How to Start a Business, Afraid.
Does this sound familiar?
It's Sunday night, and you open your calendar and look at the meetings and appointments scheduled for the week. After five minutes, you feel overwhelmed and overcome with dread, bitterness, and unhappiness. You want to climb into bed and hide away from everyone and everything. You hate what you do and wish to change your life, but where do you begin? Everything feels so overwhelming.
Tomorrow morning, you have an 8 AM meeting with your boss, who always appears like she couldn't care less about you or all your hard work. The night before, you set alarms because you know you "have" to be an adult, though, behind closed doors, you would gladly accept the drama of being a teenager again. Even though you've set the alarms, you will probably ignore them and wait for the third, fourth, or (for some of us) fifth. You'll roll out of bed solely because you know the warm hug of coffee awaits you. You take a sip and think to yourself,
"All right, [insert your name]. I am ready to change. For so long, I have dreamt of starting my own business and being my own boss. I want to start putting my thoughts and ideas to work. I am starting my business tonight!" You spend 8, 10, or even 12 hours at your job. You are exhausted. You think, "There couldn't possibly be a way to leave the hamster wheel of corporate America. Starting a business is and always will be a dream.”
Or is there?
What if I told you that it doesn't have to be? What if I told you there was a way to change how you live? A way to be happy and support yourself and your family doing what you love? If you're not thrilled about your situation for whatever reason, it begs the question, are the emotions you're feeling bitterness and resentment? Or are you just afraid? Afraid to change? Afraid to fail? Afraid of embarrassment? Are you afraid of looking like an imposter? Afraid of financial instability? Afraid of confusion? Afraid of putting yourself out there? Afraid of the unknown? Afraid of the risk?
There are many reasons to be afraid, but the difference between happy and unhappy people is that they know they won’t be satisfied unless they try. They do it afraid because they believe in their mission, value, and purpose. No matter what the reason, there are resources and people [insert ME!] who can help. Whether building a website, creating an e-commerce shop, creating a marketing strategy, or becoming more organized, there is always space in my calendar for you.
Before we dive into the seven steps to overcome your fear below, I want to reflect. Find a quiet place, sit down, and ask yourself the following questions:
What matters most to me?
What about my life do I want to spend more time doing?
What are my values, and what brings me joy? Is there a way to do this more?
What am I good at? What are some of my proudest accomplishments?
What can I do to nurture my mental health? Can I incorporate more of these things into everyday life?
What would I do if I didn't care what anyone else thinks?
What would I do if I had one year to live?
What is my purpose in life?
What is something I find inspiring?
What could I do every day for the rest of my life? Can I make money doing this? Is this something other people need?
Take the answers to these questions and consider what you could do with the emotions they bring up. Do you feel motivated? Excited? Energized? Can you see yourself living the life you just created? If so, I congratulate you! Let’s now learn how to overcome your fear so that you can put those feelings of excitement to use!
Step 1: Decide
The first step in getting what you want is to decide to do it. Deciding is the most significant factor that stands in most people’s way, mainly because it’s hard and uncomfortable and takes practice. The easy thing to do is keep putting it off. Many leaders with large amounts of responsibility make decisions based on feedback from a great team, persistence, and learning from failure. For entrepreneurs, however, sometimes it's just a "one-woman show." So, how do you make big decisions? Well, let’s talk about it!
Let's return to the boss you feel doesn't care about you. If they are a decent manager [let's be honest, not only managers but people], they should allow you to speak your mind. Although it's hard and uncomfortable, email this person and kindly request to discuss your workload or schedule. As an entrepreneur, you will have to learn how to have hard conversations, so, as an employee, getting up the nerve to speak to your manager is an excellent place to start. If, after trying to connect with your manager, they decide to keep you from giving your point of view or the conversation's outcome differs from what you hoped for, decide to take action.
Start looking for opportunities at a different company or a different field entirely. That way, you'll learn to change gradually without the pressure of making ends meet. The goal here is to make a decision. If you can decide now that you no longer tolerate how life is playing out, consider how far you could be six months from now. You don’t want to look back and wish you had taken the first step and chosen a different path. Decide that you won’t let anything stand in your way, and believe this is what you are doing.
Step 2: Think about the Pros and Cons of the Decision.
Ask yourself,
What are my options?
How can I handle each outcome?
How can I cope if the decision backfires?
What am I giving up by making this decision?
Will this decision impact my psychological well-being?
