Entrepreneurs: Here’s what NOT to do
Do you ever wish you had a guide telling you what not to do when you first started out as an entrepreneur? Something that would prevent you from wasting all of that time, money and tears?
We know how hard it is starting out, so we asked our group of entrepreneurs what advice they would give a new business owner of what NOT to do, based on their personal experiences. Read on to find out what they had to say.
Editor’s Note: Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Don’t try to do everything yourself
“It doesn’t always save you time and money.” – Katie Yates, Paragon Cleaning
“Don’t be afraid to delegate. It takes a village to raise a business!” – Karyn Johnson, Ekim’s Place
Clarke Freed with Freed & Associates and the Bartow Chamber of Commerce used an example of how men try to figure out everything themselves and refuse to ask for help. He recommended avoiding this and instead learning from people who have already done what you are trying to do. “There is nothing new under the sun. Someone has done this before you. So learn from those who have walked down that road because it’ll save you heartache and pain.”
Don’t make the mistake of not writing things down
“Make sure everything is written down! A paper trail is golden.” – Larry Dunn, Innovative Ink
“If it’s not in writing, it becomes a very messy situation. It becomes your word against somebody else’s. If it’s not in writing, it doesn’t exist.” – Dianne Kaplan, 1st Priority Staffing
Don’t underestimate your network
“We tend to think we need a guru and discount the power our network has to help us grow. The reality is, most business’s growth came from their network.” – Chrissanne Long, BRIDGE Local & Maximize Digital Media
“Look at the strengths of each person you are meeting. Look at the people in your community and think about how you can be a sponge. Look at real local examples of what you want to be.” – Jasmine Decelle, Jasmine Decelle Branding
A hodgepodge of don’ts
“When it comes to pricing, you don’t want to be the cheapest but you don’t want to be the most expensive either.” – Neal Roberts, Credential
“Don’t spend too much when you are starting out. I was far too optimistic.” – Jared Weggeland, Focus Realty
Don’t miss our next Mastermind meeting!
Watch our recording for the full conversation on what not to do as an entrepreneur starting out. We hope you enjoyed reading this recap of our conversation and we’d love to have you join us for the one! It’s on March 18, so DON’T miss it! ?
