Starting a business is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming, especially when there’s so much advice out there telling you what you should do. If you’ve ever felt like traditional business strategies don’t quite fit, you’re not alone. The truth is, there’s no single “right” way to build a business. The best way is the one that feels aligned with you. In this post, I’ll walk you through how to start a business that’s both successful and fulfilling without the burnout or cookie-cutter strategies.
Step 1: Define Your Vision
Before diving into branding, marketing, or sales, take a step back and get clear on what you actually want from your business. Ask yourself:
- What kind of work excites me?
- How do I want my days to feel?
- What kind of impact do I want to make?
- How much money do I need (and want) to make?
Many entrepreneurs skip this step and end up creating a business that doesn’t fit their life. Instead, design your business around your goals from the start so you don’t end up feeling stuck in something that doesn’t bring you joy.
You also want to make sure to write a vision statement and a mission statement. Your vision statement is the why behind your business. To write it, think about an ideal picture of the world you want to create with your business. If you could wave a magic wand and completely solve one problem in the world with your business, what would it be? How you answer that question is your vision statement.
Your mission statement is your vision in action form. While your vision is the what and the why, the mission is the how. That’s where you can get more in-depth about who you help and how you help them. Use your mission & vision to guide you when you get distracted or feel discouraged.
Step 2: Get Clear on Your Offer
Once you have your vision, the next step is defining what you actually sell. Whether it’s a service, course, or product, your offer should be:
- Something you enjoy doing (because you’ll be doing a lot of it!)
- Something people are willing to pay for
- A solution to a real problem
If you’re unsure what to offer, think about your skills, experiences, and what people naturally come to you for help with. A profitable business is built on serving a specific audience and solving a specific problem.
Before you start promoting your offer, ask yourself:
- What specific problem is my ideal client facing?
- How does my service solve that problem?
- What transformation will they experience after working with me?
Answering these questions will help you create a compelling elevator pitch—a concise way to frame your services as the perfect solution. Position yourself as the guide who helps them achieve their desired outcome. If you want to dive deeper into this approach, Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller is a must-read.
Once your messaging is clear, shift your focus to the logistics:
- How much will you charge for your services?
- How many clients do you need to reach your financial goals?
- Can you realistically manage that many clients without burning out?
Having these numbers in place before taking on clients gives you a clear target to work toward—while also setting boundaries to maintain a sustainable workload.
Step 3: Set Up the Essentials
You don’t need a fancy website or a huge following to get started. But you do need a few basics in place:
- A simple way for people to pay you (Use your bank (I recommend Novo) Stripe, PayPal, or a CRM with invoicing)
- A basic website (even just a a one-page website)
- A way to communicate with potential customers (email list, DMs, etc.)
Perfection isn’t the goal. Just get started! You can always refine and expand as you go! You also want to make sure that you have contracts in place before you start selling a service. For contract templates and help writing your own, I recommend Braden Drake’s Contract Club. You pay a one-time fee and get access to done-for-you templates and the education to write your own language when necessary.
Step 4: Start Selling (Without Feeling Sleazy)
Selling doesn’t have to feel pushy or awkward. The key is to focus on helping rather than convincing. Talk about your offer in a way that highlights the transformation it provides. Share stories, insights, and real-life results instead of just features.
And remember: not everyone is your customer, and that’s okay. Your job isn’t to appeal to everyone. You only need to attract the right people who truly need what you offer. If you show up consistently and show up as yourself you’ll be ahead of most people!
When it comes to marketing your business, I recommend picking one or two networking groups to get involved with. You can also post consistently to social media and start an email list. An email list is a great way to build an audience and sell to them directly. I love using FloDesk for email marketing. FloDesk doesn’t change the price as your subscribers grow which is awesome. It’s also incredibly easy to use and the emails are beautifully designed!
Step 5: Build Momentum with Consistency
Success doesn’t happen overnight. The businesses that thrive are the ones that keep showing up—even when things feel slow. Commit to:
- Talking about your offer regularly
- Connecting with your audience (through content, emails, or conversations)
- Refining and improving based on feedback
The more you show up, the more trust you build, and trust is what leads to sales.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If this post resonated with you, my course, The Dream Biz Kickstart, takes you even deeper. You’ll get step-by-step guidance to launch and grow your business in a way that feels good and profitable without the stress of figuring it all out on your own.
And if you want more personalized support, I also offer a coaching upgrade where we work together one-on-one to build a business that fits your life and goals.
Your dream business is possible. The key is to build it your way.
