He has written a book that could turn the image of startups upside down. The latest publication by Szymon Janiak, co-founder of czysta3.vc

Although the word “startup” is often associated with big money, world-class technologies and toasting success among celebrities, it turns out that in reality it doesn’t look so colorful at all. Szymon Janiak in his new book titled. “The Dark Side of Start-ups” describes the lives of the creators of innovative companies in an uncompromising way.

According to Szymon Janiak, the book is about the hard realities of startups in which they have to operate today

“I wanted to show not the media narrative that talks only about success, glamour, big money and a beautiful life, because this applies to less than one percent of such companies. I wanted to illuminate the everyday life of the other 99 percent, all so that you can understand what it means to run a startup and what our reality will be like if we choose to do so.”
– Szymon Janiak

For those who think the grass is greener in a startup

According to Szymon Janiak, the book’s target audience is all those who are thinking about starting their startup.

“Perhaps they are currently still working on creating their first professional project or are working somewhere in corporations and think that their own startup is where the grass is greener. It’s also a must-read for anyone who wants to work with the startup world, i.e. the companies that provide services to them. Perhaps through this book they will understand these realities and it will be easier for them to make certain decisions.” – Szymon Janiak

Stories from real life

The book is full of authentic stories that completely change the image of the industry. It presents the key areas of start-ups. It also shows the financial realities of the sector, i.e. the constant struggle with the capital deficit, chasing investors, the process of raising more rounds while being unstable. Equally important here is the issue of failure, the ability to cope with it, and its impact on the overall business.

“I don’t want with this book to discourage anyone. Rather, I want to prepare people for what the extremely difficult realities of startups look like and allow them to rationally answer the question of whether this is the path for them.” – Szymon Janiak

As the author says, for many the realities described, when juxtaposed with the common narrative, will prove frightening and unacceptable. However, being in possession of this knowledge, they will be able to consciously decide to develop a corporate career or an entrepreneurial path in a more stacked market.

VC funds also have dark sides

The book launch, held at the Basecamp student house in Wroclaw on December 6, also featured a discussion of the dark sides of venture capital funds.

“There are both good and bad funds on the market. Some can breathe wind into the sails, but there are also those that can throw a spanner in the works. That’s why it pays to know with whom to enter into a long-term marriage. If you decide to work with a fund, you should verify what this means and what you can count on. That’s why it’s a good idea to verify a particular fund in advance, so you know what can await you.” – Szymon Janiak