I'm really glad
Being a new business owner can feel overwhelming, terrifying, and thrilling. You might feel lost, you’re probably googling everything and anything (while cold sweating tax season and how to get a business license), and most likely, there have been a few nights you have stared at the ceiling recapping everything on your to do list. Trust me, you’re not alone.
Buckle up, gang. It’s time for some tough love. If you’re reading this post, you’re probably thinking about opening a business all of your own. It’s a wild ride, one I wouldn’t change for the world, but it definitely involves more intestinal fortitude than I would have ever anticipated.
Success
First thing is first. Take that idea of overnight success and throw it out the window. There is no such thing as an overnight success. Lemme say it louder for the people in the back. There is no such thing as overnight success. You need to be patient with your progress.
What is success to you anyway? When you imagine your ideal life and your ideal business, what does that look like to you? Is it a certain dollar amount in your bank account? Vacations by the ocean for weeks at a time? Is it being able to cook dinner for your family every night? Is it just keeping your doors open? Success looks different for every business owner, and if you fall into the trap of comparing your success to other business owners, you will start to burn out. Your idea of success is going to grow and change as your business grows and changes. That my friend, is going to take time to develop. So give yourself the permission to look at your business as a journey. You’re in it for the long haul.
Motivation
I would be lying if I said I haven’t come home from a day of work completely defeated. The amount of tears I have shed over my business is real…but that is nothing compared to the amount of grit and hard work I have invested in my business. There are so many times where I want to crawl in bed and surrender to my own insecurities. So. Many. When you are your own boss, no one is going to stop you but you. No one is going to motivate you but you either. Those are the times when I have had to physically pull myself out of my slump and do the damn work.
Getting and staying motivated can be really freaking tough, but I’m telling you, it is so much better than having another person tell me what I have to do for them everyday. Being an entrepreneur is a commitment that can’t be half-assed. If you want this lifestyle, you need to find your reason WHY you want it. That is what will help carry you in the days you would rather hide out under a blanket than face a rejection in your inbox, abandoned cart on your website, or follow up with a client meeting you bombed.
Shanti said, “At the end of the day your feet should be dirty, your hair messy, and your eyes sparkling.” I fully believe this is true and applies to business ownership. It is exhausting, messy, and unkempt work. But it should spark something in you that makes you feel alive.
Analysis Paralysis
As a person who deals with a significant amount of anxiety, I overthink things on the regular. I replay conversations, choices, and decisions five years (literally) after they have happened. When it came to opening my business, I had to just do it. I couldn’t risk overthinking it or I would never open my doors. I knew that I wouldn’t be perfect at it…but I had done enough research to get my butt in gear and go for it. This looks differently for everyone, but for me, it involved getting my business license, getting bonded, and filing for my sales and tax id. Being a legitimate business was important to me, and I felt that I had to do that to move forward. Where did I find out how to do this? I Googled it and bought a book about small business taxes on Amazon. You don’t have to have a degree in business to open a business, but you need to be willing to learn…and learn from your mistakes. I make mistakes regularly, and I am constantly humbled by how much this experience teaches me.
Instead of waiting for everything to be “perfect” before you open, you have to accept that perfection does not exist. Your website will never look “perfect” to you. You will constantly be working on it. Your work, whatever it is your selling or doing, will never be “perfect”. You will ALWAYS be learning, growing and progressing. Your desk or work space will never be “instagram worthy enough”. YOU might feel like you are not “enough” to start this business. But let me share a secret with you.
You are enough.
You’re Not for Everyone (and that is a good thing)
There’s an excellent chance that you will not please everyone with your choices as a small business owner. That is 100% okay. You do not have to please everyone with the decisions and choices you make as a small business owner. There may be times where you don’t land a client or job because you are simply not a good fit for the client’s needs. This is not a failure, and it doesn’t mean you need to change your entire business model to suit the needs of someone else.
You don’t need to drop your prices every time someone tells you they can’t afford you. Do your market research, run your numbers, and figure out what you need to support your life. Make the decisions you need to make for your business without being emotionally attached to them. Yeah, I totally get it. This is wayyyyy easier said than done. The more secure you are with your numbers, the more confident you will feel in setting your pricing structure. Get comfortable knowing your time is worth something even if you’re still growing into your talent.
Find Your Tribe
You can also find community with other small business owners. It makes such a huge difference to have a support system that is there for you when the going gets tough and when you want to celebrate your successes. Find a local Tuesday’s Together meeting to join! It’s FREE, y’all…and if you’re in the Golden Triangle Area, you should join our chapter! We’d love to have you.
At the end of your day, you are in control of all the decisions when it comes to your small business. It’s totally normal to feel the weight of all of those decisions, but don’t let the fear of failure stop you from pursuing what you love!
You got this.
