Do you ever feel like you’re doing it all wrong? Like no matter what you try, your business still feels stuck? We 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! 

So let’s learn from someone who has been there, done that, shall we? We are so excited to bring you this conversation with our founder, Melissa Koehler, on the things she felt she got wrong when she first started out in business. When asked what she struggled with at the start of her career, she had three things she felt all entrepreneurs needed to stop doing immediately, so listen up:

“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. But I didn’t know the first thing about hiring other professionals and I certainly didn’t know where to find them. It’s not a category in the yellow pages, or a topic talked about a lot on Google, so again, I felt stuck with how to move forward. 

Which is exactly why I created the directory aspect of The Blush Pages. A listing of professionals to help take the guesswork out of finding the perfect people who help you work smarter and give you the freedom to focus your energy on the areas of business you feel most passionate about! As an added bonus, our online community is just another way to keep you connected with fellow entrepreneurs and curb that feeling of loneliness in running a business! 

I’d love for you to join us here!

“Comparing myself to others.”

It’s easy to look at other peoples’ 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. 

“Confusing my message.”

I talk a lot about the things you need to think of when starting a new business and this may just be at the top of my list. 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. 

So there you have it, expert advice for someone who knows business like the back of her hand. 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. Those three simple shifts could make all of the difference in your business and you can start implementing those changes right now! 

And if you’re looking for a community of entrepreneurs to support you on your journey or you would love more business training and education from Melissa herself, be sure to join us over at The Blush Pages!