It’s Not Always Beer and Skittles

My friend Ellen used to say, “It’s not always beer and skittles,” when we were faced with work that had to be done, but wasn’t necessarily what we preferred to be doing at the time. Starting a new business takes hard work, dedication, and the willingness to do things that aren’t always fun. In other words, “It’s not always beer and skittles.”

Often, I see entrepreneurs jump into a new business with both feet, without adequate preparation, or even a rudimentary business plan. They love their new business, or the thought of their new business, so much that they believe everyone else will instantly love what they have to offer, and their success is guaranteed.

I recently spoke with a business owner who fits that description. She complained that she had to sell her jewelry, her husband had to work at a kiosk in the mall at Christmas, they sold their house and moved into a small apartment, and she took a part time sales job, all to try to stay afloat while working on their new business. She talked as if they faced more difficult hardships than any other entrepreneur in existence. The reality is, many, if not most start-ups share stories just like this.

Starting a new business is exciting, and at the same time, very exhausting. Tune into Shark Tank on Friday evening, and you’ll hear stories just like hers. The difference? The winners view those things as “doing what needs to be done, in order to succeed.”

Along the way, you’ll make some fabulous strides, and make both good and bad decisions.

The great thing about bad business decisions is that you gain experience. Experience, a bunch of it, can put you on the path to success, if you are willing to learn from your mistakes.

In the next blog post, I’ll list 10 Bad Decisions new business owners make, and what you can do about them.