Born to run?

Delamere turned 18 months old this week, and with a daughter that same age, it got me thinking about babies and start ups.

Each deserve love, time and attention. They'll throw the odd curve ball, bring a heavy weight of responsibility and perhaps change one's perspective and outlook too.

They'll bring joy, meaning, purpose and make work for idle hands.

For the anxious new parent, there may be a feeling that, once through the first year - the sleepless nights, endless nappies, occasional vomitus, bronch, teething, weaning and babbling - that it might get easier - and maybe for some, it does.

'We're out of the trenches now' some will exclaim.

There are many firsts and more to come.

First time you dash to a & e in the early hours, first time they speak, walk, or tell you 'I love you'. Your heart will drop at times but it'll sing too.

The thrill and anxiety of launching a venture comes also with a smashing smack of adrenalin, for most.

You may feel so inspired at times you'll wake if the early hours with ideas. One day you'll find yourself going through 'extra-curricular' motions - if and when you have time - and catch yourself losing focus or attention because, even though you didn't mean to, you're thinking about work.

If lady luck is kind, you'll prove your concept before you're out of nappies, you might delight your customers or more likely start to understand what they really want and need.

You'll be getting to know your team and learning a lot about your strengths and weaknesses.

If you catch a tail wind you'll be chipper one day and even though it pains you to use it, you'll be chewing the fat with a partner or confidant and the phrase 'scale up' will pass your lips. Ouch.

You want to run, but some days you trip while you're walking. Having pushed water up hill and wrestled your way to GO!, what now?

Without detail, finesse and tuning the foundations rock. It's less sexy maybe and not as glamorous as launch - the real work begins when you start to grow up.

18 months in, we've still got a lot to learn.

We glance back at where we've come from, keep the vision sharp and know that it's perhaps not a leap now - rather the steady graft of putting one in front of the other, getting a little bit better everyday and sometimes stepping back to work on it rather than in it.

If in ten years from now you're still rockin', success has many fathers.

#startup