Starting an online business seems easy enough…..
Have you ever thought that? Be honest! It’s okay if you answered yes because I used to think the exact same way! It wasn’t until I sold my brick n mortar and went towards the online space full time that the view I had of working in pj’s from my kitchen table wasn’t exactly what I got.
Here’s what I wish I knew before starting my online business.
Startup is hard
I wish I would have known that even though I was an experienced brick n mortar business owner that didn't necessarily mean that startup would be easy. I think the hardest part for me was realizing that after 15 years I was starting from the beginning.
Sometimes we like to compare our day 1 to someone’s day 100 which makes no sense because we all start at the same place. So give yourself some grace mama! It will be hard at the beginning. Trust in your skills and your dream and stick with it! You’ll get there in your own way.
Social media
Now look I'm a child of the 90s which means I grew up picking up my phone and dialing my friend’s number when I wanted to chit chat. Needless to say, I didn't grow up with social media and the pressure of posting my life story online but when you are working online you have to get comfortable with social media and being in front of the camera and spreading your message as you add value to your customer.
I wish I had known a little bit more about social media when I first started. I would have loved to learn more about strategies and different ways I could start engaging with my audience as I was building my presence instead of feeling pressured into figuring everything out as I built my online space.
Loneliness
It’s a lonely life when you’re a digital entrepreneur. When I owned my brick-and-mortar I would get dressed up in the morning, get in my car, and drive to work. I would see people and have face-to-face conversations.
When you're working for yourself in the online space you get lonely because most of the time you are creating content behind your laptop, wearing your husband’s sweatshirt, with unwashed hair and maybe legs that haven’t been shaved for a while…. Okay maybe that’s just me
Basically, it's just you and your screen all day. There are a few online communities you can join to feel less alone. Cafes are also a great place to meet other digital nomads. Keep in mind that it does get lonely.
Distractions
Quick snack from the fridge, IG scroll, putting some laundry away, and BOOM, you’ve just wasted 2 hours. That’s the reality of working from home. I wish someone had shared a few time management strategies that I could have implemented from the start.
Sticking to a work schedule is crucial in order to avoid spending your day doing” busy” work that isn’t moving the needle forward.
Don't have to be a know-it-all
I wish I had known sooner that I didn't have to know everything before I ventured off and took the leap of faith to start my own online business. I was nervous about taking the leap because I thought if I waited just a bit longer somehow I would know more.
Focus on progress and not perfection. Having an open mind to learning is also important. As adults, we think that we’ve done all the learning we needed once we finished school but as Tony Robbins says” If you’re not growing you’re dying”.
Venturing off into something new implies that you’ll have to learn a new skill set. Be open to that and don’t give up on yourself just because you don’t know it all on day one.
So there you have it five things I wish I had known before I started my online business.
If you’re on an online business startup journey make sure to watch my 25-minute webinar where I break down how to start an online business in 8 steps!
Be well and keep dreaming
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