6 Things I Wish I Did Differently in My First Year of Business

I’ve been in business since 2020 and I’ve learned a lot of business lessons since then. I figured everything out on my own. I didn’t have anyone in my family with a business to teach me. I didn’t have a huge following. All I had was a COVID stimulus check and the motivation to start something. I’ve learned so much through trial and error (and some bad business investments), and I want to share some things I wish I had done differently in my first year of business.

1. Learn SEO

SEO was scary back in the day. I didn’t know what it was, how to do it, or the importance of it. I was resistant to learning SEO, thinking I would just outsource it someday. But I finally took SEO on Tap from Duo Collective, and I wish I had done that WAY sooner. I was missing out on authority with Google, website traffic, and new clients by NOT investing in SEO. 

Now I do SEO every day and it’s something I actually really enjoy doing! I think there’s a bigger lesson here – just because something feels scary or impossible, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. You might end up loving it!

2. Not be Afraid to Niche

I think I knew long before my rebrand that there were certain services I didn’t like offering (ahem, social media 👀) I accepted anything and everything to earn money, but that just led to me feeling burned out and resentful. I would put off tasks I didn’t want to do and end up feeling stressed because I procrastinated. 

However, it does take time to figure out what you like to do. I’m glad I didn’t niche in my first year of business because I was still learning how to run a business. I’m just here to say that once you know and feel confident about your decision, run with it.

3. Get My Finances Straight

Remember that time I mixed my business and personal finances? 😅 Yeah… this is business lesson #1. Never mix your business and personal finances. My poor bookkeeper had to organize it all for me once I realized finances were something I was 100% comfortable outsourcing.

I also took a financial coaching program where I learned the Profit First method of managing your business finances. It taught me how to make sure I’m saving enough to pay expenses, save for taxes, pay myself consistently, and maintain a profitable business. It changed the way I run my business for the better. I highly recommend reading the book Profit First to learn this method!

4. Get Systems and Processes in Place

I literally just got systems and processes in place this year after relaunching my business… I was doing everything manually: sending contracts, following up with leads, sending invoices and following up, sending referral requests, asking for testimonials… EVERYTHING. I had so many reminders set up in Asana so I wouldn’t forget anything.

So when I was rebranding this year, I knew I didn’t want to do that anymore. I wanted automated systems and processes to manage leads and clients so I could focus on my actual work. 

I hired Ashley at Solution Integrators to help me automate my business in Dubsado. And let me tell you – it’s a breath of relief to know my business is running smoothly behind the scenes and I’m giving my leads and clients a great experience. Everything looks so professional and the process makes things super easy for them. I highly recommend Ashley if you need to get systems and automation in place!

5. Increase My Prices Sooner

I underpriced myself for YEARS. I wouldn’t say I was the cheapest option, but I hardly ever increased my rates, maybe twice in my four years of business before rebranding. It felt icky and uncomfortable, but it’s how you grow your business and stay competitive. Not to mention, inflation is crazy and you have to increase your prices to afford the cost of living.

I worked with people who increased their prices at the end of every year and I didn’t even blink an eye. I totally understood why they were doing it and continued to work with them. So don’t be afraid to increase your prices as you develop your skills.

6. Market Myself Consistently

I relied too heavily on referrals and pitching myself to job offers. Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE client referrals, but you can’t rely on them 100% to get new clients. Ideally, I want to attract my target audience through my marketing efforts. 

I have tried a lot of marketing strategies but I never did any of them well. Ya know? I was just doing them because I thought I needed to, but didn’t have a strategy behind it. I posted on Instagram but it wasn’t anything my target audience was interested in. Or I repurposed a reel on YouTube Shorts because why not? It wasn’t strategic and it was a waste of my time.

Now, I have clarity on how I want to market myself, which includes weekly blogs and emails, and consistent Instagram posts. It feels good and I can stay consistent with it. Find marketing channels that feel good to you and align with the support your target audience wants.

A Note on Feeling Behind

I think everyone feels like they’re behind in their business. “I should be making $X,” “I wish clients would come to me consistently,” “I should be full-time in my business,” “I wish I was like so-and-so.” We all have a little impostor syndrome, but think of everything you’ve accomplished so far! You’ve learned so many business lessons and you’re continuing to grow and develop as a business owner and as a person. You aren’t behind. You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be ❤️

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