- Leadership Pulse
- Posts
- The Grit Factor
The Grit Factor
Why Endurance Outlasts Brilliance in Entrepreneurship
Ikechukwu Okoh
September 08, 2025
In partnership with
During the early days of building Boulevard, we faced more setbacks than wins, pitches that went nowhere, strategies that failed, promises that fell apart.
Many nights, I wondered if it was worth it.
What kept me going wasn’t talent or strategy but grit.
Entrepreneurs often talk about vision and innovation, but when challenges arise, it’s grit that keeps the doors open and the dream alive.
This week’s Fireplace Conversations focuses on the gritty side of entrepreneurship, the unseen perseverance that distinguishes those who quit from those who keep going and ultimately succeed.
It drops tomorrow, Tuesday at 8 AM.
Follow and set notifications for the podcast here:
DR IKECHUKWU OKOH
Good morning, and welcome to a new week.
Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter if you have yet to do so.
Here, I share weekly actionable strategies and lessons from my experiences as a healthcare leader, entrepreneur, and angel investor.
Reading the Leadership Pulse newsletter every week will equip you with insights for creating lasting impact, whether navigating leadership challenges, building cohesive teams, or scaling a startup.
Please consider donating so that the newsletter can remain free for everyone.
Why Grit Beats Genius in Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship isn’t glamorous. It’s unpredictable, messy, and exhausting.
The entrepreneurs who succeed aren’t necessarily the smartest.
They’re the most persistent.
Perseverance matters more than talent because it keeps your vision alive when results are slow.
It keeps you grounded when faced with rejection.
Perseverance teaches lessons that talent alone can’t.
How 433 Investors Unlocked 400X Return Potential
Institutional investors back startups to unlock outsized returns. Regular investors have to wait. But not anymore. Thanks to regulatory updates, some companies are doing things differently.
Take Revolut. In 2016, 433 regular people invested an average of $2,730. Today? They got a 400X buyout offer from the company, as Revolut’s valuation increased 89,900% in the same timeframe.
Founded by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso’s co-ownership tech reshapes the $1.3T vacation home market. They’ve earned $110M+ in gross profit to date, including 41% YoY growth in 2024 alone. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.
The same institutional investors behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay backed Pacaso. And you can join them. But not for long. Pacaso’s investment opportunity ends September 18.
Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.
The G.R.I.T. Framework for Entrepreneurs
G – Ground Yourself in Purpose
Identify why you began; purpose drives persistence.
R – Reframe Setbacks as Lessons
View every rejection as valuable data, not a failure.
I– Invest in Consistency
Consistent small efforts build up more quickly than irregular large ones.
T – Trust the Process
Results appear over time. Momentum develops gradually, but determination bridges the delay.
Join my newsletters:
Leadership Pulse:
Rise & Conquer
Get my free guide –
Feel free to share this newsletter with a colleague or peer who could benefit from these insights.
Subscribe to Rise & Conquer, our daily newsletter on LinkedIn.
Each morning, Tuesday- Friday, at 5:00 AM, I share powerful lessons on mindset, leadership, and high performance.
Ikechukwu’s Journal
There were days while building Boulevard when quitting seemed logical.
But each time I pushed through another rejection, another setback, something shifted.
Not because the obstacles disappeared, but because my resilience grew stronger.
That resilience became our greatest asset.
Entrepreneurship isn’t about avoiding tough days.
It’s about becoming the kind of leader who keeps going despite them.
What to do this week:
Write down a recent setback from the past month and the lesson it taught you.
Celebrate a small win that demonstrates you’re still making progress.
Share this edition with an entrepreneur who needs a reminder that grit trumps glamour.
If this edition resonates with you, forward it to another leader.
Better yet, please share it with your team and have the conversation together.
And don’t forget, tomorrow, Tuesday, a new episode of Fireplace Conversations will be live at 8 AM.
Follow and set notifications for the podcast here:
I offer the following services:
Executive Coaching for Healthcare Leaders:
Tailored strategies for effective leadership in uncertain times.
Healthcare Consulting Services:
Insights to enhance operational efficiency, compliance, and patient care.
Advisory for Healthcare Startups:
Support with scaling, investor pitching, and regulatory navigation.
“Subscribe to the Leadership Pulse Newsletter. It is amazing.”- Tolu Ekwe.
Please stay connected with me:
Ikechukwu Okoh
Author of the Leadership Pulse
Reply