5 Big Mistakes I Made When I Started My Business – And How You Can Avoid Them

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By Melanie Colusci

Back in 2008, I did something really courageous (or maybe crazy). I left my home state of Montana where I was working very successfully in a company’s sales department, and moved to Pittsburgh. And full disclosure here – I followed a guy. But he did eventually become my husband J.

When I made the decision to move almost 2,000 miles across the country, I naively believed that my clients in Montana would stick with me.

Of course they would! They loved me!

There was only one problem…

I was wrong.

So here I was in a new city. I knew no one (except the guy I followed). I had no source of income. I had no clients.

I admit, I was scared.

I knew I wanted to start my own business, but thinking that and actually doing it are two very different things. Looking back, I know now that I had no idea what I was doing.

So, I made a lot of mistakes.

Thankfully, I’ve since learned (through a lot of trial and error) what it takes to launch and maintain a successful, profitable business.

Let me add that if I had found the right help at the start of my journey, I could have saved myself a lot of wasted time, sleepless nights, and expense. I also could have ramped up my launch-to-profit much, much faster.

But, as they say, hindsight is 20/20. To make this a teachable moment, I’d like to share with you some of the sorry stories of my early business efforts gone wrong so you can avoid the mistakes I made.

Here are five big things I screwed up:

1. No clear plan. When I started out, I was so worried and anxious to get started that I just started doing. Plan? Pfffft. I don’t need a plan. I just need to get moving – now. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Sit yourself down, figure out exactly what your business goals are, what you need to do to achieve those goals, and how much time you realistically need to do what’s required to hit them.

While some people like to plan around the calendar year, I like a 90-day time frame. It lets me review and then adjust faster, especially if I see that what I’m doing isn’t working. I’ve also learned that this approach actually creates more consistency in my results.

2. Ignoring budgeting and taxes. If you’re not a numbers gal (and I wasn’t initially), procrastinating on creating a business budget and understanding the impact of taxes is asking for big trouble. I know, I know – when you’re starting out, budgeting and taxes is probably the least “fun” part.

But, I’ll let you in on a secret: When your business starts to bring in money and, if you do things right, your business starts generating serious money, tracking your finances actually becomes exciting. So, buckle down and figure it out. Investing in the services of an accountant or CPA could be the best money you spend on your business.

3. No repeatable systems or processes. You’ve been to a Starbucks, right? Whether you realize it or not, all of them consistently create an experience for customers, from the moment they enter to the moment they walk out the door with drink in hand. You need to do the same thing with your business by creating and following systems and processes.

Doing this accomplishes three things: First, it helps you create a customer experience that sets your business apart from your competition. Second, when you know what your system or processes are, you gain confidence. Third, you create huge efficiencies that save you time, money, and stress. Just remember: SOP (Standard Operating Procedures). Write them down and stick with them.

4. Madness around marketing. When I was launching my business in a new city, it was a foregone conclusion that no one knew who I was. I also wasn’t sure the people I was meeting even liked me, and trust wasn’t even on their radar yet. So, I had a lot of work to do around marketing, but I was completely overwhelmed with where to start. By now I know it really isn’t that complicated. But, I’m not saying it’s easy.

Start with crafting the message you want to communicate to your audience. Then, incorporate that message into your brand (logo and tagline). Finally, get super consistent about communicating that message. Simple, yes? Well, really, no, but start small with a website and social media that makes sense for your business. Most importantly, get out and talk to people. Get that know, like, and trust factor into motion!

5. Work, work, work and almost no play. Fear is a big motivator. And let me tell you, when my future husband and I arrived in Pittsburgh, the worry around my financial future was through the roof! So I worked on getting my business off the ground. And worked. And worked. On the rare moments when I would stop for a break, my mind would wander back to the beautiful Bridger Mountains of Montana where we used to hike and camp and breathe in that amazing mountain air.

I knew I had to find balance or I’d burn out. Getting away from your business to recharge is imperative. The point, as I think Benjamin Franklin once said centuries ago, is to work to live, not live to work. You want to succeed – but not at the expense of your health or sanity.

So there you have it – five big mistakes.

There’s so much to learn when you make the courageous choice to launch and grow a business. I can tell you taking this on is like a personal growth course on steroids. It can reveal mindset beliefs that aren’t pretty. It can rattle your confidence. It can make you rethink your choice to leave that old job and horrible boss.

But, I also can tell you this… starting my own business, confronting the challenges, solving the problems, rising above the setbacks …has been the most exciting, empowering, and rewarding thing I’ve ever done. Go for it!

Do you have questions about how you can succeed in your business and accelerate your journey toward reaching your goals? I invite you to learn more about From Startup to Success coaching packages. Begin with a no-cost 30-minute consultation to discuss where you are with your business and where you want to go.

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