Deciding to start your business is a big decision and a very exciting time. It’s the beginning of an incredible, crazy journey where you’ll learn more about yourself and your (lack of) limitations than you’ve ever learned before.

Everyone has a different reason for becoming an entrepreneur and starting their own ventures:

• Maybe you’re passionate about being creative and want to share your art with the world.
• Maybe you’re looking for some income on the side to create more opportunities in your life.
• Maybe you have a solution to a problem in your community and know that it can improve others’ lives.
• Maybe it’s something totally different! That’s okay too.

Unfortunately for many people starting a business, things get really tuff, because they don’t have previous experience. Even if you go in with a business degree, entrepreneurship is a whole other ball game. I know I’ve learned more as an entrepreneur running Rebel Office than I ever did in the 4 years of my Bachelor of Business Administration.

So how do you know what to do? How do you know where to focus your time and energy and guarantee that your business is a success?

Well… everyone has different experiences, zones of genius, life situations, etc. But there are common mistakes made across the board that I can do my best to forewarn you about, along with some guidance on what to do instead.

Ya ready?!

Common Mistake #1: Not being clear on what you want

This common mistake applies to what you want in life, what you want your business to bring to your life and what impact you want your business to have in the world. Before you jump into starting your business, know how you want your business to contribute to your life. What does it look like in your day-to-day? Why are you creating your business?

Common Mistake #2: Spending time and money on things that don’t matter right away

It’s easy to get caught up in the common mistake of building a website and designing a logo, buying a bunch of company swag and investing in office space… but the truth is, all you need to do to get your business going is have a clear offer, specific message and the courage to get out there (online or #IRL) and tell people about it.

Once you land that first client or sell that first product, you’ll have more income and more momentum to focus on building your business sustainably and getting it ready for big growth. There is nothing wrong with starting lean (or staying lean, for that matter). Focus on that first sale; the rest will fall into place.

Common Mistake #3: Not getting organized & doing things “good enough”

There’s a fine balance between having to get your ideas and creations out there before you talk yourself out of it and putting things out there just to get them out there before they’re ready because you know you can make the sale anyway.

Everything you put out there contributes to your brand and your reputation. Quality and taking intentional action are critical for building a business that is going to serve you long term. Be wary, trust your gut, and take your time.

Why are you starting your business? Share in the comments below!