3 Things You Don’t Need to Start a Business
If you want to start a side-hustle, a part-time business, or a full-time business of your own, there’s a lot of information online. Some of it is free and some of it isn’t. Some of it is worth what you pay for…and some of it isn’t. I’ve been in business for myself since 2013. I started part-time while working two other jobs. In 2014, I went full-time because I realized that I was turning away money by telling potential clients no because when you work at least one other job on top of having a family, you only have so much time on your hands.
Working for myself and building my business from the ground up, I know what it does and does not take to build a business. Here are the three things you don’t need to start a business.
You Don’t Need To Be an Expert
I know that when I started, I certainly didn’t feel like an expert although I had some experience writing. I was a damn good writer as an experienced paralegal and educator. However, I definitely didn’t feel like an expert writer…especially when I got online and looked around at all of the “expert” writers on Upwork, eLance, and all of the copywriting websites I found.
In fact, my very first thought was actually “Why in the hell would someone want to hire me? I don’t know what I’m doing!” Yet, I had experience and knowledge regarding legal concepts and in higher education.
You know whatever it is that you know. You know how to do whatever it is that you know what to do. You don’t have to be an expert. I learned how to do basic SEO from reading article after article on Search Engine Journal and from practice. Now? Now I am considered an expert. We all start somewhere. I don’t charge nearly as much as some others in the copywriting and SEO industry…and I stay very, very busy.
You Don’t Need Lots of Money
I started my business with an old, crappy laptop and no website. I used a free Wix website for a portfolio. I used a free Dropbox account to host some PDF versions of writing samples that had my contact information. I also used a Medium-like website where I wrote something every single day both for practice and for a byline. I used my articles as an example of my abilities. I wrote about current events, business concepts, and anything else that caught my eye that I believed my target market might find interesting. That particular website is no longer in business. For the record, they paid their writers with ad-share. I think I made three cents one month. I was never concerned about the ad-share revenue. I was just happy (at the time) to have a professional appearing site to practice my writing skills.
You simply do not need to invest hundreds of dollars or thousands of dollars (!!) into a domain, hosting, and fancy website to get your business going. There are so many low-cost and free ways to put your business and yourself online. The real issue you face is do you have the commitment to continue to promote yourself on a daily basis? That’s where most people tend to fall off the proverbial wagon.
You Definitely Don’t Need a Bad Attitude
A bad attitude will destroy your business. No one wants to do business with a jerk. You may see it as being “who you are” or just “being blunt” or call it whatever you want. However, I am telling you right now, if you have a crap attitude, don’t expect people to want to do business with you or to remain a client for long. I don’t care if you think it’s your 1A right or anything else. As a writer, sure, you can get away with being a little quirky (I know…I can). You can’t get away with name-calling, insults, etc. Nor should you. It isn’t “cancel culture” when people make the decision to not do business with someone who makes them uncomfortable or someone that they just don’t like.
If you want to have a successful business or you want a better chance at success, have a better attitude. Even science has shown that working toward having a better attitude (because for some of us, it does take time to learn how to think differently — I know…I have C-PTSD as a domestic violence survivor and child abuse survivor) can make your life all around better. And stop surrounding yourself with people who are negative all the time. When people can’t make their dreams happen, they’ll tell you it just isn’t possible. Then you may start to believe it, too.
Are you experienced in business? What’s your best “don’t need” to be successful?
