1. Fear of change

The majority of start-ups were created in the expectation that technology will change the world. But in a founder’s personal life, this could entail changing up habits, practises, and occasionally even relationships. And that can be terrifying.

“All business owners must get over this fear and make a critical choice. Either stay put or change, advises Larry Kim.

It’s normal to have doubts or worry about the future, but having the appropriate perspective can make all the difference. Shannon Kalayanamitr, co-founder and chief marketing officer of female-focused e-commerce site Orami, says she now embraces anxiety since it indicates she is “excited” and her senses are sharpened to give everything she does her all.

2. Fear of failure

Failure is not as celebrated in most Asian societies as it is in other places, like Israel. Entrepreneurs will never achieve a significant breakthrough if they always play it safe instead of taking calculated risks while tackling important problems.

Instead of letting it hold you back, let it strengthen your fortitude. “In my life, I have always been the underdog,” claims Kalayanamitr. She currently controls what is perhaps South-east Asia’s largest women’s internet retailer.

3. Fear of being found out

And then there is the “impostor syndrome,” which is when highly successful people fail to internalise their successes and become terrified of being exposed. Entrepreneurs are able to succeed by pretending.

According to Shahab Shabibi, co-founder of Machine Ventures, “I would say [the concept is] definitely widely-adopted in the entrepreneurs’ community,”

Jared Polites, a PR and marketing consultant for startups, believes that “faking it” can spur learning and productivity. “We all start somewhere and need to improvise to get going—this process is critical to human development and learning, and should be encouraged rather than shunned,” argues the author.

4. Fear of being wrong

According to Kim, “there are three things that can simply kill you when you launch your business: being wrong about your product, target audience, or go-to-market strategy.”

Kim Shares’ business first focused on the wrong market. But after that, they changed course, thrived, and expanded, bringing in $22.8 million in revenue in 2015. “A lot can go wrong in the startup environment. Therefore, when you first start out, it’s crucial to be thoughtful with your strategy, he says.