starting a business is easy; keeping it going is hard
Proverb emphasizing that maintaining success is more difficult than achieving it initially. Often used in business or leadership contexts.
As the saying goes, 'Starting a business is easy; keeping it going is hard' — it's tough to keep a company running for a long time.
A Japanese proverb derived from classical Chinese thought, often attributed to the concept that founding a state or enterprise is less challenging than preserving it.