Don’t Make These Common Mistakes When Starting a Small Business

 

I’ve been running a successful small business for a few years now, but I made some of these common mistakes long after I started my own photography business. Scroll through to learn how to avoid some of these major mistakes!

 

It took longer than I care to admit to get things up and running smoothly in my business. I desperately wanted to feel balanced in the time I spent working and the time I spent with my family and just doing life… but it took me a while to get there.

 

Starting a small business is hard. But you can avoid these common mistakes when starting your small business, and trust me, you’ll be grateful to skip out on them.

                                

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Starting a Small Business 

 

      1.  Spending too much time on social media

 

Don’t get me wrong, social media is a great and necessary tool when running your small business! But it doesn’t have to be a total time suck. I would spend hours scrolling and commenting and trying to create the perfect post. I went so far down the social media rabbit hole more often than I care to admit…  and those shenanigans didn’t make me one single penny. 

 

What should I do instead?

 

Set time limits on your phone to keep the endless scrolling at bay. Use social media as a tool to connect and market your small business, but make sure you’re putting time into your blog and email marketing, too! 

 

I’m so grateful for the tools I’ve found that help me schedule my content and save so much time. And what mom doesn’t want more of that!?

 

My faves?

 

Planoly and Tailwind (get a month of Tailwind free when you try it out using my link!)

 

These two apps let me schedule my social media content and Pinterest pins ahead of time so I can batch out my work for the week (or even month!) and then spend more time on money-making activities. 

      2. Undercharging

 

This is a big one. When I was getting started, I had no idea how much it cost to run my individual business. Instead of focusing on my business, I looked at everyone around me and set my prices according to theirs.

 

Big mistake. 

 

What should I do instead?

 

Set your prices based on how much your business costs to run! Use this Cost of Doing Business calculator to help you develop your specific pricing guide. 

 

      3. Paralyzed by perfection

 

Oh, boy! I would create content and then sit on it for days or even weeks because I knew it wasn’t just right. 

 

The quest for perfection can keep you from ever taking action! And you’re not alone… a lot of small business owners struggle with perfectionism. But it’s not going to get you anywhere.

 

What should I do instead?

 

Repeat after me: Done is better than perfect.

 

Get used to putting yourself, just as you are, out there! Not only will you get more done, but when you show up authentically, you’ll attract the clients who are aligned to you and your vibe. That’s what we call a win-win, my friend!

Did you resonate with any of these? Pin it for later and let me know which hit home the most over on instagram!