Be ready to fuck up
The beauty of starting a start-up is that you are almost sure to fuck up. You will make mistake after mistake. A start-up is a learning process and you will go through the A-to-Z of learning.
Accepting the fact that you are going to make mistakes will save you several headaches and emotional breakdowns. To save you some hassle, securing a business coach or advisor early on who has walked the path can be extremely beneficial.
Be confident
You are the boss, so be ready to be the boss! All roads and decisions leads back to you. The exciting news and the bad news leads you to do things you don’t necessarily want to do. No matter the task, be confident while doing it. Show you can handle any obstacle that comes your way, good or bad. Your new position as the person in charge may be challenging and intimidating, but have courage and do the best you can.
Be open-minded
Opinions in a start-up are usually frowned upon; however, sometimes keeping an open mind to what someone of “value” has to say is a good thing. Never be afraid to make a change, especially if things aren’t going well. Don’t stay in your comfort zone. Expand your mind and reach. Be prepared to say yes even if you feel a no!
Be ready to lose
This one should come as no surprise. If you live in the world of social media, Instagram for sure, you would have seen the hundreds of posts about #girlbosses who have haters. Yes, they really do exist in the real world too! Say good-bye to friends who are not going to understand what you’re doing. Good-bye to evening and weekend hang-out sessions, because you will be busy working on building your business. Good things come to those who wait. In addition, nothing comes easy without hard work and long nights.
What have you learned since starting your start-up? Tweet at us!