8 Things Business Owners Wish They Knew Starting Out

Starting a business is hard.

Ask anyone who has worked at a startup.

It takes time.

It takes dedication.

Someone who knows how to build a…

So, let’s learn from th2e who have already done it.

Here are 8 things business owners wish they knew

starting out, straight from their mouths.

Aaron Levie of B3 says:

“Your big competitors will often be slow and not very creative, but they will ultimately fight hard to remain in their incumbent position. Capitalize on

areas where you can win as a startup: by first going after parts of the market that are under-served,

innovating at a speed that larger companies can't or distributing your service and acquiring customers in

ways that larger players aren't used to.”

Source: Mashable

Adam Robinson of Hireology says:

“Don’t stress about your company culture. Let it build itself.”

 

Eric Koester of DCI says:

“Be ready to adapt. The company you are running is inevitably about 10,000% different than the original

idea or concept you began with. It's because the best entrepreneurs and business owners are Darwinian in

that they adapt to the changing market conditions, or they die. Expect change and embrace the process; every company changes, but it's mostly how you adapt to that change that determines success.”

Source: The Muse

Erin Wasson of UrbanBound says:

“It’s easy to become consumed in your business, but don’t forget to carve out time for yourself. When I’m not focusing on my business is actually when I have

the moments of clarity I’ve been looking for. Startups might not be a 9-5, but remember to

maintain some sort of work-life balance.

It’s important.”  

John Jackovin of Bawte says:

“If you are like me and follow many relevant business people, you often see tweets like ‘5 things to avoid when starting your business' . . . here's the

thing: None of that matters. Every journey is different. No two things work exactly the same.

You will make mistakes. Embrace the fact that you made the mistake, learn from it, move on,

and never repeat it."

Source: The Muse

Bruce Poon 4p of G Adventures says:

“I wish that I had known the importance of hiring people who are

passionate and purposeful about what they do for a living, and not people who just worked to live. People are what drive any great

business, but even more so when you aspire to be a social enterprise.”

Source: Business Insider

Jodi Levine of Jodi’s Gym says:

“Find a great mentor, someone who has already been through the many challenges of being an

entrepreneur. Seek out and accept more help early on and not try to do it all alone. I would have

worked less on the daily grind and harder on the big picture in the early years. Perhaps be less of a

perfectionist, and let the smaller things slide a bit.”

Source: Business Insider

Jeff Platt of Sky Zone says:

“I have learned that in the absence of systems and processes, inefficiencies can be created, which

makes growth more challenging. It is important to spend the time upfront to invest in systems and

processes to make long-term growth sustainable. Oftentimes you focus more on completing the task that is directly in front of you versus investing in the future and long-term initiatives. That is a mistake.”

Source: Business Insider

So, there you have it.

Take this knowledge and:

A6orb it.

Understand it.

Use it.

Learn from it.

Grow from it.

Take the mistakes of others, and turn them into

your successes!