How I Survived My First Two Months As A Full Time Entrepreneur

December 10, 2016, was my first day as a full-time entrepreneur. That’s right! I’ve been two WHOLE months at this thing.

 I think back and I immediately recall my feelings of liberation and relief I felt when I did not have to clock back into work. I don’t really know how I felt relief, I should have been feeling panic.

I left for several reasons. I had no real problem with my workplace except the fact that I’d become an inherent rule breaker and risk taker. For over a year, I had been getting up at the crack of dawn to work on my business before clocking in at my “steady pay place”.

To be completely transparent, it was my only pay place. Ha!

THE POINT IS…

I just wanted them to know that I intended to move on.

I typed up an official notice but planned and hoped they would give me the option to stay in the position until they had found a replacement. Both, buying me time and helping them to have a smooth transition.

Not only did I not get the chance to serve my last 2 weeks but I was told it was all or nothing. If I decided to leave, that day would be my last day.

WOW! I had a plan. But, fate changed it very quickly. Just like that, I was a full-time entrepreneur with one paycheck in the bank and student loans. GREAT!

What was I going to do?!

I spent my first day at home preparing a plan.

This really means: I gave myself the “you are not a punk” talk, “you’ve been preparing for this” talk, “don’t let ya’ mama down” talk. LOL!

…and then!

I wrote my expenses, how much I needed to make, how many Virtual Assistant clients I needed to stay afloat, and I made a commitment to trust my process.

I knew that one of the first things that I needed to do was get a website. Conveniently, I already had a photo shoot booked for a yearly publication I organize in my hometown. I took a solid week and got my website up, pulled together a portfolio of past work, and started marketing to clients on Facebook.

I had my first client in a week…two other full-time retainer clients would follow. Then there were “clients” that flaked on me. They said they needed me, they were ready…and then heard nothing. I didn’t take it to heart.  I look back and thank God! They may have been “losses” but I learned from them.

 As a result, I quickly shaped my business model.

Now, remember I started this business with one paycheck in the bank! No healthy savings or fail proof plan. So, when in my first month, I had to turn away a client because of moral reasons it was a huge wake-up call for me.

THIS WAS NOT A DRILL!

I had to pray that my God sends me clients that would grow with me. That would not just take away but add to. That I would have the courage and clarity to know when someone was a good fit and when they were not.

I WAS REALLY DOING THIS!

If you know what a “praise break” is….go ahead and give one! Ha!

Although I don’t have the typical “fall on my face” story about my first months in business I learned some things that are valuable and I want to share with you.

1.      Get comfortable with others not understanding what you do

2.      Get comfortable telling them

3.      Find your people- get into Facebook groups, have a social presence (choose 2 platforms that work for you) mine are IG and FB

4.      Give value, don’t just expect people to give to you

5.      Help others just because

6.      Feel your freedom.     

Your business should look the way YOU want it to.

Work with people that you like. Work when you like to work.

When something conflicts with you and you are just grinning and bearing, let me know.

 I’m going to smack you upside the head.     

YOU AREN’T WORKING THIS HARD TO HAVE YOUR BUSINESS LOOK LIKE SOMEONE ELSE VISION!

7.      Get organized and quick

8.      Get a website

If you need help understanding where to start check out my blog posts How to build a website with less than $500 and How To Plan A Photoshoot For Your Website.

9.      Only spend money when you must.

         Tools can be a distraction when you haven’t done what you should do

10.   Ask for help when you need it---> Facebook groups are good for this. Once again, find your people!

If I had to do things over I would not change a thing. But, I will say that this did not happen overnight. I had spent over a year sharpening my skills listening to authorities in the marketing industry. I had developed the skills. So when things didn’t work out the way I thought they would I didn’t get cold feet and waste my time applying to other jobs.

The time I would have spent trying to work for someone else I invested in my own business.

 It was my time.

If you know that it is your time, make a plan!

Don’t just say, “I want to have my own business.”

Say “I want to be self-employed by July 1st, making $5,000 a month, and only work 20 hours a week.”

Say “I will get to this point by waking up 2 hours early and building my business until I leave my job.”

Say “I will take on free work in the meantime to build my portfolio gaining experience and testimonials.”

Say “I am doing this so that I can be there for my family, my friends, and myself”

I don’t know what you are saying but I hope that you start saying something!

I am here for you and try to share everything that I learn. If my stuff speaks to you, sign up for my newsletter. You’ll never miss out on a post or awesome resources that I share to make your journey easier than my own!