Ask HN: My startup failed, now what?

Everybody fails at many things multiple times in their lives. Just try to manage failure gracefully and get things in order before trying again.

Now, change/edit/enhance that narrative and approach Startups with cash in their bank. This is if you still want to fight it out and become an experienced founder. Your third attempt, if you have to, might have a much better story and outcome.

If you want to go to a big corporation, then I believe you have many choices.

I fear too many people get into the startup world and end up cosplaying as executives, when in reality they haven't put in the hard work to earn that position. If this feels uncomfortably close to home, I suggest focusing on a "normal" job in a corporate environment, and being humble about what your experience really counts for when it comes to levelling expectations.

What skills and lessons can you transfer and build on? There surely are some. That’s the part of your story you can write next.

If it’s product, no one gets good at it by doing it once or only doing it right.

Lean product is finding your way to do as many build, message, learn iterations possible to learn most efficiently.

If you’re looking to get in touch with the creator and product side in you, you might like the book the war of art, or revisiting it.

Good luck and for those who might find this later , post an update sometime.

Start writing about what you did at your startup - things you were ultimately responsible for, things you are comfortable 'taking credit' for, etc. When you've done that, look back and see if you can identify any themes in there.

Don't worry about the startup failing, there are literally millions of people with similar stories of being part of a failed startup or even several. Look ahead while also thinking about what you learned during the process - what would you do the same way, what would you do differently.

First, it is important to take some time to process and reflect on what you learned from your startup experience. Reflect on what went well, what didn't, and what you would do differently if you were to start again. This will help you learn from your experiences, which will be valuable for your future endeavors.

As you start to look for your next job, it's important to remember that you have valuable skills and experience that can be applied to a variety of roles in the tech industry. The fact that you have experience working in a hard tech startup is an asset and should be highlighted in your resume and in interviews. You can also consider focusing on roles that align with your interests such as Business Development and product development roles.

You can also reach out to your professional network, such as former colleagues, classmates, and mentors, to let them know you are looking for a job and ask for their advice or if they know of any job openings that would be a good fit for you.

It's also important to remember that you don't need to have the perfect job right away or have everything figured out. It's okay to take some time to explore different opportunities and find something that is a good fit for you. Be open to different types of roles and companies, and don't be afraid to take a step back if you need to in order to gain more experience or skills.

Finally, you can consider going back to school or pursuing additional education if you think that would be beneficial to you, but make sure you weigh the cost of the education against the potential benefit before making the decision.