What New Entrepreneurs Should Focus On to Make Money
When you're a new entrepreneur, it's easy to focus only on income goals: “how do I make money fast?”
But what I’ve learned in my first year is that long-term income starts with building clarity, connection, and systems that support your growth. These are the foundational lessons that are helping me build a business that’s sustainable and profitable—starting from the ground up.
No one really talks about the beginning stages of building a business while they’re still in those stages.
The beginner story becomes part of their “this is how I made it” and “look how far I’ve come” stories.
And truthfully, some experienced business owners have forgotten how to talk to beginners. That’s not shade — your audience evolves with you. But sometimes I wonder: who’s speaking to those of us still figuring it out?
I’m in the early stages of my business
I was watching a competition show that pitted rookies against veterans. But the “rookies” weren’t new to the field. Just new to that environment.
The “rookies” didn’t like being called rookie.
But don’t we all have to start somewhere?
I started my business after almost 15 years in corporate. As of writing this post, I am in my first year of business which makes me a rookie.
And I don't see that as a bad thing.
I don’t have anything to prove (some might disagree with me.) But I do have trust to build. Trust with myself, my audience, and the process.
Our brains don’t like change because it sees change as a threat. Our brains want to keep us safe and protect us from danger — real and perceived dangers.
And being a newbie is a change.
Within my first year of business, I’ve learned a lot. But I’m surprised by how much my brain gets stuck on a loop of “why didn’t I know that” and “why didn’t I ask about that sooner”. And that’s not typical of me.
It’s because as a beginner, I’m uncomfortable.
And I’m the type of person who likes to be challenged comfortably. I value growth and being pushed outside of my comfort zone (that’s where growth happens.) But I don’t want that growth to be disorienting.
Truth be told, there have been some parts of my transition into entrepreneurship that have been overwhelming.
What the first few months of business have taught me
1) Your offer isn’t the starting point. Your audience is.
This point might seem obvious but it’s not.
I’ve known for years that I would someday be an entrepreneur, but I wasn’t sure what my service offering would be. And I focused on my own skills and how to monetize them without thinking about who my target audience is and what they want.
The first thing many business coaches would tell you is to do your research. What does your target audience want and need? What are they willing to spend money on? What do they value?
But what if you don’t have an audience yet?
This is where you rely on social listening. What conversations are happening online and in forums?
From there, think about what you can offer based on what people are asking for and what they’re willing to spend money on. Because not every need is a paying need. And not every skill should become a service.
2) You’re being marketed to all the time. Stay discerning.
It wasn’t until I started marketing my business that I realized we are constantly being marketed to. And if I’m being honest, I hadn’t realized how easily influenced I could be.
Some people are really great marketers (kudos to you because it’s a skill.)
But great marketing doesn’t always lead to great delivery.
Before investing in anything for your business, ask questions. But what if you don’t know what to ask?
That’s where discernment and using your best judgment guides you.
3) “Failure” isn’t real. It’s just feedback.
My relationship with failing has changed. I don’t think failure is a thing.
Stay with me.
If you try something and it doesn’t work, you might say it failed, right? But I would bet there were some lessons or learnings from that experience. That’s not failure.
If someone started a business and had to close it a few years later, they might say their business failed. But what if it just served its purpose and ran its course?
I don’t think failure is real. I think the things we call “fails” are just data, feedback, and information.
I’m learning to look at every “flop” as a lesson that clarifies what to do (or not do) next.
4) Operate like a CEO, even if you’re a team of one
When I created my online systems and infrastructure, I did it with future me in mind. The me in the future who would hire a VA, build a small team, and offload the admin.
But then I found myself operating as if I was a team of 10 instead of 1. I was too involved in the tasks.
Now obviously, as a solo entrepreneur, I work in my business. But I want my business to work for me, even in the early stages.
And a lot of the work I was creating for myself would make my business rely too much on me and not be able to hand things over.
Yes, I’m still in the early stages. And yes, I have to wear many hats. But I also don’t want to build a business that can only function if I’m constantly in the details.
I took a step back and focused on the vision for my business and the projects that would support that vision.
Now I’m keeping a running list of who I’ll need to hire and what roles will free me up to focus on strategy, vision, and storytelling.
My life coach even gave me the idea of sourcing student interns who want the experience. Because even if I’m not ready to delegate yet, I can still build with the future in mind.
5) What if selling felt like service?
I used to hate selling. But I think what I really hated was the pressure.
I’ve changed my perspective because what if selling is just inviting the right people to say yes?
When I first started showing up more in my business, I looked for every opportunity to “sell”. But that’s when selling gets a bad rep — when it feels forced or pushy.
I’m not trying to sell people something they’re not looking for. I want to reach people who are looking for what I offer and tell them about it, with no pressure or FOMO to buy.
I’ll keep sharing while I’m still in the middle.
I plan to continue sharing my story while I’m still figuring it out. Sometimes the impact is in the messiness instead of once “I’ve arrived”.