After losing our entire database, with all our users, all the user data and basically everything that makes us ByteStand, Nafaa saves us once again. After I let go of Roman, the devops person who got us into this mess, I hire Alfonso, a new devops from Mexico. Nafaa creates a small script that helps us recover user data, and with the help of our users and lots of apologies from me we are back up and running.

With some deep breathing exercises, the pain in my chest subsides and the heat of my anger starts to cool. I look at a curious email that just by happenstance pings into my inbox. It’s from Shopify Partners, and reads, “Congratulations! ByteStand App has been selected to be highlighted on the front page of the Shopify App Store.”

Whatever anger and anxiety I had releases from around my chest and hits the office floor with a thud. I’m now filled with bright light and airy goodness. Ahh yes, I remember now. I haven’t experienced this roller coaster in quite some time, and to this extreme. But I do remember the heart stopping highs and lows of trying to get something, ANYTHING working and making enough money to pay the bills. Its called running your own business, and man is it a heart squishing ride of highs and lows.

I hate the lows, but the highs are so good that I keep coming back for more. If it sounds like a drug, I think it might be. There is instant feedback on your decisions, a risk of soaring or completely falling on your face. Temptations to take immoral shortcuts, as well as opportunities to take the righteous high-road. Money, notoriety and opportunity for success and abject failure. Arrogance and self-loathing. None of the things available in the bland, comfortable, cozy womb of corporate America, of which I have been a part. Nope, to me this is living well. Experiencing an adventure where every day has the potential for a big win or a crushing loss. It is addictive.

Thankfully there is no Entrepreneur’s Anonymous, because if there was I would be one of the first to stand up and say, “Hi, my name is Todd and I am addicted to running my own business.”

See our latest app, FBA Shipping, in the app store now.