3 Things I Know For Sure About Being an Entrepreneur

Nothing has compared to the exhilaration and exhaustion I have faced since I started my own business (Janet Gwen Designs). It has been a roller coaster of a journey that I could have never in my wildest dream imagine. There are three things I know for sure about being an entrepreneur that I wish I knew before I started.

NO SUCH THING AS AN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS

There is no quick scheme to being successful fast, or having an overnight success. Businesses that has been regarded as such like Amazon took 3 years to be successful, while the majority of businesses took 10 years! Long time, right? So prepare yourself for the long journey, because it's a rollercoaster that is define by consistency. "If you are persistent you will get it and if you are consistent you will keep it."

FAIL FORWARD

You simply don't know what you don't know. Even with years of experiences, owning your own business will always be an adventure with new things to tackle. Don't let the fear of the unknown or failure stop you from even starting. Mistakes are going to happen no matter how prepared you are. As an entrepreneur it's our job to make that an experience to learn and grow from. The comeback is greater than a temporary set back. As Newton 1st law says an object that is at rest will stay at rest, while an object that is in motion will stay in motion. As long as you are doing, you are failing forward.

LAUNCH NOW

There's never going to be the perfect time and you will honestly never feel prepared no matter how much you have read or learned about owning your own business. So why keep making that excuse that it's not the right time? As the iconic Walt Disney once said: "The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing."

This doesn't necessary mean go out an quit your job, but boy will that lit a fire under you when your business is the only source of income and what you put in the business is what you get out of it. But at least take the first step of starting that website, or listing your items on etsy. Whatever it may be just take the first step and you'll soon realize you can't stop from there because the excitement of starting will be overwhelming.

While these may seem obvious, it wasn't when I first started! What did you wish you knew before you started or what's stopping you from stopping? I want to hear your stories, so be sure to leave a comment below!

- Janet