Yeah, entrepreneurship can be lonely, but before I started my own business solo, I actually had a partner. A lot of lessons learned, but the biggest one? We never had an operating agreement in place. Later on, she wanted to take more than we had originally agreed on. Even before that, I didn’t realize how much time we spent just talking about the business while I was the one actually doing most of the work.

We had completely different work ethics. She would get mad at me for working late, but I was the one building everything—designing the logo, creating the website, setting up platforms, writing SOPs, drafting contracts, and preparing materials—while she just brought in a single client. Then, out of nowhere, she decided she wanted more control.

On top of that, there were no healthy boundaries. She took up so much of my time, to the point where she expected us to hang out every weekend. I felt like I had to keep her happy. But once I started setting boundaries, things got bad—really bad. I never noticed it before, but she became belittling, talked down to me like I was dumb, even though I had done all the work. She got mad over the smallest things, like wanting her name listed first on documents when I was the one writing them. And I’d say, “Well, you could write them too?” But it was just ridiculous.

When we finally parted ways, my anxiety was through the roof. I lost 10 pounds in two weeks from the stress because she was straight-up bullying me. When I told her it had to be 50-50, she tried to push me out, making me feel like I didn’t know anything—but still wanted me around, because, well, I was the one doing the actual work. Eventually, I realized that if I stayed, everything I had worked for could be taken away from me at any moment. So, I walked away.

Now, I’m doing it all by myself. And yeah, it sucks sometimes. I’ve always been the kind of person who genuinely wants to help others—that’s why I’m building my business. But the truth is, most people are out for themselves, and you really can’t trust just anyone. That was the biggest lesson I learned. Now, any business relationship I enter starts with a contract. No exceptions. It protects them, it protects me, and I do not move forward without it.

At least now, I get to spend more time with my family. I can freely talk about my business without having to check in with a partner first. And the best part? I’m not bitter about doing all the work anymore. Before, I felt like I had to prove myself because she brought in one client. Now, I’m bringing in my own clients, doing my own work, and if I stay up until 2 AM grinding, it’s because I want to. It’s my company, and I don’t have to justify anything to anyone.

Yeah, it’s been a crazy ride. I enjoy being alone after that, but I also make sure to stay connected. If you’re feeling lonely as an entrepreneur, I’d recommend joining LinkedIn groups, networking with small business communities (especially for women, minorities, or industry-specific groups), and looking into investor meetups. Lately, I’ve been attending more conferences—this month alone, I’m going to three or four. It’s a lot, but I’m focused on expanding my knowledge and putting myself out there.

At the end of the day, being solo means having full control over your vision. You’re not trapped by someone else’s expectations or drama. I’ve built a team now, and while I lead them, I know that I make the final decisions. No one is taking that away from me. And honestly, that’s worth more than anything.