Beyond the Start: Build Your Community, Mindset & Plan

Having a successful business requires more than a website and a PayPal account. It requires a plan, a community, and a change in mindset.

You have to have a plan. It’s not sexy but it’s the truth. You will hemorrhage time and money if you wander aimlessly from one project to another.

A plan often feels like work but it’s really nothing more than making decisions about where you want to go and how you want to get there. It is actually an exciting chance to explore your unique aptitudes, delve into the industry in which you want to create your business, and figure out how to make this new enterprise everything you want it to be.

Benjamin Franklin

You don’t have to do it alone. This can include a coach, mastermind group, or business support network. Hearing stories of those who are farther along in the process will help you consider things you didn’t know to think of and offer assurance when things feel impossible.

You don’t have to do it alone, but you do need to have an open mind. 

Your network will ideally include people at various stages of where you want to be and can give you insight that can save you a lot of heartache.

planning is bringing the future into the present

Your mindset matters.

You are coming into this with the mindset of an employee — which won’t work now that you are a business owner. You will be required to think about things differently. To consider things about yourself that a job never asked for. Some of this work can be hard because it requires us to pause and reflect on things we have ignored for a long time.

This may be the first time you’ve ever had the chance to think about who you are and what you want without worrying about pleasing parents, bosses, or society. Doing this work upfront, ideally with a mentor, will have a significant impact on the success of your business.

As you move forward, realize that nobody knows everything. Don’t feel shy about asking for help or information. The right people will help you discover what you need to know about yourself and your industry, so you can be positioned for the best chance of success.