Before the awards, the offices, and the clients, there were the years that taught me the real meaning of hustle.

BY JARED KNAPP, CEO OF JARED’S LEADS

[Photo: Getty Images]

When people picture an entrepreneur, they imagine the wins: the company recognition, the growth, the freedom. What they don’t see are the couch years.

For me, those were the years when Jared’s Leads was just me, my laptop, and a couch. I was trying to build a business, but the business wasn’t yet paying the bills. So I did what most people don’t want to admit: I hustled. I pieced together side gigs that barely paid, just to buy myself one more month to chase the dream.

The side gigs

One weekend, I was promoting wine around Los Angeles, zipping through traffic on a Vespa that I had to get a learner’s permit for just to take the job. They dressed me in a full white........

© Inc.com