On this Thursday of thoughts, I received a really interesting and compelling question about where someone (who works full-time) can start with starting their business.
I took a winding road with this answer, because I have truly been in the position of wanting to start a business badly but not knowing what to do.Â
It can be really hard to know where and how to start. Sometimes you have too many ideas and it’s hard to pick just one.
Other times, you come up short with anything that you think will help you start a viable business.
So how can you pick a starting block and start your business ownership race on the right foot?
Today’s question was about starting at ground zero while working full-time in a despised job.
There are 3 keys to starting a business when you’re feeling uninspired at work, at ground zero, and have limited time, money and energy:
#1. Pick the right business idea. I’ve worked with toooo many people who start their own business and just recreate all of the things they hated about their full-time job. Business ownership is not the place to be complicit in your own suffering. Don’t just start a business–start the right business for your busy life and skills.
#2. Start with where you’ve gotten results for yourself or other people. Hint: go through your texts, emails and recent convos and find places where your people have asked for your help/advice/guidance. You’re already good at something–why not start there?
#3. Learn from others. If you’re on social media, follow people who are doing what you want to do. If you’re not on social media, google “[your field] expert.” You’ll likely find people who have established businesses d. Sign up for their mailing list (yes, they’ll have one). You can get ideas about where opportunities are. And, perhaps more importantly, where there are gaps in the market waiting to be filled (by you!).
There’s so much more to address! Check out the full episode below.
Show Highlights
01:08 The question: How do I start a business when I don’t know where to start?
02:59 Why Shontavia reads Wikipedia pages to grow her business and brand
03:52 Questions to ask when you hate your job and want to start a business
06:18 One foolproof way to find out what’s happening in your industry or field
07:50 How to determine what makes you unique in even the most crowded of marketplaces
11:52 Taking advantage of free resources when you want to start a business or make a career change
13:23 Finding an accountability partner
14:07 Finding inspiration in other people’s successes
For more, check out the full episode below.
Show Notes:
 +50 places you can start when you’re broke and don’t know where to start, with inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: https://shontavia.com/50-places-you-can-start-when-youre-broke-and-dont-know-where-to-start-with-inspiration-from-dr-martin-luther-king-jr/
Thursday Thoughts: 3 side hustle strategies when you can’t quit your day job: https://shontavia.com/thursday-thoughts-3-side-hustle-strategies-when-you-cant-quit-your-day-job/
Questions and Action: Get started on your business today
 After you’ve had a chance to watch the video, I’d love to hear from you in the comments section!
Please answer the questions relevant to your current situation:
1. How are you already solving problems and getting results for yourself and other people? Create a Google Sheet to keep track of all of the ways you’re solving problems.
2. Google experts in your fields of interest. Follow them to see what’s happening with trends in your industry. Bonus points if you also research and follow their collaborators.
3. Write down your story–this is what makes you unique and will help you standout in even the most crowded of marketplaces.
Please give as much information as you can in response to these questions. I’d be happy to share more tools and resources that help you get what you want.Â
Thank you so much for joining me on this roller coaster of an experience.
I am eternally grateful that I get to do this work with working professionals who are also creators, entrepreneurs and side hustlers like yourself.
                                                                 Let’s continue to make it happen,
