Do we really agree that failure is a good thing?

LinkedIn, help me explain this mystery.

If we all agree that failure is an unavoidable and necessary part of success, why is this happening? 👇

This weekend I found myself looking at the LinkedIn profile of a founder I invested in back in 2018. The company lasted several years but eventually failed. But now, the former founder has removed every mention of it.

It’s like it never existed.

Why do some founders do this?

Is it…

01. Because they’re embarrassed they didn’t succeed at their first attempt? (Very few people do.)

02. Because deep down they don’t believe failure is the norm? (It is.)

03. Because they’re ashamed they even tried? (Really?)

04. Something else?

This is an observation, not a criticism. I would guess, in most cases, the answer is something like this:

“I’m concerned that my previous failure(s) will impact my credibility and therefore my ability to land my next job.”

I get it. Nobody wants to miss an opportunity.

But here’s what I wonder…

Firstly, even attempting to launch your own company requires qualities that most employers would love their employees to possess.

To name just a few…

• Passion
• Courage
• Storytelling
• Accountability
• Willingness to try
• Willingness to sell
• Willingness to question
• Willingness to experiment
• Willingness to own something

Secondly, as entrepreneurs, if we’re going to work for someone else, shouldn’t we aim to work for someone who understands and appreciates us for what we are?

And thirdly, here’s the biggest question…

↓↓

Do we really want to work for someone who believes that failure is a sign of weakness?

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I’m not judging – people can omit whatever they want from their profiles – but I’d love to understand.

Have any of you done this?

Why?

What are your thoughts?