What are common myths about entrepreneurship and how can you overcome them?

I bootstrapped a SaaS business from 0 to $2M ARR being the only person in charge of client acquisition. For that I used: - Linkedin prospecting - Linkedin Marketing - Google SEO - Youtube All these platforms are free. It has never been easier to start a business with $0. I now have: - 30k Linkedin followers - 80k monthly visit on my website - 4K Youtube subscribers When you compare to the situation 30 years ago, you had to pay a lot of money to appear on billboards, TV, or radios. Today you can create an audience from scratch and even become an influencer in a few weeks. All you need is to: - do something you are good at - do it every day - do it for a long time With this formula you can't fail.

One misconception is the notion that the idea must be excellent and fully developed right from the start. Another myth is that a lot of money is needed to get started. Both of these ideas think ‘too big’ from the start. Very unlikely that an entrepreneur starts with a brilliant idea. The initial idea very likely will be flawed, requiring a process of pivoting, testing, and continual refinement before reaching its full potential. The path to greatness in entrepreneurship typically commences by taking that initial step, starting on a small scale, assuming manageable risks, and being open to necessary pivots. Succes cannot be achieved without the courage to begin, the resilience to pivot, and the commitment for continuous improvement.

I ventured into entrepreneurship at 17. I didn't have money to 'start' a business- I just took my laptop, presented my skills and started selling them. I'm always humbled by those days. But, I was at an age I could afford taking bigger risks and no money in my back account- I was studying, my housing and food was paid off. At 24, I wouldn't do that unless I have 6 months of monthly expense saved into your account. And you are at a place where you can automate half of the menial tasks- most of the AI tools under $500 will help you achieve that!

The bigger myth isn't that you need a lot of money but that money is the main form of capital you need to get started. You can have ample money that if you lack in intellect, personal discipline, skills specialization, networking, confidence, and vision, all that money will soon be wasted. More than a plan you need a system and someone a few steps ahead of you to show you the ropes. And then there is stepping beyond your comfort zone. The biggest risk is staying too comfortable. The market is always changing. Impact is achieved at the margin. And the margin is a razor's edge. It can be uncomfortable to walk it. Far more so to slide on it! Getting cut is a risk we all take. Money may blunt the edge a bit. But it will never remove it.

I Guess this statement is right. While you don't necessarily need a vast amount of capital to start a business, having financial stability can certainly expedite your business's growth and development. Money, in this context, functions as a catalyst, allowing you to invest in necessary resources, marketing, talent acquisition, and scaling strategies more quickly. It can help you navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and establish a solid foundation for your entrepreneurial journey.

There are millions of great ideas. Rarely do they get launched. What’s more important than a great idea is a clear sense of purpose. What you build should matter to you, and to the customers you want to serve. Identify a target market you are passionate about serving. Find out what their problem is. Solve it better than anyone else.

Myth: You need a groundbreaking idea to succeed. Reality: Many successful businesses are built on existing ideas with a unique twist or better execution. You can overcome this myth by focusing on solving a real problem, understanding your target market, and providing value.

I launched a company in what we called a "Red Ocean". Meaning a market with a lot of well established competitors. We are now making $2M ARR. If people are already in a market, it means they earn a lot of money. So you can't do to. If you can't find someone that had your idea in the past, maybe it means your idea is not so good. Competition is actually a great sign you are in a good market.

Big ideas are useless unless they solve a problem or meet a need. a lot of entrepreneurs fall in love with lofty innovative ideas while neglecting the goldmines of boring businesses that meet basic human needs.

A Business can be initiated with any idea, but the key to success often lies in executing it better than others. However, having a unique and innovative idea can provide a significant advantage by setting you apart from the competition and capturing the attention of your target audience. Uniqueness can be a powerful differentiator in a crowded market, allowing you to stand out and create a niche for your business. It not only attracts customers but also fosters creativity, encouraging fresh approaches to common challenges. So, while improving upon existing concepts can be fruitful, introducing something distinctive can be a game-changer in the entrepreneurial world.

The myth that you must handle every aspect of your business single-handedly is a common misconception. In reality, delegation, collaboration, and building a competent team are vital for success. Attempting to do everything alone can be overwhelming, limit your resources, and hinder your ability to scale. Having a team with specialized expertise can improve the quality of work and foster innovation. Delegating tasks to others not only enhances efficiency but also allows you to focus on core activities and maintain a healthier work-life balance. Though active involvement and understanding of your business is very important and needed.

Well, this depends on how many co-founders you have, or how much capital you have to hire people for. Early on, you may have to do a lot of roles. Later on it’s good to be curious about all aspects of the business, when you hire others to do it.

Figure out how to keep your activities revenue generating. Outsource and delegate the rest, even through a VA. Find an intern looking for an opportunity to show what they can do and let them run your social media for you. Maybe an emerging digital agency is looking for clients and you have something they need but can't yet afford. Barter services.

Some people work 24/7 and get no results, while others work half as much and get 10x the results. Here are the two key concepts that have transformed the way I work: 1. Leverage Having leverage means every move you make is multiplied. This can take the form of a well functioning team, an engaged audience, or technology that acts as a force multiplier. Building leverage requires an initial investment of time, but it will pay you dividends down the road. 2. Momentum. Actions have inertia. If you have momentum, each action effortlessly flows from the last. Without momentum, every action is a slog. Building momentum requires careful planning, consistency, and continuous learning. Never give up and keep moving your business forward!

