What I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Business
Running your own business is a journey full of lessons. As an entrepreneur, you learn and grow constantly, often through trial and error. Looking back, there are key things I wish I’d known when I started—lessons that could have saved time, money, and stress. Today, I’m sharing those insights to help you on your journey.
Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your business strategies, these lessons will inspire you to work smarter and with more confidence.
Lesson #1: Done Is Better Than Perfect
Perfectionism can stall progress. When you’re trying to make everything flawless, you’re likely delaying launches, missing opportunities, and overthinking decisions. The truth is, no one’s first draft is perfect, and waiting for perfection often means never getting started.
Why This Matters: Taking imperfect action allows you to gather feedback, refine your process, and improve over time. Every step you take brings you closer to your goals, even if it’s not perfect.
Pro Tip: Set deadlines for your projects and commit to launching even if everything isn’t 100% ready. Progress over perfection wins every time.
Lesson #2: You Don’t Have to Do It All Yourself
When I started, I felt like I had to wear all the hats: marketer, designer, copywriter, customer service rep, and CEO. While it’s common to juggle many roles initially, it’s not sustainable in the long run.
Why Delegation Matters: Outsourcing or building a team allows you to focus on your zone of genius. It also prevents burnout and helps you scale faster by bringing in expertise you might lack.
Pro Tip: Start small. Hire a virtual assistant for a few hours a week or outsource specific tasks like social media management or graphic design.
Lesson #3: Mindset Matters as Much as Strategy
Your mindset can make or break your success. As much as strategy and tactics are essential, the way you think and approach challenges plays a huge role in achieving your goals.
Examples of Mindset Shifts:
- Viewing failures as opportunities to learn.
- Adopting a growth mindset where you believe skills can be developed with effort.
- Practicing gratitude to stay motivated and positive.
Pro Tip: Invest in personal development. Books, podcasts, and coaching can transform the way you approach your business and life.
Lesson #4: Focus on Your Zone of Genius
Trying to be good at everything is exhausting and inefficient. Your "zone of genius" is the work that comes naturally to you and brings you the most joy and results. For me, this was creating funnels and helping entrepreneurs strategize their launches.
Why This Matters: When you focus on your strengths, you can achieve more with less effort. Meanwhile, delegating or outsourcing tasks outside your expertise ensures that those areas are still handled efficiently.
Pro Tip: Make a list of tasks you enjoy and excel at. Compare that with tasks you dread or struggle with—those are the ones to delegate first.