5 Things I Wish I Could Tell Myself as a New Entrepreneur

Exactly one year ago, I was putting the finishing touches on the studio at 278 North Street so that I could hold my first client session in this space on Monday, November 28, 2022.

I had received my Clinical Reformer/Tower Combo along with my first Pilates chair only days before. Everything unfolded way faster than I had planned. The transition from working for another studio owner, to subletting from a different studio owner, to then setting up my own studio happened in roughly 6 months. This wasn’t at all what I expected, but as I have learned, nothing in business ownership ever goes the way you think it will.

In honor of this exciting milestone and all the lessons I have learned through this process (which is just beginning) I wanted to share some things I wish I could go back and tell myself at the start of this journey:

1. You don’t have to be an extrovert to be successful.

   Even when I was training to be a Pilates instructor, seasoned professionals said they were looking to hire extroverts. Knowing that I am an introvert, I assumed this put me at a disadvantage right off the bat. I also assumed entrepreneurship was out of the question. Then I read the book Quiet by Susan Cain, which was recommended by a client!

   This book helped me see there are particular benefits to being an introvert, like our tendency for high emotional intelligence and sensitivity to others, which can make us particularly good at human connection. It’s true that I may have to build meditation or movement time into my session schedule so I can stay energized. But I think that everyone has individual needs they should be accommodating in their daily routines–introvert or not.

2. You don’t have to wait until you have it figured out to take action.

   In my corporate life, I have managed several large-scale programs, work streams and strategies where the emphasis was on meeting goals with minimal waste. Consulting clients have relied on me for years to have an accurate risk assessment and activity projection at the ready for constant evaluation. I tried going into business ownership with this level of scrutiny and planning and it went sideways basically immediately.

   There’s so many things that are completely out of your control as a business owner. And sometimes you just don’t have all the information and you have to make a decision anyway. I have had to learn to be someone who is comfortable taking action and then course-correcting later. It means I have made some investments that I regret. In a few instances, I have also had some decisions that surprised me and turned out to be more beneficial than I expected. There just isn’t one winning strategy, one CORRECT way to do things–and that is hard for me to swallow. I am still learning.

3. You can’t do this alone.

   While in many ways owning a business is one of the loneliest positions I have ever been in, it is also something I am constantly needing to ask for help with. And I am really not comfortable with that. I still struggle. I think many of us do. But I definitely had a misguided impression when I started that all the successful entrepreneurs were that way because of their solitary skills and determination. It just isn’t true.

   Everyone I have met who is wildly successful has a community they rely upon. In fact, the stronger your network, I would say the more resilient you are able to be. I am still building mine, and every time I make a new connection it is like laying down another brick underneath my business. Everyone who is thriving is doing it with trusted advisors and friends alongside them. Having a spouse to complain to just isn’t enough (sorry honey!!).

4. Just because it’s scary doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea.

   I get a familiar, queasy feeling in my stomach every time it feels like something isn’t right. Maybe a relationship is on the rocks. Maybe someone is walking too close to me on a dark street. Sometimes it is a real reason for alarm and action. Other times it is just fear or anticipation and nothing else. I am still trying to learn the difference. I know that I need a reliable system for determining if that upset stomach is a genuine omen that a situation needs to change.

   This is where community comes in the most. Those investments I mentioned that I regretted–those were often ones I made without reflecting fully or talking to my community. I had a sense of urgency that wasn’t real. Now I know to find someone I can trust to walk through the pros and cons of something with. I allow myself the opportunity to sleep on a decision. All that being said, it is a careful balance. And my naturally risk averse nature can on its own freeze me into inaction. Sometimes what I really need from my community is a kick in the butt. Make sure you have access to both!

5. There are no regrets, there are only lessons.

   I wish I could take credit for this pearl of wisdom, but this phrase was shared with me by another entrepreneur who was providing comfort during one of those moments of fear and self-doubt. I think it’s important to remember that owning a business is like getting an M.B.A. You’re going to pay for it one way or the other, so you might as well learn in the process. And some of the most important lessons have been the most expensive ones.

   While I did say that I regretted some of my investments, would I go back and change them if I could? I’m not sure. Because maybe that lesson will save me from much greater heartbreak down the road. The truth is that you can never know for certain “what might have been” and as tempting as it is to fall down the spiral into rumination and self-blame–there is some important work to be done up here and I would rather spend my energy on that!