Entrepreneurship: If I Knew Then What I Know Now

If you're like me, you've thought back to the early days of starting your business, put your head in your hands, and said, "What was I thinking?"

It's a marvel my marketing company actually survived when I think of all the mistakes I've made. But, like any good entrepreneur, I've tried to learn from those mistakes so I can do better moving forward. Here, I share a few of the things I've learned over the past nine years that would have helped me immensely back then. May they help you!

1. Trying to DIY Can Hurt You More Than Help

The first three years or so, I was a one-woman show. I wrote the copy. I found the clients. I designed my website and logo (very poorly, I admit). I justified it by telling myself I couldn't afford to hire help, and no one would do as good a job as me. After all, this marketing company was my baby. Who else would get that?

Then, I stroked my ego by hiring an intern. She turned out to be pretty fabulous, and took on some of the writing projects. As the business grew, I found a few freelancers I could hand projects over to when I was swamped. I started hiring graphic designers for my design work. And doing so helped me make more money, which helped me afford them. So it was a win-win situation. I wish I'd done it sooner.

2. Incorporating Isn't Scary. Just Do It

In the beginning, I operated as a sole proprietor. A few years later, I took on a client that incorporates small businesses, and started writing content about incorporating. It seemed silly that I was writing about it when I hadn't done it. So I bit the bullet and did it. It was a lot less complicated and scary than I thought.

Now, I get a little benefit on my taxes, and I feel like a "real" business! Hooray!

3. You Control Your Schedule

This is a lesson I learned only recently. The whole notion of the 40-hour work week was beaten into my head, and I felt like that was the de facto way to run my business. Only sometimes I was just sitting at my desk, doing busywork. And sometimes I needed to work after 5 p.m. So I cut myself some slack and have freed up my schedule. I devote one day a week to projects outside of my marketing firm's work, and I also prioritize things like exercise during the week. I own how and when I work. Heck, flexibility was one of the perks that drew me to entrepreneurship!

4. "It Don't Pay to Be Cheap"

This is actually a saying of my husband's. You might have heard "you get what you pay for." Same thing. Essentially, I didn't want to spend any money to develop my company. I wanted all profits in my pocket. So sometimes I invested in low-quality writing or design to save a dime (which always ended up costing me far more to remedy) or didn't invest in things at all that could help me run my business, like email marketing software or going to an important conference.

Now, I look at these things as investments in the growth of my business. You've got to spend to make more.

5. Being Uber-Organized Will Wow People

I'm really efficient and organized. I mean, ridiculously so. Once I was accused of plagiarizing an article because I turned it around so quickly. After that, I stretched out the period for turning around a project just so people wouldn't think I was weird. But now I have embraced the fact that I need things organized and I'm a super fast writer. I want to get you your work a month out so I don't have to worry about it for another month when you need more.

And the funny thing is, people really like that I'm so organized. Sure, it makes some of my clients blush at how disorganized they are, but hey, you hire me to get you organized. It's all good.

6. One Client Can Open Doors to Many More

We all know that word of mouth is the best way to attract new clients. I'm lucky to have some amazing ones. But it's not just one client telling others about me; it's the work I've done and the results I've gotten with one client that make potential clients go, "Wow! I want to hire you!"

So make sure you do a bang-up job for every single client. If you have high-profile clients, ask if they mind you letting people know you work with them. A little name-dropping never hurt.

I don't regret the mistakes I've made, because they were a part of the journey to where I am now as an entrepreneur. But still, if these lessons can help you, you'll have an easier path!