Building a business from nothing is the most humbling thing I have ever done. And the most expensive education I never signed up for.
I started with a mobile beauty kit, no business plan, and a lot of confidence I probably hadn't earned yet. Over the next decade I built a seven-figure salon, sold it, and started over. Along the way I made mistakes that cost me time, money, clients, and more than a few sleepless nights.
Here are five of the biggest. I'm sharing them because I see founders making these same mistakes every single day, and most of them are completely avoidable.
1. I Underpriced Everything Because I Was Scared
In the early years I charged less than I was worth because I didn't believe anyone would pay full price. I told myself I was being strategic. I was being afraid.
Underpricing doesn't attract loyal clients. It attracts price shoppers who leave the moment someone charges less. When I finally raised my prices I was terrified. Half of those clients stayed. The half who left were the ones who had been draining me anyway.
Your pricing is a signal. Low prices say low value, even when the work is exceptional.
2. I Tried to Do Everything Myself for Too Long
I was the therapist, the receptionist, the cleaner, the bookkeeper, the Instagram manager, and the service provider. I wore all of it as a badge of honour. I was exhausted and I couldn't see it.
The moment I started delegating even small tasks, my revenue went up. Not because I worked more hours, but because I finally had space to work on the business instead of constantly in it.
If you are doing everything yourself right now, something in your business is suffering. It might be your client experience, your growth, or your health. Usually all three.
3. I Ignored My Numbers Until They Became a Problem
I avoided looking at my accounts because I was afraid of what I would find. This is more common than any business coach will admit to you.
The fix is not complicated. Know your numbers weekly, not monthly. Know your margins. Know what it actually costs you to deliver your service or product. The moment I got honest with my financials, I found tens of thousands of dollars I had been quietly leaking.
4. I Built for Other People Instead of My Own Vision
For years I built the business I thought I was supposed to build. The one that looked impressive from the outside. The beautiful salon, the team, the awards. All of it real, all of it hard-won, but a lot of it built for an audience instead of for me.
When I sold the salon and started over, I made a deliberate choice to build differently. Smaller. More intentional. More aligned with the life I actually wanted. That shift changed everything.
Before you scale, get clear on what you are actually scaling toward. Bigger is not always better. Better is better.
5. I Waited Until I Was Ready
I waited until I felt ready to hire. Until I felt ready to raise prices. Until I felt ready to launch the product. Until I felt ready to put myself out there as a thought leader.
Ready is a lie. Ready is just fear with better branding.
The version of me who launched before she felt ready is the one who built the business. The version waiting to feel ready would still be waiting.
Every single one of these mistakes is covered in more depth in The Messy Middle - my 150+ page business ebook for startup founders and entrepreneurs. It's the honest, unfiltered account of what building a business from nothing actually looks like.