Lucky for us millennials – you can start a business with a computer and a smartphone. It’s crazy! It does not mean it is easy – but it means there are way more resources out there than ever before.
It has been almost one year since my last day at my corporate job. At that time, I thought I was going to find another corporate job. I interviewed, I networked and nothing inspired me. Fast forward to when I decided to pursue building my brand and coaching practice full time. It has taken months and months to get started – and I am still only skimming the surface. As a baby “fempreneur” – who has only tipped her toes in the water – I have learned a few things that I thought I would share at this point in my journey. I am not saying I am an expert by any means – just a blogger sharing her thoughts 🙂
- PATIENCE IS KEY – hate to be cliche – but Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither are businesses. It takes big steps, baby steps, steps forward and steps back. Be patient with yourself in figuring things out and with others in taking interest in what you have to offer.
- LET GO OF PERFECTIONISM – seriously every single entrepreneur I have talked to has given me this advice. The beginning is going to be a little “fly by the seat of your pants”, messy and you will not be able to control it all. Do your best, of course, but KNOW things are going to go wrong and out of order. You will not be able to catch every single curveball and that is OK. It is a process and it takes time to learn the ropes.
- BE OKAY WITH SAYING NO – When I first started my brand and practice, I was saying yes to everything. Mainly, because I was so excited that people were starting to be interested in me. I was saying yes to things that did not necessarily serve me financially or otherwise. Not every inquiry has to be a new contract and not every person that wants to work with you is worth your time. Learning who and what makes sense for you and your business takes experience. Also, don’t take on more than you can actually deliver on. It is better to do a stellar job with fewer projects then a half a$$ job with too many. Why? Because lack of effort shows and happy customers tell other potential happy customers.
- NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO LIKE YOU. YOU DO YOU. – being an empath and a sensitive person, this is hard for me. I can be the kindest person in the world and there are going to be people who just aren’t having it. Hey- it is totally cool and I have been working on not taking it personally. It gets tricky when your brand is you and you are your brand. The lines get blurry and it is a challenge not to take offense to things. Putting yourself out there online every day is kinda a scary thing. Like a really scary thing. Over time, it gets easier to brush off all the incoming judgment, rude DMs or people who just need to get over themselves!
- FIND A COMMUNITY – I am so beyond grateful that I have found a community and a few close friends who are living and breathing the same experience as me. It has been so beyond helpful to have these people to check in with along the way. In my corporate job, I would feel supported by my superiors and co-workers – but in my job now there are no co-workers! That means you just have to find your own!
So – that is it for now. Just wanted to share some thoughts and I am embarking on this journey!
xx,
Sari