Yesterday I sat in a window seat on a flight from Atlanta to San Francisco as we taxied for takeoff. I gazed out the window and looked back at the airport when the jet turned onto the runway. The engines roared and we began to accelerate. We picked up speed and rolled down the runway. And rolled. And rolled. What seemed like minutes later, I thought, “Shouldn’t the aircraft’s nose have lifted by now?” I tried to see how much runway was ahead but couldn’t. I began to wonder how and when the pilots abort a takeoff. And how there could possibly be enough runway left if we had to put the brakes on? Just as my racing mind started getting a little crazy, I felt the lift and looked down to see we were gently becoming airborne.
As I sat back in relief, I realized that I experience this end-of-runway anxiety on just about every flight. And it occurred to me that the startup runway experience is no different. Too often there’s that moment in time when it’s unclear if the funding needed to continue will come through, especially for early-stage startups. In our heads we know most likely everything will be OK. But that doesn’t necessarily keep the anxiety at bay.
Venture-backed startups all exist on a runway–that length of time before cash runs out. Both for founders and for employees, anxiety builds as the company approaches the end of that runway. However, for employees who are 40+, I think the anxiety is greater. For us, it will take longer to find a new job if the worst-case scenario happens and the company fails.
Perhaps the good news is that the plane analogy falls short on one count: As a passenger, we have literally no control. As a startup employee, we can hope for the best, but we can also prepare for the worst.
A friend of mine works for a successful travel startup nearing the end of its runway and seeking Series B funding. She has every reason to believe her founder will lock down the raise. But the reality is that even a great company can fall victim to the market or timing or another circumstance beyond its control.
As a precaution, my friend has started to put out feelers to her network, and wisely so. She’s experienced at job search, with impressive connections, and she knows that most likely her next opportunity–should she need one–will be found through her network. But that the process will take a while. So she’s warming up her connections now. Just in case.
I think the smart way to handle end-of-runway anxiety is twofold. First, accept it. Everyone feels it, and for good reason. But then begin to tap into your network to explore “just in case” opportunities. Finding a new job takes time–especially for those over 40 in tech.
My plane took off without incident as did every other flight I’ve ever been on. But as a passenger without the ability to see what’s ahead, I don’t think I’ll ever totally avoid some takeoff stress. I have every reason to believe my talented friend will be OK–whether her current company snags its Series B, or she is forced to move on to somewhere else. And the smartest approach is what she’s doing right now: extending her own personal runway.