From High-Growth Tech Startup to Exit: My Journey of Failure

“So what do you do?” His gaze skims me, sizing up my appearance, my essence, weighing the potential utility to be exploited. I’m at a ReFi DAO networking event in Lisbon, surrounded by those on a mission to rescue the world, or maybe they’re pursuing ventures so cryptic that sounding impressive suffices. It’s not quite the tech domain I once navigated, more like a fusion of that and the social entrepreneurship arena. Nonetheless, I’m at home here — I know the terrain, the strings to pull, how to shine. Except, my response to the classic question isn’t what it used to be three years back.

“I’m fully invested in motherhood right now. I’ve…” I hear the disappointment even before my words fully escape, feel his dismissal. “I apologize,” he interjects, “an old friend just walked in. Catch up with you later, perhaps!” And he’s gone. A few years ago, that answer might’ve dented my pride, but today, such reactions are the norm. “How could someone like you fail?” “What went wrong? You were an A player!”. The remarks roll in, even the in-laws contributing their fair share of disapproval. In the end I’ve started wondering myself — what did actually go wrong? How did I fail my startup?

3 years ago I exited my high-growth tech startup. I exited what was, and still probably is, a wet dream for many startup enthusiasts out there: The journey commenced in classic startup fashion — dramatic and unforeseen.