Top Lessons Learned from an Entrepreneur's Mistakes

Wow. As I thought about the past eight years and what it’s been like being an entrepreneur, I was struck by how many mistakes I’ve made.

I was also struck by how great those mistakes have been for my business. If it were not for all those mistakes, my business would never have grown. I would never have written a book, never have appeared on TV, never have worked with such amazing clients, never have had a chance to help people figure out their passions so they may can do work they love.

I sort of grew up thinking mistakes were bad…you know, things to be avoided. I have to admit I still think this at times. It’s difficult in the moment to look at a mistake as a good thing. Luckily we have the chance to look back and see how it’s our very mistakes that make future successes possible.

So while I have made my share of my mistakes, there have been two in particular that shaped me and my business as it is today.

Number one was forgetting to recognize up front that I would, in fact, make mistakes. Sure, logically I knew I’d make mistakes, but I forgot to remind myself about them and that it would still work out in the end. In the beginning, anytime I’d fail to gain a client, fill a class, or get paid on time, I would be on edge.

“Do I know what I’m doing?”

“I shouldn’t have done that!”

“Why is this so hard?”

But once again, looking back, I realize that it was all a part of my schooling. How was I supposed to know how to run a business if I had never done so before? Silly! I see with greater clarity now that it’s all about on-the-job learning. And boy, how much I have learned…and continue to learn!

And the second mistake was not being willing to take risks. For a number of years, I played it as safe as I could. I guess it’s not surprising for someone who likes to avoid mistakes. Playing it safe meant making only the smallest investments in my business. It meant sending two reminder e-mails versus the seven or so needed to fill a coaching program for fear of “bothering” people. It meant keeping my fees low so I’d hear fewer rejections of my services. It meant skipping conferences because they were too pricey. It meant planning out a project long enough so that it never made it out of the starting gate as I tried to “get it right.”

No more.

I take risks, and I’ve learned that the fear in my stomach as I take each one is a good thing! And with each risk I now take—risks like making large dollar investments in my company and myself, sending out more promotional notices, asking for the business, and stating a fee reflective of how I value my time—I have seen business and personal growth that truly excites me.

I now understand the power of taking that step even though you can’t truly see where you are going. With each step, I learn that yes, I am an entrepreneur, and yes, I can do this.

I am making it happen.

varsha