In my personal experience, this is closer to reality than myth. Success in entrepreneurship, particularly tech startups is very, very rare. So it takes a combination of very hard work and some luck to succeed. It doesn't have to be 24/7 but a lot of times for me it's felt like that. There are certain perks such as being able to work at my own pace and take time for family but it's a hard grind

I think no matter how you look at it, starting and growing a business requires a lot of time (more time than founders typically plans for), and 40 hours a week won't cut it. If someone is starting a business and they're not ready or willing or able to dedicate the time to a new business, my recommendation would be to stick with your day job. While entrepreneurship and the ideally "balanced" lifestyle may not be compatible, no one is a machine. So one must carve a few hours out for time with family and friends, social/community engagements, exercise, spiritual practice, intellectual pursuits, or other activities to recharge. Just don't expect as much leisure time as we may be used to.

If you don't have systems in place, you will work yourself to the bone because you are constantly in hustle mode. Systems take away so much pain and do the heavy lifting for you. The hustle culture is toxic and is not a sustainable way of being.

Actually in reality, achieving success in business involves efficient time management, setting boundaries, and prioritizing tasks. While hard work and dedication are important, it's equally crucial to maintain a balance between work and personal life. Quality work often surpasses the quantity of hours worked, and taking time for relaxation and self-care can lead to increased productivity and sustainable success. Doing work should be in a way be more efficient and should result in a healthier output.

"Perfect is the enemy of good". Often, people use the excuse of wanting to be perfect for delaying or not finishing something. There is no such thing as perfect, so trying to be perfect is impossible. "Done is better than perfect." Just get it done and move on. You will end up iterating, throwing out, or changing things later anyway. So just get it done and ship it.

Nobody is perfect and you don't need to be perfect or flawless. You just need to train yourself to correct your mistakes and learn

If you keep trying to be perfect probably someone will launch before you. In a lot of cases speed to deploy and correct when wrong is more important than quality

Entrepreneurial myth: Perfection is key. Reality: Embrace imperfection. Mistakes are not signs of weakness; they're invaluable lessons and catalysts for innovation. Risk-taking and experimentation fuel growth, not flawless execution. Adopting a growth mindset is crucial, believing skills improve with effort and practice. Learn from the setbacks of successful entrepreneurs; use them as inspiration. Imperfection is the entrepreneur's canvas for creativity and opportunity. Let go of the perfection myth and champion the entrepreneurial spirit of continuous learning and improvement.

You will run out of capital and time if you are waiting to meet your audience until you and your solution are ”perfect.” Get out there and be humble!

Dispelling Myth#6: Success in Entrepreneurship is not luck-based! Recognize that the entrepreneur's glory comes from unwavering dedication, not chance. What's mistaken for 'overnight success' is the fruit of long-term perseverance, knowledge, and learning from each setback. Success requires building it piece by piece, and maintaining it is even harder. It's essential to understand that genuine success comes from sustained effort, wise decisions, and constant determination. Let's reject the 'lucky break' narrative and honour the true grind behind making dreams a reality. Spread this reality!

Replace luck with fate; sometimes what you create is just not market ready and in other times fate finds a way of showing you a great path to take. Replace privileged with critical thinking; you need to love and develop in knowledge and thinking to a point where you can understand the fundamentals of the world and the others around it. Add that to creativity and imagination and you have some of the makings of a great entrepreneur.

With billions of potential clients around the globe, it's not luck you need. You need: 1. Become an expert in the thing you're offering. 2. Be crystal clear on who you are, who you serve, and what problem you solve. Be clear on why someone should buy from you or hire you. 3. Get found. Learn digital marketing and copywriting. Or hire someone to do it for you. 4. If you're not already passionate about your business, find and develop your passion. People buy from people. People buy their way out of a problem. Be that person. Be that solution. To your mission, vision, and passion, Mary Kay 💙

One myth is that entrepreneurs require deep expertise to begin. Lacking deep-rooted knowledge shouldn't be a deterrent to aspiring entrepreneurs. Identifying a genuine industry pain point serves to catalyze this journey, and over time a mindset of continual learning creates expertise through utilizing research, networking, and collaboration with experts to build necessary knowledge. Instead of viewing expertise gaps as barriers, they should be seen as opportunities. Successful entrepreneurs can thrive by leveraging networks, hiring experts, or seeking mentorship to fill knowledge gaps, turning the pain point into a driving force for expertise acquisition over time.

À mon sens, il manque un mythe fondamental à cette liste : Mythe 7 : L'échec est une fin, pas un moyen d'apprendre. En France, l'échec entrepreneurial est souvent vu négativement, ce qui freine la prise de risque et l'innovation. À l'inverse, dans les pays anglo-saxons, l'échec est considéré comme un moyen d'acquérir expérience et compétences. Pour dynamiser l'entrepreneuriat dans notre pays, il est essentiel de reconsidérer l'échec non pas comme une faiblesse, mais comme une étape clé d'apprentissage et de développement.

Failure is absolutely ok. The key (IMHO) it to not risk "everything" without eyes wide open. I honestly am suspicious of folks who claim nothing but victories. In most cases I suspect they're either not being completely honest (with themselves or others), or not really trying to stretch. The other thing to watch out for is the "tainted" success, where you technically succeeded but it cost you much more than you were prepared for.

One myth is that entrepreneurship guarantees building wealth. The reality is that building a successful business takes time, dedication, and perseverance and specially a lot of financial planning. Overnight success stories are rare, and most entrepreneurs face challenges along the way.

A common myth is that you get to control your own time - well you do not! Customers, suppliers, and all kinds of people are pulling you, so that own time control is really difficult....