34 Things people don’t tell you about starting a business

There are a TONNE of things people don’t tell you about starting a business.   You see the #filter most of the time on social media from other entrepreneurs and they make it look ohhh so easy.   Then you get started, all of a sudden you realise it wasn’t QUITE as easy as they made out and it can leave you feeling in the weeds.   Now, starting a business does have a LOT of perks, but there are a few things I wish I knew before I started so I thought I would share some of those with you!   1) It’s harder, and takes longer than you think.  IF you don’t have the right support and network. (024 – When Your Friends Don’t Support Your Business) The reality is, owning a business isn’t a walk in the park, you have serious highs and lows but the number one thing I didn’t sort until about a year into my journey was my network and my support system.  Then I made it my priority. Having a network made SUCH a difference for me. Make sure you get it as SOON as you can. If it’s free networking events, paid events, memberships, mastermind groups or coaches it’s so SO important to have this from as early on as possible. This is something that will hugely cut down the time it takes you to get to where you want to be.     2) You need an unprecedented level of self awareness.  I’m always talking about how awareness is the first key to change.  Change is an inevitable part of the process of running your own business. (053 – Why Does It Always Feel So Hard Making A Change) Your brain will try and keep you safe but it’s misguided intentions will leave you self sabotaging at every turn.  You need to be SO aware of your thoughts and beliefs because they WILL cause you to sabotage yourself if you’re running unhelpful programming in that subconscious of yours.  It’s running the show so you need the self awareness to be able to get your brain to work FOR you rather than against you. 3) On that note, all your mind ‘stuff’ will come to the surface.  All your thoughts and beliefs around yourself, around running a business, around self discipline, around self motivation, around money mindset, around self belief and what you think you’re capable of.  Expect it, it’s a part of the process and oh my goodness does it lead you towards being the very best version of yourself, if you let it. 4) You don’t know what you don’t know! There is ALWAYS something new or something else to learn so be open to learning lessons from surprising places.   5) You need to prioritise yourself more than you ever have before.  Your health, your sleep, your overall well being! You can not pour from an empty cup and it’s surprisingly easy to burnout. All of these things are a key to your success so don’t think they don’t matter or are not a priority.  They do and they are. More than you realise right now. 6) You can’t be all things to all people…and you don’t want to be! The sooner you stop trying to please everyone, the sooner your ideal clients will be able to find you.  You WANT to turn off people who would never buy from you. (059 – Don’t Fear The Haters!) Once it’s an intention it makes it so much easier and won’t feel like rejection.  The first unfollow or unsubscribe hurts…unless you realise this early on. 7) Not everybody who wants to work with you is an ideal client. You can be picky about who you work with.  If your gut tells you you shouldn’t work with that person, listen to it! 8) You can ‘dump’ your clients! Yup.  If you have a client who is treating you badly there is no excuse for that.  Set your boundaries and if they won’t adhere to them, you can ‘sack’ them…it’s YOUR business! 9) YOU are your biggest challenge!  It’s not the strategy, it’s not the tech, it’s you.  BUT everything is sortable so the sooner you’re aware of how you’re contributing to your challenges, the sooner you can move through them. 10) Everyone has a freaking opinion! You get to choose who you listen to! 11) To reiterate point 10. You do NOT have to listen to everybody. (064 – Stop Listening To Everyone!) 12) You’ll think you’re the only person in the world that has ever felt this roller coaster. You’re not.  Find the people who ‘get it’ and breathe. 13) Feast and famine is not a fun way to live!  Passive income is your friend. As are multiple streams of revenue. 14) Not all your loved ones will support you, that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. (024 – When Your Friends Don’t Support Your Business) 15) Things that work for other people may not work for you in the same way.  Don’t be blinded by all the ‘exact steps’ sales funnels because just because it worked for someone else doesn’t necessarily mean it will be exactly the same for you.  