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What’s the difference between success and failure?

It may sound a silly question…but listen to my story.

I’m 24 years old. In 2013 I started a small startup in Italy, my country, one of the most corrupted, messed up and stupid countries nowadays. I did it here because I had the opportunity to do it and I couldn’t imagine things could get worse than 2013 in Italy…

THE STARTUP

  1. The startup involves Motorsport, a very small niche with small earnings prospect (I knew it and I didn’t care because it’s my passion and I love my job).

  2. In this startup there is me (CEO and 100% worker), an investor (who gave me 10K + the kickoff I needed + precious help during all our adventure) and many freelance who work with us when necessary (around 10 ppl).

  3. Since 2008, this industry lost around 70-80% of customers. That’s why I invested! Hoping for a recovery.

THE SITUATION AFTER 2 YEARS

The startup grew! (keep in mind that in Italy we are broke and 80% of people live with 1.2K per month) The first year I earned nothing but lost nothing, the second year I got like 1.5K per month and this year I can get to 2.5K net per month. After this year, me and my investor we will both recover the investment and start earning for real. Get ready for ridiculousness now:

  1. I can’t expand. In my current tax regime (which consists in not exceeding a certain revenue) I pay 30% tax. The next step is around 75% (not joking) So, if I want to grow my business and get more customers, if I collect 150K I earn exactly like if I earn 55K. Why should I work twice to earn less? At what risk?
  2. I can’t move my fiscal domicile, because sales are done phisically here, hence I must pay taxes here.
  3. I can’t move my startup, because being motorsport a tiny niche, either you are big or you must know everyone and, hence, start from scratch your escalade.
  4. I can’t get big investments to explode (like in USA) because bureaucracy here is slower than a sloth, no funds are available and nobody sane would invest here.
  5. Risks are too high because here (no joking again) being politicians all scammers, laws are made to defend scammers. For instance, you can live 2 years without paying rent before the owner is able to kick you out. Also, if somebody doesn’t pay for your job it takes at least 10 years to end the trial. So there is a concrete risk that i work hard to get nothing.
  6. I can’t get employees, because for a 10K salary you actually pay 30K and once you get them you can’t fire them for your whole life, without losing money and resources. Hence, many employees tend to get soft after years…

HERE COMES THE PARADOX

I always thought success is when you build something that gives you profit. I thought success is when after X time you have more money than you had at the beginning. And here I am!

But I can’t define my adventure as successful…With my degree I can start work tomorrow for 100K year in Switzerland and I can’t imagine spending my life slowly drowning in this sea of ridiculousness, where I can’t legally grow my business and as a “successful” entrepreneur I can’t even buy a house. I can’t move. I can’t grow. I can’t trust. I don’t even know if I can sell my business.

So, what’s the real difference between success and failure?

Answer 3547

Only you are able to answer your question, though my advice to anyone facing this question is to read “The Three Questions,” which is a short story by Russian author Leo Tolstoy.

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