To the Aspiring Business owners of 2024:

Dear Cool Human,

Congrats - choosing to start a business is one of the best decisions you could make - it’s also one of the hardest.

A bit like being in business, too.

Before you get sucked into the ideas vortex that comes with being your own boss, here are some tips that I’ve collated as themes that help nearly every business owner - regardless of industry or business model. If you take some of them on board, will make for a stronger start (and keep you fired up with all the good mojo that running a business has to offer).

Here goes…..

Choose your people

Together, we go further. You’re a reflection of the people you spend the most time with (this includes on social media and when consuming books, podcasts and the like) so choose well.

If you don’t have a group of friends who are also business owners, you will need to find some.

This is one of those journeys, that unless you’ve travelled on it, you can’t understand how it feels at times - and you will need to have people in your life who get it. Some a bit further down the road who can wave you forward through the latest spot of roadworks you’re facing, some along with you to link arms and get through together, and soon enough, some coming along after you - so you can relearn from looking at the world through their eyes (and pay it forward, that kind of karma has to be an all round benefit, right?!)

If you can - start it as a “bit on the side”

Adulting is tough (we got that memo) and adulting in business means knowing that cashflow can be crunchy at times - especially when you’re building up. If you can, start this biz on the side of your daytime role, easing back on that fixed certainty of your salary as you build the business cash reserves.

You still need to keep yourself in the caffeine setting you’ve become used to, or your kids probably don’t want to do away with yogurt pouches, after school sports and cool as sneakers just to support your new endeavour.

There’s no glamour in the rags to riches nonsense. Credit card debt is dumb debt. Don’t be homeless on a friends couch just to make it cos you read someone else did that once. (And, read my next point again and again til you’ve got it ??)

Make friends with money

Don’t ignore it - it won’t work for you or help you unlock all the power that this biz owner gig offers if you do.

Don’t abdicate responsibility or think an accountant will do it all - the best business owners know what’s going on with their money so they can make informed decisions - both strategically and on the go.

Spend time every week building up your financial acumen. Whether it’s pricing, cashflow, learning new metrics to keep an eye on, or just building the money habit to be both looking forward and looking back - this isn’t a hobby. Hobbies you can get away with ignoring your moolah. Business you can’t.

You’ll worry less when you have visibility. You’ll make better decisions when you know what your track record is and what the future is looking like. You can’t run a successful business being money blind.

Get help with that if you need it (shameless self plug, I’m fricking awesome at money habits, and learning real human money acumen that helps you make better decisions, so let’s chat if you read this and think we’ll be a good fit) and that shameless self plug leads me to this next one….. ??

Get used to selling.

(It’s not as icky as it sounds or that you’d first believe).

If you’ve got something you love, that you know solves a problem, and that there is a demand for, you’ll need to work out when and where those people are interested in hearing from you - and talk to them. Whether that’s online or offline - you’ll need to talk to people to convert them into customers. Over time, yes, of course you can build a schmick marketing machine to feed customers into paying for your goodies - but to start with? Those conversations will help you learn, test, and adjust based on what they’re saying (not what you’re presuming they’ll say)

Check out our goodies that I love to sell here

It ain’t going to be all glamour, coffee shops and long lunches.

There are absolutely life changing, kick ass, wickedly great things about being in business. But as you get through your naive optimism, you’ll be welcomed to the humans in business club. Which is where you come (and know you belong) if you can say “farrrrk, I’m overthinking this” or “shoot this is rough” or “whhhhhhyyy is no-one buying / I’m not seeing progress / I’m freaking out because this goal I set keeps slipping out of my hands”.

As you learn more - you’ll see more. More ideas, more things you want to try. More fricking ads telling you that this one magic webinar will fix all your problems (they won’t, refer point 1 above and choose those people to learn from consciously, or your inbox will get clogged with too many ideas for the time and energy you have).

All the best stuff in life has elements of hard in it. Parenting. Business. Leadership. Growth. Sports. Mastery. Funny holiday stories about getting stuck in the carparking building in Stuttgart without cash, no working cards and not a word of german to get by on.

So stop believing the “reel life” and ??

Get out of the house and meet people in the real world

Working at home is great in so many ways. You can keep the washing machine fed, the cups of tea are never ending. But there’s also SO many things you can procrastinate on and one of those is the social media vortex. Which is full of those weird fun fair mirrors that show you just how odd you look but weirdly, seemingly, everyone else has their sh*t together.

It’s simply not true. We’re all working through or living with stuff. And you’re more likely to see that truth when you’re in the real world. Be brave, go to a networking event (find a friend to go with you, or give yourself a huge block of Whitaker's to recover when you get home). Do the thing, be brave, get out of the house. Shared workspaces are a great way of getting an almost instant set of friends - like coworkers, but they probably also run their own businesses (see point 1).

So, people are great, but you’re also going to want to ??

Back yourself

Business is a series of skills. Anyone can learn skills.

Some will be more uncomfortable for you to learn than others. But you’ve got to have a growth mindset if you want to be a success. If you think you can’t do something - then you’re probably right. Flip that thinking and add in that magic “yet”. As in”I haven’t learnt how to do that yet”.

It will be a great friend to you on the journey.

You are the only one who really knows what is the right approach, tool, system and business for you. Sure, you can get expert help - but don’t be blinded by an expert masquerading as a guru - the best experts will help you diagnose what’s going on FOR YOU and then work out a plan from there.

So, great, you’re the best person. Sorry to say but also:

You are going to be the worst boss you’ve ever worked for.

True story. You might have worked for a condescending a-hole. A micromanaging worry wart, a glamour ice queen or king who made Miranda Priestly look like a puppy dog, or just someone who didn’t get you. That is all going to pale in comparison to just how much of a dick you’re going to be to yourself.

Most people in business are always thinking of something they haven’t yet done, need to do, or should be doing. The self beration and laceration is horrible. We are entirely cruel to ourselves in a way that others won’t be. (See point 1 above. Find some friends who will talk you out of all the mean stuff you’re saying)

You’re not going to have enough time for all the ideas, so stop beating yourself up for what you don’t get to - and celebrate the big stuff that you DO get to.

If you can do all that, consistently(ish) - It’s going to be worth it

And you’ve got this!

Read those last two again. Print them out. Tattoo them on your forehead. Lipstick them on the mirror. Put a post it on your car sun visor. Sneak notes into your pockets or notebooks. Set a reminder on your phone with the message. Jam those last two messages into your noggin as often as humanly possible.

Because you’ve got this - I believe in you!!

With huge high five,

Your Friend

Alana

PS If you’re reading this and you’re a bit further along on your journey - how about stopping in here and helping another business owner out with some wisdom from being that traveller a bit further down on the road?

PPS Wanna work with us on your start up journey? I'd bloody love that. Check out our start up cashflow friendly Success Circle (you can work with us for all of 2024 for less than a lunch at your local café every week) It helps with the "find your people" and the "make friends with money" and we infuse the rest (and them some more great stuff) along the way too.