Fail early, fail often, fail well

Failure is inevitableeven praised in startups and technologyso why aren't we better prepared for it? Josh Simmons has failed in freelancing, small businesses, agencies, and startups. Let him be your cautionary tale. Josh outlines the top 10 ways to fail and explains the 3 major components of failing well.

It happens. Things go south, and you’re not even sure how or why. You and your client can’t see eye to eye, or your enthusiastic new business partner has dropped off the radar. The project you’ve invested weeks, months, or years in may never see the light of day. Failure comes in many forms. Despite our best efforts, learning the hard way is often the only way. Perhaps this is why modern startup culture has rallied around the mantra: “Fail fast. Fail early. Fail often.” But I spent the better part of my career failing in freelancing, agency, and startups, and my experience leads me to believe the common refrain is lacking. Like gymnasts who train to fall properly, we must learn to fail well. I draw from my experience learning the hard way to flag the 10 easiest and most insidious mistakes you can make. Because failure is inevitable, I also share a framework for recovery that includes tips for managing yourself, your relationships, and your reputation. You’ll leave with a better sense of what NOT to do in the event of failure, an idea of how to cope with failure, and the knowledge that failure is inevitable, and that’s OK.