Travis L Wright – How I Recovered from Early Business Failures

If you look at any entrepreneur with a few years under their belt, you’ll likely find some battle scars. I’m no different. Long before I built a stable consulting practice or found success in financial advising and construction advising, I went through a few business ventures that didn’t exactly go as planned.

Failure has a way of teaching lessons that no mentor, book, or course ever can. And while it never feels good in the moment, it often ends up being the most valuable part of your journey. I’ve come to believe that how you respond to failure says far more about you than the failure itself.

My first business was built on passion and speed—but not much planning. I jumped in with enthusiasm, ready to serve a market I thought I understood. But I underestimated the importance of cash flow, overspent on branding, and didn’t invest enough in customer research. Within a year, I was drowning in overhead and forced to close shop.

It was humbling. It was frustrating. And for a short time, I, Travis L Wright, even considered walking away from entrepreneurship altogether. But something in me kept pulling me back—not out of ego, but because I knew I hadn’t given it my best shot yet.

I took time to regroup. I read more. I talked to people who had been through worse. I worked for a while under other entrepreneurs, learning what worked and what didn’t from the inside. And most importantly, I started taking ownership—not blaming the market or external circumstances, but really looking at the gaps in my decisions.

The next time I launched a business, I did it with intention. I started lean, focused on solving a specific problem, and kept my operating costs low. I paid more attention to the boring stuff—systems, cash flow, risk planning. And I made it a point to keep ego out of the equation. I wasn’t chasing praise; I was chasing sustainability.

Over time, that shift in mindset made all the difference. I started making decisions from a place of clarity instead of emotion. I realized that failure wasn’t something to hide from clients or future partners—it was something to learn from and build on.

Looking back, I’m thankful for the early failures. They helped me learn resilience, humility, and the value of process. They also made me a better advisor to others, because I can now spot red flags that I once missed myself.

Here’s what I tell new entrepreneurs who are afraid of failing: It’s okay. It happens. What matters most is how you respond. Do you shut down and walk away, or do you recalibrate and come back smarter?

Failure isn’t the end. Often, it’s the beginning of your real career.

Today, when I work with new founders or small business owners, I bring those lessons with me. I try to be a steady hand, someone who’s not just studied business but lived through its ups and downs. Because success isn’t just about avoiding mistakes—it’s about having the courage to keep building after they happen.

And that’s what I’ve done.

— Travis L Wright

Travis L Wright’s POV’s Summed Up in Words

https://medium.com/@travis_l_wright/travis-l-wright-5-entrepreneurship-tips-for-newbies-b7d90b2e20a3

https://travislwrighter.wordpress.com/2025/05/16/travis-l-wright-entrepreneurship-and-my-career/

https://travislwright-er.mystrikingly.com/