How to avoid new business pitfalls

Learn from my mistakes

King Kong, at a typewriter, king kong is in a suit, he is on a typewriter

“I hired another attorney, I needed more communication”

This is one of many lessons I have learned over the last five months. Starting a business is the only way to learn business. Here are lessons I have learned:

1. The website/social media time suck

You need a website, and should have some social media presence. However, don’t spend HOURS and DAYS unless it is a MUST for your industry.

I spent countless hours building a website that is barely above Geocities from 2000. I have had ONE potential client visit my website to “check me out”.

Farm this out to Fiverr or get a contact, you can have a website for $500.

There’s an urge to “make everything perfect”, when you do not need it.

You need to have a working phone, an email address, and a basic website.

Speaking of perfection…

2. “It needs to SPARKLE!”

I worked part-time for an education business. The owner was a smart woman with a great program. I asked her if she had instructional videos.

“Not yet, I need to make sure the lighting is perfect, and I don’t feel ready.”

Go look at Gary Vee’s first YouTube videos from 2008. He is drinking wine and talking, that’s it. Look where he is now.

Trying for perfection is procrastinating.

Trying for perfection is procrastinating.

You need to move fast and break things.

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW YOU WILL SIGN UP CLIENTS, SO TRY MULTIPLE WAYS, THEN ITERATE.

Like the above, you just need a website. You can upgrade once you have money coming in the door. Speaking of money in the door…