"Just Start" and Other Lessons Learned from 4 Years in Business

Simplified Savvy turned four-years-old on October 15th, 2023. I can't believe it. It has felt so long and so short at the same time.

I started this business because I was a busy working mom, and then I was on my second maternity leave and I couldn’t imagine going back to a 9-5 with two kids and doing all the hustle that comes with those early mornings and the drop-offs and then the rushing to get back to pick them up… I just couldn't do it. 

I had wanted to start my own business for years and while I wouldn't have been ready if I'd done it before then and I'm glad that I didn't, I really did have a version of a business for myself in my head for a really long time. So instead of returning to my job, I decided to take things into my own hands and leap into entrepreneurship. And we're not going to pretend like it's all been sunshine and roses. I mean, the last few years have been just crazy. 

But…

It has also been a dream come true. I wanted to work with other people who I could click with and have clients who I just really vibed with and whose businesses really excited me.. It's been a wild ride. I mean, I think any business owner would be lying if they said they didn't want to take their business and throw it in the garbage every so often. Start again, completely abandon it. I've definitely had times like that but I would say this past year (2023) has been the year that I've wanted to do that the least. So yay for that. 

Because I’ve gone through so much as a business owner these past four years, today I wanted share some lessons I’ve learned along the way. And I think they can apply to life too. Even if you don't have your own business, I think some of these lessons could really apply to just about anybody. So let’s get into it.

Not Everyone Will Get It

Whatever it is that you want to do, not everyone's going understand. Whether you’re starting your own business or launching a podcast or starting a new hobby, whatever it is, people aren't always going to understand your choices. 

Do it anyway.

Do you really care what other people think of what you’re doing? Do you need their approval to live your life? Don't give up on your dream just because you're worried about what anyone thinks. This life is too damn short to not spend it doing the things that you love. 

Just Start

And on that note, my second piece of advice is just start. You will regret not starting sooner. That was one of the best pieces of advice I got when I started my business. I kept wanting to push back the launch date because I didn't feel ready. 

I didn't feel like my website was perfect. 

I didn't feel like I had my social media presence really locked down. 

Did I have my offers really solidified? 

Did I know exactly what I wanted to do? 

I mean, at some point it just has to be good enough and then you just have to do it. Because you will never start if you wait for it all to be perfect. And honestly, you will regret not starting sooner because you just figure it out along the way. You learn as you go.

Time to Push or Pivot?

This one has been a big learning for me over the years. This is your business and your life. If you aren't happy with what you're doing anymore, you can change it. I have changed my business services many times over the last four years.

With that being said, there are times when you'll be frustrated with what you do, work with a client who is difficult; things can’t be amazing all the time. But that doesn't necessarily mean that it's time to ditch everything and start over again. Sometimes you just have to push through that hard time because if you really do love what you're doing and you're just hitting some roadblocks, give yourself time and push yourself. 

I've often found that when I go through a hard season in my business, almost always, there is a beautiful revelation that will come out of it, and it takes me in a direction that I never thought of and makes things even better. So sometimes you really do just need to keep going. 

If, however, you are consistently really not enjoying what you're doing anymore and you've done soul searching and you know that there's something else calling to you, then it could really be time to pivot and do something else.

Ultimately, you need to make yourself happy and do what makes the most sense for you. 

You Can’t Escape Imposter Syndrome

If you care about your business, you will have imposter syndrome at some point (realistically at many points). 

It’s just the way it is and you have to accept it. No one is immune to this. Every business owner that I admire, that I have had the opportunity to speak to, has told me that they second guess themselves all the time. So those people that you admire who seem like they have it all together, they have second guessed themselves on more than one occasion. 

So when you're going through it, just know that you're not alone.

And when this happens, I can't stress this enough, it is time to turn off social media because most of the time when you are getting imposter syndrome, it's because you're looking at what everyone else is doing.

Stop that. It's time to turn it off, put your phone away and be guided by what you really want. You don't have to do business like everyone else. And on that note…

Authenticity is Everything

Please be yourself. Please don't be a copycat of everyone else that you see online.

Bring your whole self to the party. We want to get to know you. I don't want to just know about your business. I mean, I do want to know about your business, but I also want to know how you spend your days and the personal side of your life that makes you, you!

Showing up as yourself is your greatest flex. 

The online space is so, so crowded. And there's a lot of people who do what you do. That's okay, there's room for us all. But what's going to make you stand out from somebody else like you, another service provider like you, is actually you, your personality. What makes you unique? What makes you special? And that's what's going to make somebody choose you.

So you want to be able to find those connection points with people, and that's how you're really going to resonate. 

I hope this helps and I would love to hear what some of your biggest lessons have been. Comment and share them with me!