top of page

5 harsh realities that the “experts” don’t tell you when starting a business

People often paint this picture of entrepreneurship as an overnight success fairy tale. You come up with a business idea, build a team to help execute that idea and voila, instant success. That is hardly a true depiction of success. You rarely hear about what really goes on behind the scenes to build a successful brand. Most of the time, it’s because entrepreneurs don’t want to tell people how they struggled, or what they struggled with in their business. Some are forth right with their experiences, while others simply gloss over the harsh realities of what it takes to launch a successful business. Here are 5 things the experts won’t tell you about starting a business:

Building a brand takes time

What your favorite “business guru” won’t tell you is, you will work hard towards your goals on some days and see absolutely no results. What people need to understand is you might not see results right away. Why? Because building a business takes time. You may not see a sale in the first year that you’re in business and it’s not because your business idea “sucks”, it just takes time to build a reputable brand. Don’t count your products, services or business as a complete “loss” just yet. Keep going, your time will come where you will see the fruits of your labor. Trust in the process.

You will question your path

All entrepreneurs question their decisions on whether or not they chose the right path. “Is this the right business idea”? “Will this truly work”? You will have self-doubt about certain decisions that you were once confident about. You have to learn at some point in time to trust in your vision. Trusting in your vision requires you to step back from what you’re working on, and look at the “bigger picture”. Understand why you got started in the first place, as this will ignite the fire in you to keep going. We all want to build successful brands however, when you get to a point in your business where you don’t see how that will happen based on the current state of your business, take a step back reflect and find a way to keep going.

You are valuable

We hear it all of the time, “not all business ideas are ‘good ideas”. There’s a market for anything! Yes, I said anything! Some people treasure and value things differently than others. We’re all valuable and every single business owner, entrepreneur, creativepreneur and solopreneur has something valuable to bring to the table. As business owners, whether you’re a “seasoned” vet or just starting your business, you are valuable! There is someone out there who is in need of your level of expertise, talents and skills. Don’t let your gifts, go to waste. Who cares if someone has done it before you, what makes you unique, is YOU. That’s what sets you apart from the crowd! Stop doubting if you should move forward with a business idea just because it has already been done. The world is waiting on what you have to offer. Create it! Share it, Release it, Launch it, Go for it!

No true path to success

Entrepreneurs spend a considerable amount of time searching for the same path of success as those who experienced it, when in fact, each person’s path differs from one another. What many entrepreneurs fail to understand is that this is your journey, your vision and you have permission to pursue it as you see fit. There’s no one way ticket to success. You can’t duplicate it, emulate it, nor recreate someone else’s path to success. Go into the direction that was meant for you. If that means starting from the bottom, completely from scratch, do it! Stay true to your vision and do what you feel is right for your brand.

All methods and practices are not “created equal”

What works for one person may not work for you and that’s perfectly fine. Find out what method works best for you and stick to it. Even though webinars are trending right now, that may not be the method that helps to build your brand. Try it, if it doesn’t work find another way to market your brand. Entrepreneurship is about figuring out what works best for YOU. It may take some trial and error however, you will eventually figure it out. Test out your ideas. For example, create an eBook, give it away for free or sell it. If it doesn’t yield the results you seek, try a webinar, live streaming on Facebook Live or Instagram. You have to constantly test your ideas, check your analytics and ask for feedback from your audience. Here’s the thing, it’s better to have “exhausted” all of your options, then to just give up completely because one idea didn’t work.

Everyone has various business ideas and concepts that differ from one another. Success can sometimes happen overnight. Even if you don’t see success overnight, that doesn’t mean you have a “horrible” business idea, or that you may never see success in your business. It just means your business will take some time to grow. Don’t get discouraged! Understanding these harsh realities of entrepreneurship will help you navigate through your journey. Everyone has something to give on this earth. We all have greatness in us, we just have to tap into it somehow. It may take some trial and error, along with some “soul searching” but once you find it, reveal that greatness to the world. We’re all waiting to experience it! “Create it! Share it, Release it, Launch it, Go for it!” What are some of the “harsh” realities you’ve learned as a business owner? Comment below, we’d love to hear from you!

Recent Posts
Archive
Search By Tags
Follow Us
  • Facebook Basic Square
  • Twitter Basic Square
  • Google+ Basic Square
bottom of page