Mike Repole, the billionaire entrepreneur behind Glaceau and BodyArmor, has an unconventional message for those dreaming of building the next big business: think twice.

In a recent conversation with The School of Hard Knocks, a social media platform that profiles self-made moguls, Repole offered a stark counterpoint to the glossy narrative of entrepreneurship. His advice was direct: “I spend more time talking people out of being an entrepreneur. The first five years, I call the survival years. Every single day, you could go bankrupt.”

Repole’s words carry unusual weight given his remarkable track record. The Queens-born businessman co-founded Glaceau in 1999, turning Vitaminwater and Smartwater into household names before selling to Coca-Cola for $4.1 billion in 2007. A decade later, his sports drink company BodyArmor—boosted by NBA legend Kobe Bryant’s early investment—was acquired by Coca-Cola for $5.6 billion, the largest brand purchase in the company’s history. Today, Repole’s net worth stands at an estimated $1.6 billion, according to Forbes.

But behind the numbers lies the reality that Repole insists too few aspiring founders understand: failure is the rule, not the exception. “There were days that I didn’t think we could make it,” he admitted, noting that even his most celebrated ventures were riddled with uncertainty. His perspective echoes a broader shift among successful entrepreneurs who are increasingly candid about the personal and financial toll of building a business.

That honesty doesn’t mean Repole regrets his path. In fact, he embraces the eccentricity often associated with trailblazing founders. When asked if he considers himself “a little crazy,” he laughed: “I started crazy. Crazy people change the world.”

For entrepreneurs weighing whether to bet on themselves, Repole’s story is both a warning and a lesson: immense rewards are possible, but only for those prepared to endure years of relentless risk.