Why the Last Course New Business Owners Take Should Be the First

Ever notice how the last thing a new business owner thinks to do is take a course on… actually running a business? Don’t worry, I’m not pointing fingers here—I was guilty of it too.

Instead of learning how to run my business, I was busy signing up for courses on online marketing, website building, email campaigns, Facebook ads, YouTube influencing (yep, I was trying to be a YouTube star before Instagram was even a thing). Basically, if a course existed, I took it.

Why? Because like most entrepreneurs, I was laser-focused on making my business a success. I wanted the money to roll in, fast and easy, so I could quit my job and live the dream life. You know the one: flexible hours, passive income, sipping coffee in exotic locations. ??

But here’s the thing—what I really needed from day one was a course on how to run a business. For example:

I said I wanted to make enough money to quit my job, but when someone asked, “How much exactly?” I had no clue. If someone had mentioned a cash flow forecast, I would have stared at them like they were speaking another language. Profit margins? Sales forecasts? I didn’t even know what my business needed to make to break even!

No wonder it took me years to build something I could call a “successful” business. I didn’t know what I was aiming for, so I was constantly missing the target.

Now, I help startups and new business owners avoid the same mistakes. While I used to focus just on marketing—attracting ideal clients and all that—I’ve realized the real impact comes when I teach them the basics first.

And trust me, these basics are game-changers. The reality is, most businesses don’t make it to their first anniversary, let alone their fifth, and it’s usually because they hit cash flow issues. The money dries up, and sadly, so do their dreams.

So, what can you do to avoid this? Start with a plan. A simple one. It’s not as overwhelming as it sounds—I promise! Let me break it down:

Step 1: Know Your Costs

Start by listing everything you’ll need to spend money on over the next 12 months. This includes both fixed costs (like rent or software) and variable costs (like packaging or materials). Don’t know the exact figures? No problem, just round up—better safe than sorry!

Step 2: How Much Do You Need to Earn?

Once you know your costs, you need to figure out how much you need to turn over (that’s the total money coming in before expenses). Let’s say you need ￡10,000 to cover your costs. How many sales do you need to hit that? If your product sells for ￡500, you’ll need 20 sales just to break even. Simple math, but crucial to know!

Step 3: What’s Your Ideal Income?

Let’s say you want to earn ￡2,000 a month—that’s ￡24,000 a year. Add that to your ￡10,000 in costs, and your turnover goal is now ￡34,000. Based on your ￡500 product, you’ll need 68 sales. Easy, right?

Step 4: How Will You Get Those Sales?

Now for the fun part—how are you going to land those 68 sales? You could divide that by 12 and aim for a few each month, but in reality, your first few months might be slow. No one knows who you are yet! So, create a sensible plan for how you’ll get your business in front of people. (Hint: one social media post a week probably won’t cut it ??.) Consider networking, collaborations, or even asking friends and family to help spread the word.

Step 5: Understand Profit Margins

How much does it cost to create your product or service? For a product, consider materials, packaging, shipping, etc. For services, the costs might be lower, but you’ll still have things like website fees, software, or payment gateways to account for. The goal is to understand what’s left in your pocket after all the costs are paid—and that’s what you’ll pay taxes on.

Step 6: Reality Check—Can You Make It Work?

Let’s say you sell a product for ￡500, but after all your costs (materials, tools, packaging, etc.), you’re only left with a profit of ￡99.27 per sale. To hit your turnover target of ￡34,000, you’ll need 342 sales—not just 68. See how the numbers can sneak up on you?

Don’t Be Scared, Be Smart

I know this might sound like a lot of math, but it’s just basic sums. And once you understand these numbers, it’s like having a roadmap to success. You’ll know exactly what you need to do, and that makes all the difference.

So, if you’re ready to be in the success camp and stop winging it, come work with me. Let me show you how to create a plan that’s simple, clear, and sets you up for lasting success—without the confusion or overwhelm.

You’ve got this, and I’m here to help every step of the way!

PS. I run a free training session on Zoom every Tuesday at 7pm so if you'd like to come and learn some of the basics just drop me a DM and I'll send you the link :)