“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” - Mark Twain
That quote may seem simple, but it feels more honest than any other business advice I’ve ever heard.
When I started my business, it honestly wasn’t because I was ready to, it’s because I HAD to.
I was a stay-at-home mom at the time, working a little on the side by helping some friends tweak their websites and style blog posts. It wasn’t a business by any stretch of the imagination, but I loved doing it and it brought in some extra cash.
Then my husband lost his job.
If I said that’s when I decided to start my business, I would be lying. The simple truth is, I was scared to death. In my mind, I wasn’t ready to start a business. I didn’t see my skills as being refined enough to charge much for. I didn’t have the confidence to take on bigger, higher paying clients.
But none of that mattered. Here I was, with a two year old and a husband who couldn’t find work.
I had to step up my game.
I started reaching out to friends for more connections. I worked for free when possible, to expand my skill set and resume. I set up a website to let people know what services I offered and created a portfolio to show examples of my work. I even offered a signature service at rock bottom prices to get the business started and get word of mouth recommendations.
It was a lot of hustling and I wasn’t comfortable with any of it, but that didn’t stop me.
I had too much riding on this, and so I took risks that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. I likely wouldn’t have reached out to friends for referrals, or increased my rates quarterly, or pushed myself out of my comfort zone.
I think that’s what really makes a business thrive.
It’s what makes you the best you can be.
RISK.
Had I not come into such a difficult situation that required taking risk after risk, I probably would not have had the opportunity to build my own business or work from home. I would have been in a sanitary looking office, earning dollars for someone else, all the while missing my family and stifling my creativity.
That’s not what I wanted for my life.
You may be struggling in a similar situation, or want to take on a new project, but keep hesitating for some reason.
Whatever it is that’s holding you back, whether it be fear or circumstances…just let it go.
LET IT GO.
Because all of that mess is only preventing you from really unlocking your full potential and finding the success that you truly want in life.