Starting a new firm? What to expect—and how to survive the experience. Starting a new business is hard work. Really hard work. No matter how hard you think it will be, it will be even harder than that. I know from first-hand experience. I started my career as a lawyer and helped many businesses get their start, including a handful of financial advisory firms. Then I started a small venture capital firm with a couple of partners and helped even more businesses get off the ground. Then I decided to roll up my sleeves and get my hands dirty. Over the past 30 years, I have either founded or worked at seven small or startup financial services firms. Some succeeded. Some failed. It added up to a lot of blood, sweat and tears.