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3 Common Misconceptions About Entrepreneurship

Avoid these three mistakes straight out of the gate and they'll set you up for greatness.

Photo: Yuliya Chernykhovskaya; Credit:
 © Ivana Vranjes Photography
Photo: Yuliya Chernykhovskaya; Credit:
 © Ivana Vranjes Photography

The world of entrepreneurship is unlike any other. It is one of the most difficult, exciting and unpredictable career paths one can ever pursue. So it comes as no surprise that many first-time entrepreneurs fail.

However, one major key to success is preparation. Avoid these three mistakes straight out of the gate and they’ll set you up for greatness.

 

1. You need to be everywhere.

Facebook, Instagram, Periscope – oh my! When you are first exposed to the world of entrepreneurship, you may feel like you need to be everywhere all at once in order to be seen. Fortunately, that is not the case. In fact, it can lead to startup burnout as you spread yourself way too thin.

This is particularly true of social media marketing. Start with the fundamentals. Pick one or two social media platforms to start. Learn them well and test your social strategies to find out which ones work. Simply, getting more page likes is not a social media strategy. Focus on platforms that accentuate your strengths. Do you love video? If so, get on Facebook Live, Instagram Stories or Periscope.

As you get comfortable with different platforms, you can expand to others and streamline it by outsourcing. If you like something, you’re more likely to do it consistently – which is the secret sauce for success.

 

2. Overnight success is common.

Even if you were the valedictorian of your graduating class, the top performer at your prior job, and a gold medal Olympian – you will still make a lot of mistakes. There is a much bigger startup learning curve than you think. Embrace it and fail your way forward.

Entrepreneurship is a completely different animal than anything you’ve ever done before. You will have to wear more hats than you ever thought possible. You’ll push yourself past limits. You will learn and grow so much – and it’ll be freakin’ awesome.

And yet, one of the reasons so many entrepreneurs fail is due to discouragement. No matter what your background is, or what an amazing magical unicorn you are, you are probably not going to book gigs or clients right away.

If you prepare yourself for all of the failures and mistakes from the get go, you will be equipped to handle them and turn them into lessons and detours, rather than roadblocks. Celebrate your failures! The faster you fail, the faster you’ll get to where you want to be.

 

3. Go at it alone.

Community and support are one of the most important startup essentials.

Entrepreneurship is the path less traveled, and so, many of your friends and family won’t get it. Your parents might worry, your friends will look at you like you have five heads, and your co-workers will think you’re plain crazy (but they will definitely be jealous when you leave that 9-5 for good).

Luckily, there are plenty of masterminds, meet-ups, and free online communities. I started my Facebook community for health and wellness entrepreneurs, Health Coach HQ, for that exact reason … you don’t have to go at it alone. Find a community, get a business coach or create an accountability group. Simply put, make it a priority to find a support system that gets it.

 

As an entrepreneur, you will face uncertainty daily; you will have ups and downs even if you’re established in business. Having certainty in yourself, a passion for what you do and embracing the ups and downs is the most important thing to keep in mind on your (wobbly) path to greatness.

 

This article has been edited and condensed.

Yuliya Chernykhovskaya is a Business Strategist for health and wellness entrepreneurs. She is passionate about empowering health & wellness coaches to become influential experts in their fields and make an impact in the lives of others. Yuliya is obsessed with social media, marketing, cognitive and neuroscience, veggie burgers, yoga, and her rescue pup, Annie. Connect with @yulicherny on Twitter.

 

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