🚨If you know, you know!👇🏼🚨

💥11 things no one will tell you, but I will!💥

I get approached by on average 5-7 people every year who want to start their own business. I tell them all the things that will push them away first. If they still want to do it, then it’s go time. 💪🏼

(Unedited. Excuse any errors.)

✅ #1. You won’t get to just clock in and clock out.

Your mind will always be thinking. It’s all consuming at first. Over time it gets better and you must set up boundaries. But constant creation, re-inventing the wheel, and pivoting & evolving never stops.

One of my famous one-liners: “Just when you think you got it; you don’t!”

✅ #2. You’ll spend a lot of time troubleshooting and putting out fires.

You’ll wake up fired up to start the day and attack the 5 main priorities on your list, then you’ll be hit with 5 other things to do that you had no idea you would have to take care of!

“A business owner’s job never stops!”

✅ #3. You won’t be able to do only the things you love.

I used to think I only had to train people and have fun! Then you discover books, bank, bills, branding, building, marketing, communication, cleaning, designing, fixing, inventory, etc. Perhaps you love baking. You just better know that if you start a baking business, baking in the kitchen will be the least of what you do. Over time it gets better and you can make it so you focus more on what you love and have others do the rest.

“Where’s my “who,” cuz I didn’t sign up for this!”

✅ #4. You might end up becoming an employee vs an owner.

The business will control you if you don’t control the business. Ask yourself, “what would I pay someone to do the same job I’m doing? Wearing all the hats I’m wearing? Spending all the hours I’m spending?” I used to think I was making good money, then I calculated my hours.🤦🏻‍♂️ I analyzed the zero vacations we gave ourselves. And saw how hard it was to take a day off. The irony: employees get treated better than that!

It takes time but eventually you need to dictate your hours, say no a lot more, and stay FOCUSED on what needs to be done, not everything that could be done. Part of owning a business should be about freedom, not imprisonment.

“No matter how organized you are there’s always something you can be doing as an owner. Doesn’t mean you should.”

✅ #5. You’ll be surprised by how much time you spend on communication.

I remember the first time the iPhone screen-time tracker came out to let you analyze how much time you spend on calls, texts, apps, etc. I never knew I was spending up to 5hrs a day just on communication. No wonder my eyes were bugging out of my head!

“Put the phone down. This is not an emergency room job. It can wait.”

✅ #6. The consumer is not always right.

But they’ll act like they are.

“I always hear people. Doesn’t mean I listen!”

✅ #7. People will backstab you.

And many times they’ll be your friends. Close friends. Close friends who you gave deals and discounts too. But verily verily I tell you, don’t sweat it or mis-analyze intentions. There’s a time and season for everything, and even if others took something personal and left ya because of it; you can’t. (Sometimes it’s not a stab; it’s just a gut punch).

Just get used to it. There’s a reason why business owners sometimes seem like they have “calloused hearts.” If you don’t have a guard, you won’t last long on this island of entrepreneurship.

People will always do what’s best for themselves. So honestly, do what’s best for you and your family.

“If you try to please everyone, you’ll be fake to someone. And you will not be authentic to yourself.”

✅ #8. Unexpected costs will never stop.

People think you’re a millionaire because you have brick and mortar. Ummmm. This building, equipment, maintenance, liability, website, text tools, ain’t free! It’s $5 for an industrial roll of paper towels right now.

Just recently lights broke, a door broke, med balls and bands broke, the sauna broke, a wall broke, a mirror broke…

“Now I’m broke!”

✅ #9. You want stability?!

“Run. And go work for someone else and let them manage all of the above!”

✅ #10. If you still want to be an entrepreneur after reading all of the above…

Then go for it.

“You can’t just want to do this. It has to be a calling.”

✅ #11. Never stop cleaning toilets like you did on day one.

I know a lot of business owners disagree with me on this. “That’s someone else’s job.” For the majority of the time, yes.

But it keeps you humble and never forgetting where you came from and what’s happening on the front lines.

-Coach Theo