Just Do It is the famous tagline that Nike uses for its brand. “The best way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing” a quote from Walt Disney is essentially the same sentiment. This attitude cuts to the core of who/what entrepreneurs represent. It’s hard to “just do it” or to even “begin doing”; but small business owners are energized by the task. It’s true that starting a business can be overwhelming and exhausting but it can also be energizing and exhilarating all at the same time.

Sara Blakely, Founder and CEO of Spanx once said on LinkedIn "...The important thing is that you keep going. Believing in yourself and pursuing your dreams/ideas is not for sissies, that's for sure. The ups and downs are real (and I'm not even talking about your own mental ups and downs). I'm talking about the daily sometimes hourly, ups and downs in an entrepreneur's journey. Mindset is everything..." While our companies' valuations aren’t the same it is assuring that the emotions, challenges, and experiences are very similar for most entrepreneurs.

So, if you’re thinking about taking the leap and going out on your own, here are 3 tips that I wish I had:

#1 - Do Your Homework! When you think you’re prepared, do more! Have a solid plan with goals and measurable objectives. Make sure you have money in the bank to pay bills. Be realistic when projecting revenue and expenses; and, make sure you are paying yourself. Small business owners have a tendency to forfeit compensation; and, that’s a recipe for disaster.

#2 - Ask someone you respect to be your Advisor/Mentor. A person that you can run ideas by and absolutely trust to help keep you grounded; and, true to the founding principle of your company’s mission.

#3 Never take a project that you don’t believe in just for the money. It will backfire and no one will be happy. Integrity wins each and every time. It might not seem like that in the moment but it will work out.

Exhale, smile, and recognize your accomplishment in starting your own business. Starting is the first step in your entrepreneurial journey! Good luck!

Sonya Ruff Jarvis is a Business & Marketing Consultant; Content Creator & Connection-Maker; Thought Leader & Industry Expert and Book Author & Entrepreneur. Areas of expertise include: Retail; Marketing; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI); and Human Resources. Sonya has been a part of the B2B retail industry for more than 30 years. Interested in Sonya’s books?  They can be found on Amazon or get an author autographed copy at www.jarvisconsultants.com. 

Ways to Work with Jarvis Consultants!

Strategies: We help small to mid-size companies develop business, marketing, and event management strategies.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI): We help companies create DEI strategies and approaches that are implementable and sustainable based on their objectives.

Business Coaching: We coach Founders of small to medium size businesses who want to take their organization to the next level.

Project Management: We support companies that don’t have the personnel resources internally; we help them create projects from the development stages to implementation; and, a tactical management process.

New Business Development: We help clients research and explore new business opportunities and/or emerging trends that can be optimized and generate incremental revenue including content.

Let’s talk about your next project and how Jarvis Consultants can support your initiatives;

sonya@jarvisconsultants.com.

www.jarvisconsultants.com