The 4 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting a Business

1. Know Your WHY

You need to know your why when starting a business. Ask yourself: Why are you doing this?

The why is the purpose behind it all and will drive you in your quest to succeed. It shouldn’t be complex or drawn out. As your business grows, your why will evolve. But, your starting why will help you face the challenges of starting your own business.

When I asked myself why are you starting this business, my “initial why” for Rockstarr & Moon was so that I could make some money and expand my skill set for the job hunt. That evolved as my business continued to thrive. Today, our “why” at Rockstarr & Moon is to empower aspiring rockstarr business owners to SUCCESSFULLY START, BUILD, AND GROW their business so that they can create the lives they’ve dreamed of for themselves, their families, and their communities.

It is nice to know the whats and hows of your business, but it’s not necessary as they will also transform. What you do, how you do what you do and most importantly, what value you bring to the client will all evolve as your business grows. 

Start with your why to help you through the initial challenges that may cause you to throw your hands up in the air and give up. If you want more guidance on your why, check out the Rockstarr 101: Business Basics Ebook. 

2. Done is Better Than Perfect

One of the biggest mistakes people make when starting a business is thinking it has to be perfect before you can launch. A full website, a great logo, business cards, a full product built out – basically, everything picture perfect before you start your business. That’s not the case. In fact, it can stall forward progress and quickly become excuses for why you don’t have your first clients.

When building Rockstarr & Moon, I spent way too much time working on a logo, learning to build a website, getting the Facebook images perfect. I could have used that time to get a client, perfect my pitch, work on the services I was delivering, or anything else that would have advanced my business. I was caught up in the minutiae. The bottom line is that marketing will always change and evolve as your business grows.

Done is what will help get you the client. Perfect will give you the excuse to wait to launch your business.

3. Ask for Feedback

Asking for feedback from your clients is crucial for your business growth.

Once you have completed the first few jobs for clients, ask for feedback. Surveys lack a personal touch and may not give you the data you need to improve your product or service. Try reaching out to your clients personally and ask them how their experience was with your business. Find out if they’re satisfied, if there are areas of improvement, and if they would recommend you to their network.

When you go back to your clients, you can learn from their first-hand experiences on how to improve your product or service and help you determine what characteristics your ideal client should have as you move forward.

4. Find a Good Mentor

While I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs, none of them encouraged me to follow my dreams and start my own business because it’s too big of a risk. Most people around you won’t start businesses for that same reason. This is where having a mentor can play a critical role in your success. While you may get some helpful tips from books and online Google searches, having someone in your corner that is a seasoned business owner can give you the boost you need.

70% of small businesses that received mentoring survived more than five years – double the survival rate of non-mentored businesses. Starting a business is overwhelming, but having a mentor can help navigate the challenges of being a new business owner. If you are serious about starting a business, you need a mentor. You will want someone to guide you through the process of identifying your first product/service, knowing your first customer avatar, knowing how to get your first sale, working on that value proposition, or marketing messaging that says what it is you do in a customer-friendly way. 

 

At Rockstarr & Moon, we believe in the power of small business. We believe they are the backbone of our economy and an essential force in our communities. That’s why we specialize in providing marketing services to small businesses that may otherwise not have access to the same resources as large corporations. By leveraging the latest technology and custom-made rockstarr strategies, our team can create powerful campaigns to help your small business stand out and succeed.