In the frenzy that is the current state of startups and entrepreneurship in Boston and beyond, it's easy to get caught up in the noise and forget what matters most.  While the thought of building a company is romantic to many, the reality is that it's filled with many late nights (and early mornings) more ups and downs than you can count and a lot of hard work. The dreams of big paydays and magazine covers is only a temporary fuel that will not last. Getting through all the challenges is fueled by one key source: Passion. 

Who are the faces behind a company? How did the company get started? These are common question you may have about startups you see and hear about. If you don't get a chance to personally meet the founders, you're unlikely to ever know their story. That's what Founder Fridays is all about.

This week we're profiling LeRoy Watkins III of MyBike Online, a company that changes the way you think about bikes.

We all know how hard it is to find a cofounder (especially if you're looking for a technical one).  So what if you think you might be able to go it alone? Maybe you have the technical skills to get your idea off the ground or are willing to bite the bullet and pay someone to build your idea.   It may seem like a great idea, and in some cases may work out, but I'd like to caution against not having a co-founder.  Here's why:

Who are the faces behind a company? How did the company get started? These are common question you may have about startups you see and hear about. If you don't get a chance to personally meet the founders, you're unlikely to ever know their story. That's where we're starting Founder Fridays. 

This week we are featuring FIVI founded by Nabil Aidoud , a company that is fusion between your workout site and integrating social media to help its users achieve their goals.

As I've been watching the world of entrepreneurship around me, I'm always looking for patterns and trends.  One I particularly focus on is leadership. As I've looked at some of the greatest companies and business leaders in the world, I've noticed that most of them have exceptionally strong personalities and dominate their company.  I don't have all the answers, so instead today I'd like to explore the patterns I've found and I look forward to hearing all of your thoughts on this.

 I probably still count as a new entrepreneur.  But, I’ve been around startups for several years and founded one.  That’s a significant difference from someone who’s just setting out on pursuing an opportunity, so humor me.

The Big Question that everyone seems to miss is the most obvious.  Amidst all the excitement, new entrepreneurs forget to ask: “Why do I want to do this?”

The two most common answers:

Who are the faces behind a company? How did the company get started? These are common question you may have about startups you see and hear about. If you don't get a chance to personally meet the founders, you're unlikely to ever know their story.  That's where we're starting Founder Fridays. 

Each week, we'll profile a different startup (with ties to Boston) through a simple interview that highlights some of the simple questions that make all the difference for a startup like, "How did you meet your co-founders?" and "What was the best advice you ever received?"

This week, we have Fan Bi from Blank Label, who you may have seen getting awesome coverage the past few months in places like the New York Times and MSNBC.