How I Started My Business With A Minimal Approach To Avoid Burnout AGAIN
You heard me right AGAIN!
This was not my first approach to starting a business but I promised myself I would think twice before putting myself in that rabbit hole of confusion and self-doubt and stressing myself over a business that does not produce for me.
You are here because you might be thinking about starting a business or have started one already and it is just not going the way you want. I get that trust me!
Let’s Get Into It!
Starting a business can be exciting I remember when the thought came to my head my heart was filled with butterflies I was just even too excited to eat I started to research and buy like crazy, but it can also be overwhelming and lead to burnout if not approached strategically.
Many entrepreneurs like myself fall into the trap of trying to do too much too soon, neglecting their well-being in the process and let me tell you, YOU ARE YOUR BUSINESS so if you are not well mentally physically, and emotionally your business suffers.
However, by adopting a minimal approach, you can build a sustainable business while prioritizing your mental and physical health.
In this article, we will explore some key strategies to help you start a business with a minimal approach to preventing burnout.
Define Your Purpose
Before diving into the nitty-gritty of business operations, take the time to reflect on your purpose and priorities. Clarify your vision, mission, and goals. This is a very simple step that we often miss and not doing it just put you to a well not so good start. By understanding what truly matters to you, you can make conscious decisions about where to focus your energy and resources. This will help you avoid spreading yourself too thin and prevent burnout.
Start Small and Validate Your Idea
Instead of trying to build an empire overnight, start small and focus on validating your business idea. Write things down! Do stay in the bathroom and come up with a beautiful idea only to lose it the minute you get to your computer.
Start off with a product less expensive but provide value to your customer or client remember you are just launching no need to start selling a product for $200 especially if you have not done a trial run and have little to no feedback. or offer a limited range of services.
Think about it when you shop anywhere online don’t you quickly check the review section?? “Right!”. By starting small you can test the market demand, and gather valuable feedback.
I am human too it was hard for me to find customers when I first started it was more of spread the word thing for me however I allow everyone to give their honest feedback anonymously that helped too.
Then I made the necessary adjustments without overcommitting myself. Along the process, I told myself this is my business and if I am going to be an entrepreneur I will have to know how to process feedback. This approach allows me to conserve resources, minimize stress, and ensure I am moving in the right direction.
Embrace Simplicity in Operations ( make your life easier and your business run smoother )
When starting a business, simplicity should be your guiding principle. I know the feeling of wanting to have everything before you start it just seemed like that was the only way my business was going to work but I avoid unnecessary complexities and streamline my operations.
Automate repetitive tasks, use efficient tools and software, check out my resource page here, and outsource non-essential functions when possible there are many ways to find affordable professionals to help you or maybe you have a cousin or friend who is good in tech work things out with there is no harm in getting a little help.
When I started my business I tried to do everything oh god everything !! even when I know I was not good at it and this cause me to use all the time and had for my business learning rather than running my business. While that was not a bad thing because I am able to help and guide you through it now. I eventually started seeing fewer sales and very little engagement from my customers in my business.
Try simplifying your processes, you can save time, reduce stress, and maintain a clear focus on your core business activities and still have a little time for self cause. ( an aspect very important for an entrepreneur ) ↓
Prioritize Self-Care and Well-being
Taking care of yourself is crucial for preventing burnout. I started to make self-care a non-negotiable part of my routine. I Set boundaries between work and personal life, establish regular exercise and sleep habits, and practice mindfulness or meditation when I can. Once again YOU ARE YOUR BUSINESS.
Remember that your well-being directly impacts your business’s success, so prioritize self-care as an essential ingredient in your entrepreneurial journey.
Take My Word because there will be some bad days and you don’t want to give up because you are having a bad day and if you are here I am assuming you started your business for a reason and whether it be to create the life you love with flexibility or to create another stream of income or whatever your reason was the last thing you want to do is QUIT or fail.
Delegate and Collaborate
One of the most effective ways to prevent burnout is to delegate tasks and collaborate with others. Yes! Your heard me. Identify areas where you can seek support, whether it’s hiring employees, freelancers, or partnering with other businesses. I use to say “oh I dont have the budget for that.” At this early stage, it is okay if you can’t hire some one but learn from others and surround yourself with others who are experts in your niche or with talented individuals who share your vision. This allows you to focus on your strengths and leverage the expertise of others, creating a more sustainable business model. It can be as simple as enrolling in a course to learn from someone who has a successful business that is at the level you want to be.
Embrace Minimalism in Marketing (marketing oh marketing 😰)
If you are anything like me in the beginning marketing scare the heck out of me! I just felt like that was not for me or I would suck at it. But marketing my business brought me good traffic and sales. Keeping up was a task though.
In the age of information overload, I am taking a minimalist approach to marketing which has been making a significant impact. This time Rather than spreading my resources across multiple marketing channels, I am focusing on a few key platforms that align with your target audience.
A great example is : if you are a blogger you focus on Pinterest as this platform is made to drive traffic away from its site it basically a search engine. If you are a youtube you focus on Instagram and tik toc that way you can post shorts of your videos and repurpose your content and find your target audience in different ways.
Develop a clear and concise brand message that resonates with your customers.
You really can’t please everyone, I learnt this the HARDWAY and it hurt me but really not because they are your friend you sould expect support…. so focus on your target audience.
That might even me not telling some people because unnecessary feedback can lead you down negative path and affect your business you might find your self impressing a family member that was not even your target audience from day one!
Develop a clear and concise brand message that resonates with your customers you will be avoiding excessive marketing, you can streamline your approach, minimize expenses, and still reach your target market effectively.
Learn from Mistakes and Adapt
Ohh boy !
if I could go back and tell my self mistakes were apart of the game I would but since I can’t I am telling you reminding my self daily.
Entrepreneurship is a journey filled with ups and downs. It’s important to embrace the learning process and be open to adaptation.
If a particular strategy or direction is not working, don’t be afraid to pivot or make necessary changes. Learn from your mistakes, listen to feedback, and be willing to evolve. By being adaptable, you can prevent burnout by avoiding the frustration and stagnation that can result from rigidly sticking to an unsuccessful path.
Key TakeAWay
Starting a business with a minimal approach is a wise strategy to prevent burnout while building a sustainable venture and creating a life you love and and feel happy waking up every morning too.
By defining your purpose, starting small, simplifying operations, prioritizing self-care, delegating, embracing minimalism in marketing, and being adaptable, you are off to a good start.
