5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Business
I’ve been an education business owner for over a decade now, and I’ve learned so much along the way. Running a business has been a constant stream of lessons, but there are some things I wish I would have known before I got started. Save yourself some time and struggle by reading these five things I wish I knew before starting my business.
What I Wish I Knew Before Starting a Business
You’ll learn many lessons when you start a business. And for the most part, these lessons are an important part of finding success as an entrepreneur. But there are some business mistakes and other lessons I learned in the early stages of my journey that would be helpful to know before you start your education business.
These include:
Embrace Personal Development
Running a business has been a huge personal development project. I’ve learned how to foster a growth mindset while pushing myself beyond my comfort zone time and time again. As a teacher, I learned a lot about myself. But as a business owner, I really have had to get clear on my values, what I want to accomplish, and how I need to push myself to get there. By embracing personal development for business owners as part of the process, I would have been clearer about what I was getting myself into.
Taking Action is Usually the Best Move
When I first started out in business, I would really overthink things. I would take so much time going back and forth about potential decisions. I thought that I was being thoughtful and cautious, but often I was really procrastinating. Over time, I learned that usually, the best move is to take action. This need to take action is one of the most important things I wish I knew before starting my business.
Through the process of trying something, you are able to determine if it works or if something needs to be adjusted. Oftentimes this is the only way to figure things out.
Trust Your Intuition
There is so much business advice out there. While there are definitely important lessons you can learn from others, you also need to be anchored in your own beliefs and visions. Trust your intuition and always find a way to tune into your inner voice, even (and especially!) when it goes against what others are saying. Your education business should be run on your terms.
Take Risks
I’m not naturally a risk taker, but through running a business I’ve learned the importance of pushing myself beyond my comfort zone. By taking risks, I’ve been able to develop skills, resilience, and experience great success. This success never would have happened without taking risks! Whether it’s pitching your services or speaking to hundreds of people, finding out how to push through your fear will lead to great gains.
Be Clear on What You Want… and Less Attached to How You Get There
This is one of the top things I wish I knew before starting my business. Having a clear vision is key. For example, maybe you want to create a digital course that thousands of people benefit from. Once you set a goal, try different approaches for how to get there.
When you select one goal and picture only one possible path to get there, you pigeonhole yourself. Instead, allow yourself to try many different strategies for meeting your goals. By staying focused on the bigger picture of meeting your goal, you allow yourself the flexibility to find the best approach.
Learn More About The Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Business
Whether you’re just starting out in business or if you’ve been running an education business for a while, try to embrace a growth mindset. There’s so much you will learn through both your successes and your failures!
Are you ready to learn your own business lessons and use your education experience to start an impactful education business? It’s even more powerful to learn these lessons with a group of like-minded people around you. Joining an education business program can help you explore what to know before starting a business and connect you with that supportive community.
Join our Grow Your Education Business Accelerator to learn the business and marketing foundations you need while being part of an inspiring community.