Picture this: You’re 36 years old, you’ve been working your way up the corporate ladder for the last ten years, and then one day, everything changes. You’ve been laid off. 

That’s my story.

My path to entrepreneurship hasn’t always been easy. In fact, it’s been damn hard and scary as hell. I had a lot of missteps and had to figure life out without a cushy corporate job as I went. But now I’m standing at the top of my mountain and looking down at how far I’ve come. 

I’m proud of my journey. I did that. But I don’t want you to have the same struggles I did. So I’m letting you in on my best secrets …

1. Call yourself a business owner

What do you say when someone asks you what you do for work? Do you call yourself a freelancer? If you do, it’s time for a mindset shift. Calling yourself a business owner makes you start thinking differently. You start thinking about your business as, well, a business. And you’re much more likely to put in the hard work it takes to turn your endeavor into a full-time thing.

2. Investing in mentorship is key

If you’re starting a business and want to make it your full-time gig, then it’s smart to learn from someone who’s been there. When you invest in improving your skills and learning about how to set up a thriving business, you’re setting yourself up for success much more quickly. They can essentially give you a proven roadmap so you can skip the trial-and-error period that a lot of us go through.

Now when I say investment, I mean it. Mentorship can be expensive, which is (understandably) scary! But just think about how happy you’ll be when your business is up and running, you’re working consistently with clients, and you can reap the rewards of taking a leap of faith.

3. Showing up authentically is better than showing up every day

I’m sure you’ve heard that you need to post on social media EVERY SINGLE DAY to be successful. While maintaining a consistent posting schedule is great, it means nothing if you’re not putting out content that reflects your expertise, your values, and your individuality. I’d much rather see you posting 3 times a week with content that serves a purpose and feels authentic to you and your business than posting meaningless fluff just to post.

Seriously. You’re not going to gain followers or build connections if you’re posting things that don’t connect with people, inspire people, or share knowledge. And if you don’t sound like you (or your brand), the content won’t land.

So next time you’re panicking because you forgot to post on Instagram yesterday, just relax. Take some time to think about what you believe is valuable to share and share it! Your business will be okay, and you’ll likely boost your follower count. Promise.

4. Never market yourself as the cheapest option

Trust me – the way to win over your leads is not to price yourself lower than your competitors. However, it IS the way to devalue your services.

When you think about pricing, don’t pay attention to what everyone else is doing. Consider the workload you’re taking on and the value you’re giving your clients. That’s it! When you have the confidence to price your services based on what you believe they’re worth, you’ll attract customers that believe in you. Simple as that.

5. Hiring help when you need it will grow your business

When you’re *just* starting out, it’s likely that you’ll do everything yourself. You won’t have the budget to bring on loads of team members, and it just doesn’t make sense. But once you’re up and running with a lot on your plate, start to consider outsourcing the tasks that keep you from the work you really enjoy.

You can bring on contractors to help you out in your business, so you don’t have to have actual employees, which is a great way to free up space in your schedule and your brain.

Don’t fear the growth; embrace it! And it’ll pay off big time.

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So there you have it. If you’re a new business owner, which secret surprised you the most? And if you’re a seasoned CEO, what secret did you uncover as you gained experience?

Just remember, you will get there. The beginning is hard, but I believe in you.