Do you ever feel like you’re doing it all wrong? Like no matter what you try, your business still feels stuck? I have some good news for you. Every single entrepreneur feels that way at some point in their career. Even the most seasoned veterans will tell you that they did things wrong in building their business, but the even better news is, you always learn from your mistakes. And with learning comes the opportunity to change and adapt and make things better than ever before! Let’s learn from my mistakes as I share what I got wrong as an entrepreneur. 

I am so excited to start this conversation as I dish out the things I  got wrong when I first started out in business. When you’re starting your own business, it’s so hard to know what to do first and oftentimes we just start throwing darts at a dart board hoping something will stick. At least that’s what I felt like I was doing. Because of this, I got some things wrong. But I don’t want the same for you. 

There are three things I feel all entrepreneurs need to stop doing immediately, so listen up:

 

WHAT I GOT WRONG AS AN ENTREPRENEUR

 

1. Thinking I had to do it all.

 

I wanted to be the one wearing all of the hats, doing all of the things, and running the show all on my own. I felt that in order to understand every single aspect of my business, I would need to be the one doing all of the work. And I did. For years I was a one-woman band, doing everything with just me, myself, and I. For a while, it was fine. I was working on my terms, my hours, and had no one to answer to. But then the fatigue set in. All of the hats got a little too heavy, jobs outside of my skillset got a little too challenging, and working alone began to feel a little too lonely. 

I finally accepted the fact that hiring help wasn’t a sign of defeat or failure. But rather a crucial move for the success of my business. Hiring people to come alongside me was one of the best decisions I could have made to help turn my business around. Instead of trying to do it all I began focusing on the things I was good at and letting other professionals handle the rest. And that’s when things really started to click. When my business finally began to take off. 

 

2. Comparing myself to others.

 

It’s easy to look at other businesses and admire what they’ve built and think it can never happen for you. Maybe you’ve even thought that they’ve had it easy, or that you couldn’t do what they’ve done because of XYZ. Or maybe you’ve even talked yourself out of something you love. Something you’re good at, because you don’t know where to start or you’re afraid you’ll fail.

But those are just the lies we let the fear of something new tell us. Don’t let the fear and the comparison creep in and steal your desire to build something beautiful.

If you are new to your business journey, I hope you always remember, no matter what season you’re in, not to judge your story based on what you see from others. We all started somewhere and I promise you, it wasn’t at the top. 

 

NOW THIS IS A BIG ONE:

 

3. Confusing my message.

 

I talk a lot about the things you need to think of when starting a new business. This may just be at the top of my list. What I got wrong as an entrepreneur had almost everything to do with this. Right out of the gate, as soon as you dream up the idea, be sure to clearly define what it is that you do and what you have to offer your ideal customer. 

You don’t want to add fluff or unnecessary aspects to what you do, especially when you’re explaining it to a potential customer. Straight forward and cut and dry is exactly what the consumer needs to hear from you. Decide exactly what you want your potential client to know about your business and get rid of the rest. Anything else is a distraction that will cost your business in the long run. 

As you can often hear me preach, “If you confuse, you’ll lose.” Don’t make your business model so confusing that people don’t even know what you’re offering. Make it clear, concise, and convincing. Then there’s no way you’ll lose.

 

So there you have it, what I got wrong as an entrepreneur. My not so expert advice from someone who as been at this entrepreneurial gig for over two decades. I’ve been there, messed that up a time or two and I know there’s a better way for those that come behind me. 

Don’t be afraid to go after the help you need, stop comparing yourself to other business owners, and get super clear with your brand’s message. These three simple shifts will make all of the difference in your business and you can start implementing them right now!