Starting a Business: The Reality

If you found your way to my blog, then more than likely you are interested in starting your own business.

Which is amazing!

You’ve probably researched relentlessly, watched videos that hyped you up beyond your wildest imagination, and even strategized how to start.

And planned out what your business could become.. There’s nothing wrong with that. Those are all things you should do, but—what if these self-proclaimed “business experts” aren’t telling you everything you need to know.

YouTube Gurus

I’m not saying all information on YouTube is bad. I’ve learned a lot from other people, so don’t take it the wrong way.

But I know you’ve seen the videos…the ones where people on YouTube will sell you a dream. Not everyone but if you see those videos

titled “you can start a ___ business with this amount of money!” and it’s something that honestly sounds too good to be true…it probably is.

A “pipe dream”, honestly.

Like I said, I’m not saying that all the people on YouTube are supplying bad information, but I think the algorithm is flooded with catchy click bait to fool people into clicking, essentially paying them for bad information. And I hate to tell you this but most of it is what it sounds like…bullshit.

And honestly, if you wanted to make fast money that would be the way to do it. Sell catchy click bait, but if you want something long lasting…Just hear me out.

Money Talks, Bullsh*t Walks

Every single thing you try to do in life is going to cost you money.

I hate it. Trust me, I don’t come from wealthy parents that can just loan me money to start a business or even to go to college.

And honestly, most people reading this probably come from a similar background.

Let me tell you a short story…six years ago my boyfriend and I tried to start a cleaning business. We did all the research

trying to figure this out because all these catchy ‘X’ amount of dollars video sold us at the time. And we did a couple of jobs

and everything just seemed to not work.

Next business idea…same thing.

Ending in another failure.

Then another.

Then another.

Again, over and over again.

Failure.

Quitting.

Call it whatever you want. Regardless, doing the same thing over and over again will only lead you so far.

So, the next big question was: what is the constant variable that’s holding us back?

My big conclusion? Money and proper knowledge.

You can read.

You can watch videos.

But eventually you have to start.

What I Learned

I don’t have it all figured out…I’ve said it before and I will keep telling you that. Take my advice with a grain

of salt, because I’m learning still along side you.

I think this is probably the most valuable thing to know about any business that you are seriously considering

going into is:

1. Spend the money. I know money can be tight. The average person has to pay rent, groceries, etc. But if it’s

   something you really want to do—don’t rush it. Fully do the research. Get the LLC. Get the EIN. Get the Business tax

   licenses for your state and county. Invest in the insurance. You have to build a foundation to stand on. One of the

   biggest things holding us back from getting jobs was not being legit.

2. You don’t have to be passionate about it, but make sure it’s something that you can realistically see yourself doing. Of course, some businesses have a lower startup than others. Cleaning business vs. a food truck. It seems smart to start something with a lower startup, but if you hate cleaning and you go to your first job and realize how much you still hate it…well…it’s not for you. Now, you wasted your time, energy, and possibly money on a business idea you were never going to be fully committed to.

   And that is okay if you have, I’ve done it too.

3. No matter what it’s going to be harder than you could imagine. It’s like a baby. You constantly care for it, think about it, at some point, your life becomes this business. We tried the cleaning business again and this time we got everything legit.

   This time around, things have gone differently. I do think a lot of it is what some people will call luck, but I think it was God,

   personally. The point I’m making—no YouTube video, article, or personal advice from someone you know will fully prepare

   you for the reality of starting a business.

Take Away

I guess the main thing to take away from this is if you are really wanting to start a business:

• Don’t rush it. Don’t look at it like a get rich quick scheme. It does take time, dedication and some money.

• You don’t have to passionate about the business but at least make sure it’s something you can really see yourself

  doing.

• Failure doesn’t always mean stop. Sometimes it means adjust and try again. Sometimes certain variables are what’s holding you back. You just have to figure out what it really is. Whether it’s the lack of money, poor marketing, or even

  consistency. You didn’t fail—you just have to figure out the right recipe.

I hope this helps you understand a little more about the reality of starting a business. It’s not as easy as people online make it seem.

But I do think with enough hard work and dedication to it—you can do anything. I’ll leave you some resources below. (:

Starting a Business

• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
  Probably one of the best free resources for actually understanding how to legally start a business.

• Tennessee Secretary of State
  Helpful if you’re starting an LLC in Tennessee.

• IRS EIN Application
  Where you can apply for your EIN for free.

Marketing & Design

• Canva
  Great for flyers, logos, social media posts, and branding when you’re starting with almost no budget.

• Squarespace
  Easy website builder if you want something clean and beginner friendly.

Cleaning Business Resources

• Jobber Academy
  Good information on pricing, operations, and managing cleaning jobs.

• Indeed Career Guide – Starting a Cleaning Business
  Beginner-friendly breakdown of startup basics.

Finance & Organization

• Wave Accounting
  Free invoicing/accounting software for small businesses.

• QuickBooks Small Business Center
  Helpful once your business starts growing.

Free Learning

• SCORE Mentorship
  Free mentors and advice from people who’ve actually built businesses.

• HubSpot Academy
  Free courses for marketing, branding, and social media.

These aren’t magic answers or shortcuts. They’re just resources that helped me learn while figuring things out.