When starting an online business, it’s way too easy to get sucked into the rabbit hole of shiny objects…
and gurus…
And “lotions, potions and pills…”
Show of hands, how many of us have gotten caught up in the “researching” steps of starting a business only to wait and wait and wait and think, ooh let me do this other thing first and then I’ll execute…!?
Probably too many to count.
So this post is for you if you’re thinking about thinking about starting a business…
For the folks who are feeling scared, anxious, worried, embarrassed, not techy enough, too old, too young, too whatever…
You need to hear this:
“You are the only one that’s going to make YOU successful.”
These wise words come from Wake Up Legendary guest, Elain Alcorn, a dental hygienist, personal trainer, and recent empty nester with an entrepreneurial spirit.
What does she mean?
She means you are literally the only person who can build your dream business.
And, you’re also the ONLY person preventing you from building a successful online business.
Yeesh. When you put it that way…
What do you need to do today to get your business going?
Here are 7 tips for getting started:
(Actually started.)
(Like, for real this time.)
- Build a side hustle just for yourself!
Find something you love and want to work on regularly that’s just for you.
Elain works in a dental office. But she’s also a personal trainer and digital marketer – two things she loves and finds a lot of joy in doing.
Stuck on where to start?
Think about teaching something you’re awesome at, promoting a product that’s solved a problem for you, or sharing your journey as you learn something new.
There are a million and one ways to do this.
- Don’t keep your new adventure a secret!
No, this doesn't mean you have to tell everyone and their brother.
But like Elain said, “I had invested in my future without including the most important part of my future.”
Include your core people – family, a close friend or two – in what you’re doing so that they can support you.
Elain hid what she was doing for months and got a slow start because of it.
- No matter what, commit to improving your skills and especially your mindset.
Whatever business you want to start, most likely you’ll need some sort of additional support to learn something brand new.
When (not if) you get stuck, refer back to your training, reach out to your community with specific questions, and just keep going.
- Start small and celebrate each win.
There’s no special “backstage pass” to success.
You simply get better at running your business the more you do it.
- When you hear negative comments online or in person, ask yourself, what can I learn from this experience?
Sometimes we allow innocent or naive comments to derail our progress.
Or, someone might say something that makes us question if we’re doing the right thing.
Reframe negativity by acknowledging that person’s concern and thanking them for sharing.
No need to get defensive. Instead, try to have patience for people who don’t see things the way you do…and learn from them.
- Show up regularly as your organic, real self.
Be transparent. Don’t be fake!
This is good advice for an internet-based business as well as in real life.
- Define your “why” and share it with your audience.
Like the great poet, Oscar Wilde said, “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
Your personal experience is what will attract your people to you! Share your journey and especially why you do what you do.
Through entrepreneurship, you’ll learn to shift your thinking and turn what you thought was a problem into a strength…
To turn your mess into your message.
And if you’re feeling scared or lost or overwhelmed, that’s ok!
Every single successful person you see out there was once in your exact same shoes…
Questioning if they could do this…
Wondering if they were going to fail…
And scared to look like a fool for even trying.
The difference between them and you is time. Time and effort, really.
The successful people you see online have simply stayed in the game long enough, and they keep showing up.
Even when they’re scared.
Even when they want to quit.
You will never have all the answers, nor will you ever feel completely “comfortable” all the time.
Even superwoman Elain has days when she wants to quit!
But she doesn’t.
And when challenges come along (which they will!), stop yourself from chasing that next shiny new object and simply get to work!
What a great opportunity to learn something new yourself.
As always, Be Legendary.
