Starting for the first time isn’t glamorous.
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This article was translated from our Spanish edition using AI technologies. Errors can occur due to this process.
The opinions expressed by the entrepreneur’s contributors are their own.
Nobody denies that running your own business is very rewarding. I’ve seen the glamorous photos of business people enjoying the beach on Instagram, and I’ve found posts on Facebook that say, “I love my job !!!!!!” (with everything and the errors in the exclamation marks) .
Entrepreneurship can be great, but let’s face it, running your own business can also be difficult and scary. What can you expect from your first year of business?
This is the bare truth of what mine was like.
1. There is a lot more administration than I expected
In my first year of business, I tried to spend as little as possible. I did everything I could. For example, I spent 10 hours a day learning to drive on my social media. I’ve optimized my profiles hundreds of times, received millions of customer testimonials, and so on. And it all took a long time.
2. I ate at my desk
Most days, I ate lunch on my MacBook. Either that or she would buy junk food that she “sniffed” between customer appointments. None of this is chic or healthy. Sometimes I did it because I was short on time, but sometimes because I was stuck finishing a project. However, it’s important to take care of your health, which I didn’t care about. That brings me to my next point.
3. I have gained 10 kilograms
I’ve never been too skinny, but I’ve gained weight from bad habits that have sabotaged myself. Eating on my computer, skipping breakfast, not getting enough exercise, not eating dinner until I’m starved, and then eat what I find. Unfortunately the list goes on and is very common among new entrepreneurs. We dive headlong into our work and put everything else in the background. Why are we doing this to ourselves? Not good. I’ve lost half the weight I gained from new habits, but it’s difficult.
4. I made bad decisions
It was very difficult for me to establish my personal brand. For a while I tried to represent what other people wanted to see in me and not only did it fail, it also made me feel like I was wrong. But that is the lesson from experience: when you know more, you make better decisions. If you learn from your mistakes, you can do better next time.
5. I had to ask a lot of help
In my first year of business, I started a number of online courses. I didn’t know anything about the technology required, so I had to ask for help, which is very difficult for me. I didn’t know much about how to make videos or how to take classes, but admitting how little I knew helped me learn from experts.
6. I have constantly improved my work
It sounded like a corporate robot in my first post, but now I have a different voice. I’ve rewritten articles and posts, experimented with social media, improved programs, and so on. I’ve tried a lot. Building a business is a process, not a to-do list to check off. The reality that work is never actually done can be frustrating at times.
7. I was scared all the time!
It’s terrifying to start your product and service without being sure that it will be successful. It’s about starting a new business, finding customers, sharing your ideas, promoting your work, asking for help, that means you are always vulnerable. Especially at the beginning, it’s like making your own heart beat faster running your own business.
However, once you start gaining experience, the fear subsides and you start enjoying your adventure. Do not give up!
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