My dream is to create an incubator of sorts. It can be...

My dream is to create an incubator of sorts.  It can be difficult for start-ups to get funding in South Africa, so I’m trying to build a platform that connects investors and entrepreneurs.  I’ve been working on it full time for about a year now.  But the idea hasn’t taken off as quickly as I’d hoped.   Don’t get me wrong, I’m still on the grind.  I’m still having meetings and trying to put together deals.  I’m telling myself that no matter what, I’m going to figure this out.  But if I’m being absolutely honest with you, it’s not looking promising.  I’ve got about two or three months of runway left.  The bank has been calling me every day because of the credit card.  And my car just broke down, which will probably eat up twenty percent of my remaining reserves.  My options are running out.  It’s a lot of pressure, but I’m trying to focus on the bright side.  I made it a whole year.   We built the initial platform and had a few users.  And I’ve moved forward as a person.  I’ve gained a lot of new insights.  I’ve grown my network.  Experienced people have told me that I’m working on an important problem.  And that validation means more than money.  So even if this particular business fails, I’ll try again.  But next time I’ll come back at a better angle.”
(Johannesburg, South Africa)