By Jade Bennett With Middleton Executive’s third birthday just over the horizon, I’ve been reflecting on the last few years as a startup business, both professionally and personally. I’ve been asking myself what have I achieved? What have I learned? Would I do anything differently if I could?  Pondering these questions has made me realise that we need to change the language and the image around what it looks like to start your own business.  Yes, it is a lot of hard work. And yes, the hours at times are long and the pain is real, but more than that it’s an absolute blast and quite possibly one of the most rewarding endeavours I’ve ever undertaken. I can’t talk about other people’s experiences, but I can share my own experience in launching a boutique tech recruitment startup, and what I’ve learned. In short, I’ve loved every minute of setting up my own business, but it hasn’t been without it’s challenges… The startup mindset We’re all familiar with the rhetoric of business ownership and the sacrifices required, but if we change our language and mindset to be more positive and supportive, perhaps more people will do it, especially females. I’m not saying that it’s an easy thing to do, but for me it has been enlightening and has changed my life