They're not impressed.

It happens. The moment you decide to strike out on your own, you're thrilled, you're soaring and you start talking about it to your near and dear. But be prepared to be underwhelmed by the response.

Take your parents. While they'll cheer your lemonade stand and pet sitting efforts, most would rather see you get a 'real' job after college, instead of starting your own thing. Joining a startup is suspect too, unless you can show them your paystub and prove that you're not working for pizza and equity. If your college years are well behind you, then they'd rather you were thinking of your family, buying a home, your nest egg, heck, even your retirement. The only time your parents are happy with you being an entrepreneur is if you've already got all the money you may ever need (and they do too). Then they can boast about the fact that even though you are wealthy you started a business instead of sitting at the crap tables all day.

What about co-workers? Most think you're crazy to give up your job, and talk about how 'he always wanted to do his own thing', ' she had trouble fitting into the company culture' - as if they were all bad things. But they will throw a going-away party and give you gag gifts of aspirin and job listings, wish you luck and promise to keep in touch. You may even be on their holiday email list. They know to hedge their bets - if you make it, maybe you'd have a job for them. If you don't, they always knew that it was a bad move.

Friends, especially the really good ones who know you well, may be different. They will be happy if you are. Still you'll hear many words of caution, and questions on how you're going to support yourself. And if you're the stable, salaried one in your group, they're not going to be thrilled to have you join the ranks of those with unpredictable income who can be depended on to not pick up the check.

The good news? There are others like you out there. And if you live in certain places, like Silicon Valley, there are many, many people like you out there. Even if they think you may fail (statistics are not in your favor), they'll applaud your joining the club of those who were willing to take the risk. And that's really at the heart of all the reactions. The ones who worry that you want to be an entrepreneur do so because you're taking a risk. And the ones who congratulate you do so because it takes courage to take a risk.

I've been there and heard my family worry about my financial future, saw my co-workers bemused that I gave up my great job, my friends supportive but not really understanding why I was doing this, and only other entrepreneurs were cheering me on (unless they thought I could be competing with them). Sticking to your guns and going ahead with your plans in the face of much skepticism takes bull-headedness and confidence, not to mention a lot of passion and a willingness to make a fool of yourself.

Of course, if you've done it once, even moderately successfully, the perception of risk is reduced, and everyone thinks you're so smart to stick to what you're good at. But if you failed, and you're doing it again - hey what's wrong with you? You're lucky if you live in one of those places awash in startups, where people take a different view - no biggie, failure is just a 'great learning experience'. A true entrepreneur will be at it again. As long as you don't fail again.