The Only Strategy You Really Need When Starting a Business (And It's Not What You Think)

Look, I get it. You’re starting out, and you’ve got all these ideas floating around in your head like confetti. You’re itching to create that perfect business strategy, the one that’ll make investors drool and customers line up at your door like it’s the latest iPhone release.

But here’s the thing—you don’t need it.

Yeah, I said it. You don’t need a fancy strategy. You don’t need a perfectly polished roadmap or every single detail neatly tied up in a bow. That sounds good in theory, but in reality, it’s a massive waste of time.

Here’s what you actually need to do

Grab your product (or service), get out there, and talk to real people.

That’s right—market research. But before you roll your eyes, hear me out. I’m not talking about sitting behind a computer screen googling 'trends' or sending out a soulless online survey no one cares about. I’m talking about good old-fashioned human interaction.

Go to the people who matter: your customers.

Untangle That Idea in Your Head

You’ve got this big idea, right? Maybe it’s been brewing for months, or maybe it hit you while you were daydreaming at a stoplight. Either way, it’s bouncing around in your head, shiny and full of potential. But that idea? It’s just that—an idea.

The trick is to take that spark of brilliance and collide it with reality. You’ve got to throw it out there, let it get messy, and see if it survives.

Spoiler alert: it probably won’t look like what you expected, but that’s the point.

Because no plan no matter how detailed or beautifully designed survives first contact with the real world.

So, before you waste any more time fine-tuning the perfect plan, get up, grab a notebook (or your phone), and go talk to actual humans. You know, the people you’re trying to sell to. Ask them what they want, what they’re struggling with, and what keeps them up at night. And then here’s the kicker “shut up and listen”

Get Their Contact Info (Yes, That’s a Big Deal)

In today’s world, contact info is pure gold. Don’t leave the conversation without it. Ask for their phone number like it’s the key to your future (because it kind of is).

Having someone’s number gives you a direct line to your customer base. And trust me, that’s way more valuable than any fancy strategy you’re cooking up.

Build a relationship, not just a customer list

Because when you have that contact info, you can call them, text them, keep the conversation going. You can find out more about what they want and how you can help.

Let’s be real for a second—your first sales are going to come from these direct connections. Not from some elaborate marketing campaign or a killer website. It’ll come from that face-to-face (or phone-to-phone) interaction.

Messy Action > Perfect Plan

Perfection is a myth. And in business, waiting until everything is perfectly aligned is just a great way to get nothing done.

Here’s what you actually need: messy action.

You need to get out there, test your idea, and see what breaks apart. Talk to customers, sell to customers, fail, and learn. Every conversation, every rejection, every awkward interaction is data. Real data.

You know what’s not real data?

Theoretical models and perfect assumptions that sound great in a pitch deck but fall apart when they hit the gritty, unpredictable world of actual business.

Your strategy should be built on real, messy experiences, not imaginary “what ifs.”

Because trust me, I am a strategist and a strategy that’s informed by actual data from the real world is a thousand times stronger than one built on assumptions that haven’t been tested yet.

You’re Not Building a Rocket Ship—You’re Building a Business

Here’s a little secret: you don’t need to map out every single step of your journey before you start. You’re not trying to put a man on the moon, you’re trying to start a business. And in business, things don’t need to be perfect.

In fact, imperfection is your friend.

The best way to start is to start. Get out there. Talk to people. Sell your product. Screw up. Learn. Repeat.

You’ll refine your strategy as you go. And guess what? It’ll be ten times better because it’ll be based on real-world feedback, not just your imagination.

The Bottom Line

When you’re starting out, fancy strategies don’t matter. Roadmaps don’t matter. Perfectly designed business plans don’t matter.

What matters is this: talk to people. Understand their needs. Get their phone numbers. And start selling.

It’s not glamorous, it’s not polished, and it’s definitely not “perfect.” But it works.

Because at the end of the day, messy action beats a perfect plan every single time.