Take what you can from their method and find your own stride. Never feel ‘less than’ or that there is something ‘wrong’ with you if it doesn’t work…there’s not! 16) You will grow more than you ever thought possible.  It’s a beautiful journey and every day you become better than the day before, it just happens! 17) You need a TONNE of personal development…even if you hate it and think it’s woo woo fluffy stuff. Psychology plays a HUGE part in being a business owner. 18) You absolutely have to get comfortable selling and marketing. You just need to find YOUR way of selling and marketing, that works for YOU! Often it comes down to a different way of looking at things.  For example, if you don’t tell people you can solve their problems, you can’t solve their problems! 19) On that note, if you build it they will not come.  There’s nothing ‘wrong’ with you if they don’t. 20) Hang onto your job for as long as you can.  There WILL be hidden costs, or things that you REALLY want.  Your job can be your investor! (068 – When To Leave Your Job And Go Full Time In Your business) 21) Stay in your zone of genius and outsource the rest.  Your time is your most valuable commodity, don’t waste it along with valuable headspace on tasks you hate, will take you forever or just plan stress you out.  You DON’T have to do it all…in fact, it’s BETTER if you don’t! 22) You will change and evolve your business countless times.  Your niche, your product, your message, your ideal client. Behavioural flexibility is one of the 5 core principles of success and you will need it in droves…but it makes things a LOT easier when you have it! 23) Owning a business can be incredibly lonely…IF you let it! Go find your peeps! (043 – How To Not Feel Lonely In Your Business) 24) You need to watch your thoughts…all the time!(052 – Why You Need To Pay Attention To Your Thoughts) 25) You don’t have to be on all the platforms. If you can find a way to repurpose content and make it work for you with minimal effort or input from you (for example, outsourcing to a social media manager) then great.  It’s better to pick a couple of places that your ideal clients are that you actually ENJOY being on, and concentrate there. My favourite places are my podcast and Instagram so I plan to put even more focus there. 26) You’re looking at the highlight reel! Look at all the ‘overnight successes’ with a pinch of salt.  Most people don’t share their low moments, the launches that didn’t work, the products that didn’t sell.  Remember that. 27) Where you set your prices is not where they will end up.  You will likely HUGELY under price yourself while you wait for your mind and self worth to catch up with you. Don’t beat yourself up because it’s all lessons to learn.  Push yourself as much as you can so it’s always slightly outside your comfort zone and reassess every few months. (036 – How To Charge Your Worth) 28) Scheduling is your BEST friend.(008 – How To Find More Time In Your Day) 29) An accountant is WELL worth the money for the time, stress and grey hairs you save! 30) If you wing it and don’t set goals and prioritise it will take you FAR longer to get where you want to be. If you know what you’re working towards you’re FAR more likely to get there. (041 – How To Set Goals That Work For You!) 31) Do what you love and you’ll never ‘work’ again. 32) You can have and know all the strategy you want…but if you don’t make sure your mindset is in the right place while you’re starting  business you will get into a pickle and likely stay pretty stuck and frustrated in procrastination frustration and overwhelm. You absolutely don’t have to! (033 – Why Mindset Isn’t A ‘Nice To Have’ As An Entrepreneur) 33) You will change as a person (usually for the better ha!) and your friendships will change. 34) Starting a business is a crazy roller coaster ride and can be one of the most rewarding and life changing things you can do.  Don’t forget to enjoy it! If you got value from this and you know in your gut that now is the time to step up and start rewiring your thinking and changing things for yourself then book in a free discovery call so we can work out what needs to happen to get you from where you’re at right now, to the action taking success you know you can be!! If you want my eyes and ears on YOUR problems I work with people 1:1, through the Proactive Pants Programme and 1:1 full day intensives, stop waiting for if and when and decide to change things now! Fx Fran Excell, Subconscious Success Mentor – Helping Business Owners Overcome Self Sabotage & Get More Done In Less Time at www.franexcell.com RESOURCES: Check out The Positive Pants Podcast here Download your FREE Stressed To Success Meditation here Shop Printables & Meditations here Grab your 365 day ‘Attitude Of Gratitude’ Journal here Grab Your ‘Positive Pants Firmly On’ Notebook here Book In a Free 20 Minute Discovery Call here