneurial space
The difficult decisions she faced as a founder
Her experience with imposter syndrome and moments of fear
The advice she’d offer to entrepreneurs who are just starting out.
Q. Tell us a little about yourself and your journey into the entrepreneurial space.
I’m Jennifer, the creator of the Epitech Integrator, a data integration tool for non-technical small business managers and professionals with limited data skills. My journey started when I worked in healthcare, where I spent way too much time managing data manually. I realized I wasn’t alone in this struggle, my colleagues faced the same issues, so I decided to build a tool to solve this problem for myself and others.
Q. Have you ever launched a product that completely flopped? What did you learn?
Yes, the first version of the Epitech Integrator was a complete flop. It made me feel like an imposter in the industry. But I learned to keep going. Failure is part of the process, and those lessons helped me improve the product and move forward.
Q. What’s been the most difficult decision you’ve faced as a founder?
The hardest decision was letting go of an idea that just wasn’t working. It’s never easy to admit something isn’t viable, but once I did, I was able to refocus and create something better.
Q. What sacrifices have you made for your startup, and do you think they were worth it?
I’ve sacrificed a lot of time, often at the cost of spending less time with others. It’s been isolating at times.
Q. Have you experienced imposter syndrome or moments of fear? How did you deal with them?
Absolutely, I’ve always struggled with imposter syndrome. I never found a product that worked for my needs, so I had to build one myself. Each step forward reminds me that I’m capable, even when I have doubts.
Q. Was there ever a point when you thought about giving up? What kept you going?
I’ve had plenty of moments when I wanted to quit, but I’m incredibly persistent when I want something.
Q. If you could give one piece of advice to founders about handling failure, what would it be?
Just keep going. The little wins along the way make all the setbacks worth it.
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions! What is your contact info if people would like to get in touch with you? You can add all your links.
You can reach me via Email and LinkedIn
Indie Tip Of The Week
This week's indie tip is about using the 4-4-4 split to manage your time effectively. Spend 4 hours on promotion to get the word out, 4 hours delivering on your promises, and 4 hours building for the next phase of your business. Keep the cycle going to stay balanced and productive!
Indie Product Of The Week
This week's indie product is Waply by Karan Adhikari. Managing your schedule, calendar invites, and building habits has never been easier. With Waply, you can set reminders for tasks with just a simple sentence, and get notified in Whatsapp when it's time.
Check out the product, and share your thoughts in the comments!
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