The Best Business Advice I've Ever Received

The worlds of entrepreneurship and business leadership are overflowing with business advice. Hustle this, and maxx that, and speak like this, and never do that. While I love a good system and rules, I also value simplicity. 

The best business advice I ever received was remarkably simple: Keep going.

When it feels hard, keep going. When you lose steam, keep going. When you question your business and who you are and all of your life choices…keep going. 

The Fear of Business “Failures”

The statistics on new businesses are startling and intimidating: about 20% of new businesses fail in the first year, and about half of new businesses don’t make it to their fifth birthday. Over the last five years, about 5 million people have started a new business each year.

Some people will hear these numbers and give up before they even start. Why would I take such a risk?

The people who are pulled toward entrepreneurship, toward doing things differently, toward creating aligned businesses that support their neurodivergence or HSP-ness… well, we take the risk. 

The numbers are also slightly misleading. I’ve started three businesses. I closed two of them because they were no longer aligned with what I wanted to pursue. There were timing overlaps, and I’ve never been without work, but technically, two of my three businesses “failed” within their first five years. I’m a statistic, but I’m still happy and working. Keep going.

What Makes a Business Successful

Ask 100 people, get 100 answers. Some common themes on what makes a business successful:

• A willingness to take risks

• Listening to customer feedback

• Strong systems and processes

• Data-driven decision-making

• Strong relationships

• Culture, specifically an encouraging atmosphere

• Operational efficiency

• Never giving up - aka, “keep going”

Like Puppies and Study Abroad

When I was in undergrad, I studied abroad in Kenya. Before we left, we had to attend a seminar on “what to expect.” 

The presenter drew a large capital W on the board and explained that the waveforms for studying abroad and getting a puppy are very similar: It’s going to start off really fun and exciting, and turn downward sharply. After a few weeks you’ll remember why it’s fun and exciting, then it will get terrible again. But if you stick with it, you’ll hit that last incline on the W and make it to the part that feels fulfilling, rewarding, and worth it. 

Business feels very similar. That first slide down the W is terrifying. Then it’s okay for a little bit, then immediately terrible again. 

Keep going. 

Getting Your Business Off the Ground

Here’s the punchline: it’s probably going to take longer than you think. 

When I left my comfortable corporate job in 2021 and fully dove into my current business, I figured it would take me three months to slide down the first part of the W and hop up to the middle point. Six months later, I was still on that terrifying slide. 

I had all the foundations in place, but I hadn’t done any marketing or built a stable client base. It took about a year before I was making enough to support myself, and two full years to start making my previous salary. Had I known how long this would actually take, I probably would have saved more and avoided some long weeks of ramen. 

Even when it feels scary, even when you’re on a ramen diet, if you want to build your business, keep going.

A Gift for You

Especially if you’re building a business by yourself, it’s going to be hard to remember to keep going. I keep a sign posted next to my desk with the simple reminder, and I’d love to offer you the same! 

If you go here, you’ll get a pdf download of five versions of our “Keep Going” poster to print and keep next to your work station. Choose the version you like best, or whichever best matches your space. 

You’ve got this. Keep going.

Keep Going

• Find more resources to build and sustain your business on The Canary’s Coalmine Substack

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