“Confessions” felt like a bold title when I started writing this, maybe too bold. What was I really confessing? That I didn’t have it all figured out? That I wasn’t born knowing how to run a business?
Here’s the truth:
I had no idea what I was doing when I started.
Not out of laziness or lack of effort. I just didn’t have the tools, the language, or the roadmap. Now, after more than a decade as a full-time business owner, I can say with confidence: I run my businesses well. But back then? I was making it up as I went.
There’s a natural arc to entrepreneurship: a beginning, a middle, and an evolution. I’m firmly in the middle-experienced, growing, still learning. When I look back on the early years, one thing stands out above all else: the overwhelming frustration of not knowing what I didn’t know.
I had real questions:
- When do I hire more staff?
- What’s the best way to open a second location?
- Will my systems support scale?
- How do I lead a team effectively?
- How do I measure success—and what should I be tracking?
I didn’t even know the term key metrics when I needed them most.
Everywhere I looked, the advice was aimed at startups. That’s helpful in the beginning, but there’s very little support for business owners who’ve made it out of the launch phase and are trying to build something bigger, smarter, and more sustainable.
That’s where many businesses stall or fail.
For me, the turning point was joining a mastermind. That’s where I learned to ask better questions, surround myself with people who’d been there, and find a community that challenged me to lead instead of hustle.
Now, I coach and mentor other business owners because I remember how hard it was to find real, relatable guidance. If I can help someone avoid the chaos I waded through, that’s worth it.
No, I don’t have all the answers. But I do have experience—and more stories, tools, and lessons to share. If you’re somewhere in the messy middle of building and scaling, you’re not alone.
Let’s keep going. With intention. Together.