How will this decision impact the people around me?
What if I fail?
What if I succeed?
Source
Once you have answers to these questions, I bet you’ll feel ready and willing to take the first step toward a different life. If not, take some more time to consider.
Step 3: Reframing Intrusive Thoughts:
Getting your mind right is a HUGE step in entrepreneurship. Having a positive perspective will attract more positive energy into your life. Fear, however, can make optimism excruciatingly tricky. [I know this from experience!] Learning how to let go of those thoughts or even talk back to them is a skill that can take years to master. That's why making this change gradually is so essential. I will write more content on intrusive thoughts in future blogs, but know that taming those thoughts is a massive piece of the puzzle.
I know you’re probably saying,
“Meghan, reframing the thoughts around my life is so hard. I am waist-deep in tasks and obligations from my current job and family life. I am completely overwhelmed. Thinking about changing my life feels impossible.”
Listen, I know how hard it is, especially if you suffer from anxiety. I’ve realized, though, that “It’s too hard, it’ll never work out” is the fear talking. Your mind is powerful and naughty—its primary focus when you have those thoughts is to keep you safe. You must learn to talk back to yourself and tell your brain that it’s lying to you and that you are in control. You know what you’re doing, and it will be okay. Start small when these thoughts come into your mind. Even just recognizing that you’re having a negative thought is better than giving in to every idea that pops into your head.
Step 4: Consult Colleagues or Close "ish" Friends:
I say "ish" because you want to talk to people who will tell you the truth about your dream. It would be best if you didn’t listen to negativity, but it can be helpful to get other's perspectives before quitting your job. On the other hand, hear people out, even if the topic is not your favorite. Getting in front of people and speaking about your dream is a great way to practice your "elevator pitch," as they call it; it will only help you.
Step 5: Figure out the Problem and Solution:
I can’t tell you how often I’ve sat at my desk and said, “Okay, what should I do right now? Is there some sort of magical formula to get what I desire?” The answer is no; it’s more about how you organize your day. Think to yourself, what value can I be spreading with my business? What is the problem that I’m solving? You probably should rethink your business plan if you can’t think of one. Successful businesses solve problems of pain, so what pain do your customers have?
Once you have your solution, create marketing strategies to promote your value! One way to do that is by creating a website. That’s where we come in! A website that shows your audience exactly who you are and what you do is imperative to people following you. It gives you a space to tell your story that allows people to connect and decide if you can solve their problems. Depending on what you’re selling, you will probably need several pages to describe yourself and your experience. From there, having a way to spread that information is also required.
Step 6: Don’t Try to Be Perfect:
As I’ve learned over the years, you don’t need to be perfect as an entrepreneur. Humans make mistakes; that’s how they learn. If you don’t take action, change can not occur. Learn as you go; don’t pretend you know everything right now. Network with as many people as you can to learn from each other. That’s the beauty of entrepreneurship: everyone is trying to find their way, and it won’t always be fun. There will be bumps along the way, but those bumps are how we grow. Embrace them, take what they teach you, and learn from the experience. Nobody expects you to be perfect, anyway. If they do, they’re probably not your ideal client.
Step 7: Give Yourself Deadlines
Lastly, give yourself plenty of deadlines. This is helpful because otherwise, you’ll be spinning your wheels, making excuses not to work on your goals. Take out your calendar and start planning when things should get done. Whether that’s the logistical things like creating your LLC, purchasing business insurance, or even coming up with a Name for the business, please give it a deadline so that you can move on. Give yourself grace if your first timeline isn’t realistic or feasible. You’ll need to get used to failing. That means you’re trying to determine what works best for you. Trust me, I’ve failed more times than I can count, but I started being successful when I believed in what I was doing.
Remember, you decided to change your life because you are unhappy. It’s good that you are taking charge, putting your foot down, and making it happen. Although it’s scary, it’s something to get excited about! If this is the way that makes the most sense for you to get what you want, make it happen! Fear is only as controlling as you allow it to be. Give yourself time to breathe and realize you can make extraordinary things happen for yourself and your potential customers. You just have to decide to do it. I am rooting for you!
Contact me if you need someone to help you start building a website. I’d be glad to help you with marketing, e-commerce, and so much more. If you need recommendations on graphic designers, photographers, copywriters, or lawyers, I can also give them to you. I am here for you every step of the way, and my goal is to help you succeed. Let’s make this happen together!