ASK ELIZABETH
Question: What is your best tip or advice for starting your own business?
Today’s Ask Elizabeth is one of those questions I feel unqualified to answer. I didn’t go to business school or study marketing – I majored in Family & Human Services! My best advice for starting a business? Heck, I don’t even know how I fell into that role let alone how I do it. I feel like I am flying by the seat of my pants most days, hoping to get through the emails, and check off the most important things. Orders packaged, email sent, photos edited, sponsored post up, Instagram comments replied to, social shares done, and then all over again. Now, I’m not saying I don’t know anything because I’ve learned so much along the way, but the reality is that owning a business isn’t something I feel qualified in all the time.
So with all that said, My BEST tip is just to start. If you have a dream or an idea, give it a go! Owning a business isn’t always easy but I can tell you straight up it has been worth it. The ever evolving businesses I own bring me so much joy – this blog & my shop. You really never know until you try. Sure you want to make sure you have an idea, have a plan for financing it, set up that website, create a product, and all those things but if you want to own a business you need to just start.
In today’s world we are so lucky that we can really try this out with little risk. Opening an etsy shop only costs you $0.20 to list a product, opening a .blogger blog is FREE. These are both things I did. Of course I am a huge believer that if you want to grow, you need to put money back into your business but you can try it without investing much and see if you love it. A couple paragraphs up when I was talking about falling into business, I really feel like I did. I started blogging in 2010 with no hopes or even ideas of making money on that. I just wanted a place to write.
I payed for a cheap template off etsy and I started making my blog look the way I wanted. That passion lead into learning photography so that I could take the images I wanted. As more readers came in I started applying for sponsored posts and getting them. I switched to self-hosted wordpress, I invested in better photography gear, I continued pouring back into my business to make it better. I just kept growing & getting bigger every year. Learning what I was doing along the way.
I look back and that blog I started turned out to be the business I own and fueled the passion to be both a photographer and a shop owner! It’s remarkable really. What if I never started that first blog? What if I was too scared to learn how to shoot in manual? What if I was too intimidated to open an etsy? Then what? I’ll tell you what, I wouldn’t be a business owner!
My best tip – the tip to top them all off – is identify what you want. Maybe you don’t know what kind of business you want – try some things out and see if anything sticks. Do you want to blog? Do you want to sell your water color paintings? Do you want to help people design their house? Do you want to help other businesses with their branding?
Identify it. Then start. Open up that blog & write your fist post. Paint your first series of paintings and add them to an etsy account. It wont be perfect but it doesn’t have to be. If you really want to own a business, you need to start and learn as you go. After you start, read, learn, ask questions, connect with others, improve your design and photos, and keep going. Owning your own business isn’t easy, but it is worth it. It is a journey of trying new things, seeing what works and what doesn’t. It is investing your time and your money and taking risks. But if you never start, you’ll never own one.
So what dream are you sitting on that you need to take action?
ASK ELIZABETH
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This is wonderful advice! I took this approach when I redesigned and launched my “new” blog – I wanted it to be something I wanted to do and I place I felt at ease to build something and have it work into my life, even though I work full time. I also agree about investing in your business/blog and about identifying your goals. You will never get to be where you want to be unless you know that first. 🙂
Gina!! I love this! Yes, you have to identify what you want and start making the steps, leaps, and sacrifices to get there! I think redesigning your blog is a great step on that journey!!!!!
This is great advice. Starting has always been the hardest part for me–new things, projects, businesses, etc., can feel so intimidating. You really do just have to dive right in.
Yes! All of it. I think being calculated is wise but sometimes we just have to jump!
That’s kind of the point I eventually (and recently) got to about my blog—a long time ago, I’d actually decided NOT to monetize, but now, I thought, why NOT just try? Sure, I’m definitely going to go about doing it my own way, but I lose nothing by trying. Thanks for sharing a little more of your business story with us! I love hearing how other people get started.
Yes! I am so proud of you. And yes, while it is so important to figure out what you say yes to and what you say no to… I think we need to look at our hearts and our businesses and make sure we are saying no so that we can say yes to something better… not saying no out of fear! Its a journey! I have tried some things that worked and some that didn’t but it all grows me!
“identify what you want”
That is legit sometimes the HARDEST part, but so rewarding when you figure it out and start taking the steps towards it. Great post Beth! <3
Yes!!! Totally!! I love this and so agree girl!
Love everything you said!!! 🙂 It’s tough, but it’s so rewarding to go after your passions.
http://abeautifulheart07.blogspot.com/
Thanks Jenna!!! It really is. It is worth it.
I agree with this wholeheartedly! That’s exactly how my little Etsy shop was born! And girl. You’re so humble for saying you don’t feel qualified to answer this. But for real. You totally are #CRUSHINIT 👏🏼👏🏼
Oh Julie!! Thanks so much for your encouragement!! XOXXOOX
An awesome tip! Sometimes, it’s the decision to just get your feet wet in the field that you’re interested in, so you can start to see where the journey takes you! 🙂
http://www.madisontaylor.co
Yes! You never know until you try!
Definitely needed this post right now. As a fellow business owner sometimes I feel like I’m drowning, but then I remember why I started. It feels so good to take a step back sometimes.
Xx Taylor
http://lightscameracatwalk.com/