Lessons I wish I Knew Before Starting My Business

Starting a business can be one of the scariest endeavors, but it’s so fun. It’s filled with challenges and countless lessons along the way.

As an entrepreneur, you quickly realize that success doesn’t come overnight, and sometimes the hard lessons are the most valuable. I’m sharing some of the most important things I wish I knew, or understood more, before starting my own business. Whether you’re just beginning or are a seasoned entrepreneur, I hope these lessons resonate and help you navigate your path more confidently. 

The Importance of Patience 

If you have read my blog before, or follow me online, you’ve seen me talk a lot about PATIENCE. I believe it is the key to life. When you start a business, it’s easy to expect immediate success. You pour your heart into your work, launch your product or service, and hope for an influx of clients or sales right away. But the reality is, growth takes time, and building a business takes even more time. 

Building a business is a marathon, not a sprint. In the beginning, things may be slow, and that’s okay. Don’t let the lack of immediate results discourage you. Focus on consistency, improving your product or service, and building meaningful relationships with your audience. Over time, your hard work will pay off. I had the idea for my business years before I ever launched my business For me, it was waiting for the right time, but there’s never a “right time” so one day I just sat down and began working on the business. That’s a whole separate topic, that we could spend hours diving into, but just know that patience is key, but it’s different from procrastination. 

You Can’t Do It All Alone

As entrepreneurs, we often feel the need to wear every hat - marketing, accounting, customer service, and product development. But doing everything on your own can quickly lead to burnout. 

Delegation is crucial. When you’re working on your business, it’s hard to imagine having enough money to hire employees to delegate work. I know because I’ve been there. But you learn rather early, that there are other ways to delegate work, it just requires networking and outreaching. I have had many social media interns who have been tremendous help. Through connections and research, I was able to find a manufacturer and team to help me with printing, producing, and cover designs. Just the addition of these people have helped take a load off of me. Reality is, trying to handle every little thing yourself isn’t sustainable. Surround yourself with a team of experts or partners who can bring their skills to the table. Delegating effectively early on, will better prepare you for when delegation is essential to company success. 

Failure Isn’t the End, It’s the Beginning

Failure is often seen as the ultimate setback, something that marks the end of a journey. As an entrepreneur, it can also seem like an attack on you personally because you put so much of yourself into your brand. But in the entrepreneurial world, failure is an inevitable part of growth. 

Embrace failure. It’s a stepping stone to success. Every misstep, mistake, and failure carries with it invaluable lessons that can help you refine your business and approach. I wish I’d understood sooner that each failure was just a detour on the road to success, not a roadblock. I tell people all the time, I fail every day, but that doesn’t define me, nor does it weigh down the success I have or will have. The same goes for you! 

Sometimes it takes failure to open your eyes to the product or process that will change the whole trajectory of your brand and skyrocket you into success. 

The Power of Self-Care

Entrepreneurship can be all-consuming. There’s always something to do, and it can be easy to fall into the trap of working around the clock. But pushing yourself too hard can take a toll on your health, both physically and mentally. 

I have struggled with learning when to put the computer down and stop working. Which is so cliche since I work in wellness. I truly love what I do to the point where I find it difficult to take a break. One thing I will never skip is my journaling practice. 

Taking care of yourself isn’t optional - it’s essential. Your business can’t thrive if you’re not operating at your best. Make self-care a priority, whether it’s scheduling regular breaks, getting enough sleep, or practicing mindfulness. When you take care of your mind and body, you’ll be able to show up as your best self for your business. 

Cash Flow is King 

It’s easy to focus on generating sales and building your brand, but without a solid understanding of cash flow, your business could face serious issues down the road. Many businesses fail because they run out of money, even if they’re making sales. 

Pay attention to your finances from day one. Create a budget, track your expenses, and make sure you understand your cash flow. It’s important to plan for slow months and have a financial cushion in place. Knowledge of your business’s finances can be the difference between success and failure. 

Trust Your Intuition 

There will be many decisions to make as an entrepreneur - some big, some small. It’s easy to second-guess yourself or rely too heavily on advice from others. While seeking guidance is important, ultimately, you have to trust your instincts. 

When I started out, I would run a lot of my decisions by my closest circle. I’d often ask “Do you like this post?” Do you think this ad will do well?” I was nervous to make a decision that would later be seen as a failure or a mistake, but I realized that even those decisions that turn out wrong, are scenarios that enabled me to grow and evolve as an entrepreneur. Your intuition is a powerful tool. Trust it. You Know your business, your customers, and your vision better than anyone else. While it’s important to listen to feedback, don’t let others’ opinions drown out your own voice. You have a unique perspective, and that’s what will set you business apart. 

Celebrate the Small Wins 

In the pursuit of big goals, it’s easy to overlook the smaller victories along the way. Maybe you secured a new client, reached a milestone in sales, or simply had a productive day. Those are all wins too! 

Celebrate all your wins! Acknowledge every step forward, no matter how small. Small wins today were once big wins for me at the beginning, so celebrating all of my wins helps me stay grounded, focused, and reminded of my passion and the dream I have for this brand. All your victories are building you to be the entrepreneur or CEO that you’ve always dreamed of. Look back on how far you’ve come and how many roadblocks you’ve managed to get through. 

Starting a business is one of the most rewarding and challenging things you can do. The journey isn’t always easy, but every lesson learned is an opportunity for growth. If you’re just starting out, know that you’re not alone - every entrepreneur has faced similar hurdles. Keep learning, stay resilient, and remember to be kind to yourself along the way. 

What lessons have you learned on your entrepreneurial journey? Let me know in the comments - I’d love to hear your thoughts! 

“Patience is different from procrastination.”

“Small wins today were once big wins.”