Honestly forget running your own business, deciding to start your own business is the hardest fucking thing you’ll have to do. I say this for two reasons:
Being able to get out of your head, quit that job and take the leap is one of the scariest moments you’ll go through. But if you never go for it, the answer and opportunities will always be no.
Fortunately for me I was at such a low point in my life that I basically said fuck it, what do I have to lose? Went for it, stayed consistent and here we are a year later having created almost 20 people their dream website.
And I want to make it very clear that regardless of how good and smooth everything looks from social media, that doesn’t mean I’m thriving or that it was easy. Matter of fact, there were more low points than high.
I’ve said from the beginning that if you have a dream career path that isn’t the typical 9-5 job… to go for it. In due time you’ll be working for yourself, having total work freedom, becoming financially independent and never having to get shit on by superior white men in power. You get to legitimately create your life.
But with all the good comes all the, hm, not-so-good. This means going from a 9-5 to basically a 24/7 type job, running all the social media, keeping up with income and expense sheets, creating content, balancing work and personal life, continuously paying out and investing in the business, dealing with taxes and employees, etc.
I digress.
Like anything in life, running a business will be the most rewarding thing you can do, it can also tear you down and make you feel like a failure more times than not.
My biggest advice for people itching to start or feeling unsupported in their dreams is to make sure you have some sort of stable side job to have consistent income in while building up your brand. In very rare cases do people become immediate money makers so make sure you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket to start.
Have a PLAN. This plan will change and your business will evolve but before you throw yourself out there (like I did), make sure you know what you want to post about on social media, how you plan to get clients, how much money you’re looking to make 6 months-1 year down the road, what systems you’ll have in place for the client process, etc.
Be CONFIDENT. This is tough coming right out the gate but this was the biggest reason I struggled to make any money for the first 6 months of my business. I rarely showcased my work, never told many people about my business, was never confident in my services and processes. It took me a year to feel bold enough to charge my worth and to say no to people who didn’t align with my ideal clientele. Know what you want and try your best to never stray away from that. Your future self will thank you.
Be YOURSELF. In a world where everyone is following the trends and trying to put off this “im a cool gal” lifestyle, just remember that trends pass but your personality is forever. Your personality will stick with people for as long as you have your business, plus, keeping up with the trends is exhausting. Don’t do that to yourself!
If you’re thinking of starting your own business, I would 100% go for it. Create a dream board and keep that in your office and the back of your mind if you find yourself doubting your abilities. Everyone that’s successful in what you want to do was once in your shoes. Remember that!
