When Passion Isn’t Enough: Startup Fails, Mental Plateaus, and Moving On

In this episode, the two Adrians - one a VC-backed founder, the other a bootstrap founder - approach the topic of failure. From stories about failed investment pitches and learning new skills, to reflecting on the often lonely and painful process of entrepreneurship, both Adrians share personal anecdotes and practical insights. They explore how failure evolves from an emotional burden into a valuable signal for growth - and even a source of freedom. Along the way, there are laughs, candid admissions, and a real look at how resilience is built through repeated missteps.

What you’ll hear:

• Understanding Failure: Definitions and Personal Meaning
• Shades of Failure: Not Always Binary
• The Loneliness and Challenges of Entrepreneurship
• Finding Freedom in Failure
• Summing Up: What Failure Means to Each Adrian

If you’re on the startup rollercoaster, remember: failure isn’t the end. It’s just feedback. Keep building, keep bouncing back, and let each “oops” push you forward.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Early Business Failures and Lessons

04:02 - Struggles in Securing Funding

08:22 - Chess and Personal Growth

11:11 - Embracing Failure in Chess and Startups

15:32 - Entrepreneurship: Embracing Failure and Growth

17:53 - Rapid Personal Growth Through Entrepreneurship

20:54 - Soul-Crushing Experimentation Journey

23:53 - Navigating Uncharted Entrepreneurial Waters

28:10 - Embrace Freedom in Personal Narrative

30:00 - Defining Personal Failure

Adrian Spataru - Founder of Cleanvoice AI
https://www.linkedin.com/in/spataru/
https://cleanvoice.ai

Adrian Ispas - Co-Founder & CEO of Vatis Tech
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-ispas
https://vatis.tech