Starting a business is not suitable for everyone. After speaking with over 100+ friends and ex-colleagues about their startup ideas, I’ve realised that success in a startup or corporate role does not necessarily indicate one’s ability to start a business.

Many people fail to recognise that the support system within their organization helped them achieve their current success. Without access to a similar support system, success cannot be guaranteed. Instead of thinking about the next big idea to start or the amazing startup you wish to explore roles in, understand what type of work environment suits you best.

Choose entrepreneurship if you are willing to learn everything from scratch and are prepared to face more failures than successes. Start with the understanding that for the next two years, there will not be any income and you will need to fund your expenses to get things moving.

If you enjoy rapid action and are unfazed by sudden changes in plans for a project that you’ve spent two months on, then a startup employee role may be for you. Additionally, you should be comfortable with long and unpredictable work hours, as well as dealing with the founder’s mood swings on quite a few occasions.

Stick with your corporate role if you prefer a more systematic position where changes in any project are made through internal discussion. Although things may move slowly, the focus will be on the principle of “don’t fix if it ain’t broken.”

Don’t jump into the startup world blindly. Consider your strengths and preferences before deciding whether entrepreneurship or a startup role is the right fit for you.