3 Biggest Mistakes I Made Starting My Own Business

I've spoken about mistakes I've made as an entrepreneur on my blog before. But today, I have three more mistakes to share with you that I think you'll find helpful. 

Now, while I've made these mistakes and I've learned from them and improved and did a lot of personal growth, I don't think I'll ever stop making mistakes. 

This is just a natural part of being a human, so if you feel like you're a failure because you've made mistakes in the past, don't worry. 

It's OK to make mistakes as long as we're learning from them and don't make the same mistakes twice. 

So, let's jump into three more mistakes I've made as an entrepreneur so that you wouldn't have to. 

3 Mistakes I Made When I Was Starting My Business

Mistake #1: Having no ideal customer avatar

This is a mistake I made, and I see many other entrepreneurs make with their business. 

When I first started, I was ready to work with anybody. You feel the pressure to start making money and booking clients from the beginning, so you're not picky, and it's hurting your business. 

The thing is, if you are targeting everybody, you end up attracting clients who are NOT the ideal clients you will NOT truly enjoy working with. And it makes your life a living hell, having to deal with people who don't care about your brand or only want the lowest price they can get. 

It takes away the joy of working for yourself when you have to deal with clients who are not your ideal clients. So, don't make this mistake and don't sign up for working with anyone who is willing to pay you.

So when I decided to improve my wedding planning business (which I have been running for the last five years), I decided to remove some of the cheapest packages and concentrate more on high-end weddings. 

I enjoy working with them much more, so we end up taking on less but bigger & high-quality clients and can give them plenty of attention. It is so much better for my business and me as I enjoy my work so much more. 

It is so important to consider who you want to serve and position yourself as the go-to solution to that particular group of people. You'll soon see that you're attracting people who are obsessed with what you have to offer, and you'll not have to deal with bad clients. 

Mistake #2: Having no systems in place 

This mistake can waste you a lot of time and money, but somehow, many entrepreneurs forget to think about creating systems that make their work more efficient. 

Spending hours doing the same tasks repeatedly is such a waste of time, and I was really guilty of that when I first started. Only 1.5 years after being in my business, I got a client management system (I use Dubsado, I recommend you check it out). My life and business are doing so much better now that I have all the systems in place.

Yes, it takes time to create those systems & set it all up, but it is so worth it. You'll have more time to focus on more important tasks in your business, and you'll be able to meet your friends for a coffee or dinner more often once you don't have to create invoices over and over again. 

Sit down and see what things you can create systems for and spend time creating them. It will also make you feel at ease as your business will be so much more organized, and it will be easier to manage when everything has its own place.

Mistake #3: Undercharging 

It is really hard to put a price tag on our services, and we often tend to undervalue ourselves & our skills. We tend to feel like we're are not worth the price tag we set and that we're fooling people. 

But it's not really true. You're worth the price tag you set on your services. You're a business owner who's time is valuable, so don't ever think you need to be charging less just to please more people.

It is not fair to you and to your clients - you want to show up to the energetic, motivated, and putting 101%, not overworked, and burned out. You're not going to be giving 100% if you're not getting paid what you're worth, so don't ruin it for yourself. 

Know your value, charge that, and deliver the absolute best you can to ensure clients' satisfaction. It will be good for your business in the long run and don't worry about people who can't afford you. You're not Forever 21, so don't try to be affordable to everyone. 

Final thoughts

Here you have it. My very honest list of mistakes I've made when I was first starting my business. I hope that it gave you value and you found this information useful.

While I always encourage people to go and try and make mistakes themselves, sometimes, it's good to learn from other people as well. 

Now, be honest with me and tell me - can you recognize yourself making these mistakes above? If yes, I would love to discuss how you can fix it in a complimentary business coaching discovery call with me. Book your time now, and let's chat.