I never thought blogging could be a business. I never thought I could make money from simply sharing my story. I never thought I would have features in magazines or be contacted by companies and brands on a consistent basis to showcase their products. I definitely didn’t think I could use those skills to make what I was making as a physician.
Our success lies on the other side of fear. Many of us are afraid of stepping into the unknown. We want to stay where things feel comfortable. Personally, for me I have an amazing job as a physician. I love that I can truly use my gifts to help others. I love that I help bring life into the world. I also know that for me freedom is more important that anything else. Freedom to live life on my own terms. Freedom to spend time with family. Freedom to travel. Freedom to spend my time the way I choose and not how I am told to spend it. Freedom to not trade my time for money. I knew that I couldn’t do this in a traditional physician role. I attended a conference where I saw other physicians who owned tens of real estate properties, physicians who were TedEx speakers, physicians who started blogs, boutiques, podcasts and YouTube channels. I knew that I needed to spread my wings and not limit myself. And you shouldn’t limit yourself either.
I realize that none of us were made to fit into a box. We were made for more!
If you have a business idea I dare you to spend an hour every day developing and writing down your ideas towards building that business. I dare you to start calling your “side gig” or “hobby” your business and watch it flourish. Here are some tips for establishing your business.
1. Get a domain name
Instagram and Facebook are cool but what if they disappear? All your content disappears too. You need space on the internet that you own. Getting a domain name is inexpensive and grants you your piece of the internet. There are so many websites to choose from. I personally love using WordPress but you can use Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy, Shopify Canva etc.
2. Establish your LLC
If you want to be treated as a business then treat yourself a a business. If you don’t have an LLC then I suggest you get one today. An LLC is a limited liability company. Here’s how.
Choose your business name. Your business will be a separate entity. Make sure you don’t choose a business name that is too similar to someone else’s. This will become an issue if you ever want to trademark your business. You will file paperwork, appoint a registered agent and get your certificate and employee identification number. And don’t forget about the tax advantages! An LLC is also a smart choice so you can protect your personal assets.
3. Just start
The hardest part is starting. There are a million ways you will talk yourself out of taking the leap. What if people don’t care? What if it fails? What if no one likes what I put out? You have to get the negative thoughts out of your mind.
Today you start writing out your ideas. Tomorrow you start to create your logo. Next week you apply for the LLC. Create the checklist and get to work. Write down your vision. Write down the steps it will take to get you there. Write down the systems you need in place. Find someone in your field who is already successful and ask them to mentor you or follow a similar path to what they did to find success. You lose nothing by starting but gain nothing by standing still.
4. Be consistent
It is so tempting to give up when the results you want don’t come immediately. I assure you that everyone’s overnight success is years in the making. What looks sudden to you took years of hard work and consistency. You have to fall in love with the process and not just the end result. The process is where you truly learn about yourself. The process is where you learn how business works. The process is where you learn how to implement effective systems to streamline your processes. It’s not in what you do one day, it’s in what you every day. The small daily wins are what lead to big successes. Don’t commit to just having a successful business commit to the progress it will take to get you to the successful business. There is so much beauty in what you will learn and how you will grow on the way to entrepreneurship. Should you go out and quit your job today? Absolutely not. But what you should do is dedicate daily time building something for yourself. Those daily actions will eventually lead to long term success. What someone else perceives as an overnight business success is actually the result of your consistency over time.
5. Trust yourself
If there is one person I will bet on it’s myself. Every. Single. Time. You know what to do and whether you believe it or not, you are equipped to do it. You already have everything you need within you to succeed. You don’t need to wait for the right time. You don’t need to wait for more money. You don’t need to wait for everything to fall into place. Start now with the time and resources you currently have.
The idea that your have been dreaming about for years, it’s time to act on it. Who cares if you fail? You learn and you try again. Failing is indeed part of the process. Have confidence in what you do and how you do it. And don’t let anyone talk you out of your dream.
Don’t wait. You have sat on your ideas long enough. Now, it’s time to take action. Take the steps toward starting your business today.
Leave me a comment on your success below!
