Whenever someone asks me about how it was to go from Corporate to being my own boss as an entrepreneur, I tell them it was one of the best decisions I have ever made and also one of the toughest things I have ever done. There’s a lot to know and there’s a lot that they don’t teach you before you start your business.

Over a year ago I knew there was something more I was supposed to be doing. I was convinced that I could have more freedom from a 9-5 job AND be there more for my kids as well.  Turns out I was right because it’s been about a year since I took my first client!

So today I want to share 10 lessons I learned from my first year in business and I hope they can guide you if you are struggling or are unsure.

1-You will change and grow

I’ve learned a lot about business, about myself, about leadership and have grown in ways that not everyone around me agrees with. Not everyone joins me on this journey and that’s okay. I’m embracing the journey and grateful for the new connections in my life and so excited for the next version of myself.

2-Surround yourself with a support system

Probably one of the biggest assets I’ve had over the past year were/are the powerful women I’ve had the opportunity to learn from. These relationships have brought me business, connected me to awesome opportunities as well as a strong support system. Whether it’s 1:1 coaching or a group or mastermind, you can never go wrong with surrounding yourself with likeminded individuals.

3-Have systems and processes

No, not just because this is what I teach, but because having systems and processes in place the start of your business saves a lot of time and money in the long run. Here are some systems that I recommend and couldn’t live without.

• Acuity (calendar scheduling)
• Zoom (video/web conferencing, webinar, screen sharing)
• Asana (task manager)
• Slack (team collaboration)
• Quickbooks Online (accounting software)
• The Day Designer (beautiful planner!)
• Kajabi (all-in-one platform for creating online courses, launch marketing campaigns, build landing pages, and design the perfect website.)
• Canva (super easy drag-and-drop tool to create designs & documents)
• LastPass (password manager)
• Creative Market (ready to use design assets)
• The Balanced Life (pilates, barre, and balanced living with Robin Long)

4-You cannot do everything

As an A-type personality, this is a hard one for me. I want to do everything and then do everything well. In order to move forward and make progress, I quickly learned that “done is better than perfect”. With so many moving pieces and so much to learn and do, it’s practically impossible to get everything done much less get it perfect every time. I am still a work in progress in this area, but trying to focus on achieving the 80% and handle the 20% later so that I still have the time and energy to give to my family and friends.

5-Make time for yourself

I knew running a business was going to take a lot of time and effort, but I didn’t think I would have it running through my head 24×7. I could (and sometimes do) work all hours of the day. But I’ve learned that I need to deliberately carve time out of my week to be away from my business so that I can be a better business owner. This allows me time to re-group, rejuvenate, generate new ideas and spend time with those close to me.

6-Stop overthinking … everything

Again, as that A-type personality, I want there to be a plan for everything, for it to be right 100% of the time and always done well. I’ve had to accept the unknown, accept that I only know what I know right now and that I will learn more as I do more. Talk about feeling overwhelmed and like I can’t breathe at times! I guess these feelings are normal and flying by the seat of my pants at this stage is okay. 🙂

7-Know the value you deliver

This is another hard one. I’ve had to get past trading dollars for hours and also get really clear about the value I am delivering to business owners. When you’re first starting out, it’s tempting to offer everyone a discount to get sales and new clients; however, you still need to charge fairly so you can pay your bills.

8-Know your ideal client

Coming from the Corporate space as a project manager, it was “easy” to know what my customers wanted. I was given a project that already had a good idea of what was going to be delivered. Getting clear on the ideal client in my own business was another story. And it sounded easier than it was … at least for me. You really have to get in their heads to clearly understand their problems, their needs as well as getting their feedback along the way. If you don’t know this – you won’t have a business.

9-It’s a marathon – not a sprint

Sometimes I felt like I wasn’t going anywhere. I had to remind myself that it’s only the first year and I’m taking this time to lay the foundation for what’s yet to come. You have to track and celebrate the small wins along the way. There are highs and lows in owning your own business and you have to remember you are in this for the long haul. You have to remember you WHY.

10-Stop comparing yourself to others

If you’re like me, you may find yourself in a trap of comparing yourself to others. While at times it can seem like a sense of motivation, it can more often send you into self-doubt mode. It can crush you. It can leave you not motivated and feeling like you can never win. If you’re going to compare yourself to others, make sure you are at least comparing apples to apples. What I mean is that if you’ve only been in business for a year, you can’t go compare yourself to someone who has been in business for 5 years; it’s just not the same. Ultimately, it comes down to you putting forth your best effort. You are responsible for 100% of what you do and that’s what matters.