I shut my company down and it was the right call

We had nine months of runway and a product that four customers loved and nobody else wanted.

I spent five of those nine months trying to find a story that made the numbers work. I was not lying to investors. I was lying to myself, which is slower and more expensive.

The turning point was a walk with my co-founder where she asked: "if we were joining this company today, would we?" Neither of us said yes.

We told the team on a Monday, gave everyone six weeks, and personally placed nine of eleven people. Two customers got their data and a refund we did not have to give.

Shutting down well is a skill nobody teaches. It is the thing people call me about most.