Five Things You Need to Know Before Starting Your Own Business

I get a lot of questions about running your own business, starting a side-hustle, or being an entrepreneur. I absolutely LOVE having my own business and I truly can’t imagine ever not being self-employed. I think that there are a lot of misconceived notions about starting a business though, and so I wanted to address them in this post! Running your own business is not for the faint of heart and I think that many people start a business with the wrong expectations and that is why statistically most start-up businesses fail within their first year!

If you are thinking of starting ANY type of business, this post is for you! From running my own business, helping hundreds of other launch their own businesses, and studying top business leaders all over the world, I have found that these are some of the key expectations you must know and set yourself up for before starting a business!

1. You won’t feel ready to start:

I have never talked to someone who was 100% confident and ready before they started their business. Thats because starting a business is a risk no matter what type of business it is! It is very normal to feel hesitant and nervous before launching a business because you never truly know how it’s going to do until you launch it!

My biggest advice on launching your own business is to go with your gut. If you have a gut instinct that’s saying to go for it, then do it! Most people will never launch their own business (even if they want to) because of fear. DON’T let that be you! With great risk comes great reward and so don’t sit around waiting until you feel “ready” to start. Just go for it!

2. You will fail:

You will fail. ALOT. You’ll probably fail everyday in the beginning! I can’t even tell you how many times I have failed in certain areas of my business. We are humans, and especially if you are a first-time business owner, there is a huge learning curve involved! Don’t expect yourself to be a perfect right from the start and don’t let your failure hinder your efforts. As soon as fear creeps in, the game is over. Fear is a business owner’s worst nightmare, but thankfully, you get to choose that you think. If you are feeling doubt or fear creep in, it’s YOUR job to extinguish it!

When you fail, instead of doubting and letting fear steal your dreams, give yourself some grace and problem solve for the next time a conflict arises! I like the term “Fail Forward”. This means that every time you make a mistake or fail in some area of your business, let it propel you forward rather than backwards! If you look at failure as just a normal part of the process, you will have a much healthier perspective on running your own business and you will be able to learn quicker when you make mistakes!

3. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will:

This one is so so important. I have seen numerous businesses fail because the business owner doesn’t have adequate belief in themselves. Believing in yourself, your vision, and your goals is crucial to the success you will attain. I have seen people with amazing talent fail because they did not believe that they could truly be successful.

If you are not a naturally confident person, that doesn’t meant that you can’t succeed in your business! It just means that you need to focus on belief-building activities so that your belief in yourself will continue to grow over time. Because I know that belief is so important in the success of my business, I have developed habits that constantly build my belief in myself and my vision. when my belief is lacking, I dive into personal development. I love to read personal development books, listen to business podcasts, and journal out all my dreams and goals. These habits I have created help me to believe in myself even amidst trials and seasons of doubt.

It is YOUR job to believe in yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect anyone else to believe in you and your vision behind your business? It is your unwavering belief and confidence in what your business offers that will continue to grow and sustain it.

4. If quitting is an option, you will quit:

When starting anything, you need to have full confidence in yourself that you are going to succeed, no matter what it takes. Some of the most successful companies took over 10 years to see any positive profit. Any company or business takes a lot of time to grow and build if you want to have a sustainable business for years and years to come. I’m going to be straight up and say that if you give yourself the option to quit, you will quit. Many times when we start something we will think “well if it’s not working out I can always quit.” Let me tell you, if that is your mindset, there will come a time when the going gets tough and you will quit.

In business there are seasons of highs and lows, profits and losses, plenty and scarcity. Thats just part of having a business! If you give yourself permission to quit when it gets tough, I promise there will come a time when it gets tough and you will quit.

If you truly want to succeed in your business, quitting cannot be an option!

5. You must be a self-starter and self-motivator:

Being your own boss means that you have to continually motivate yourself to continue to work towards your goals in order to grow your business. Any entrepreneur will tell you that there are seasons when you don’t “feel” as motivated to work hard in growing your business. If you can’t push past those emotions and put in consistent effort despite your feelings, you will find yourself in a downward spiral.

As a business owner, it is your job to keep yourself motivated and keep trying new ways to grow your business! If you are a natural entrepreneur, this will come really easy for you. If you are not, this will be tough but it is not impossible to learn! If you are a business owner or want to be a business owner, know that it is up to you to propel your business forward. No one is going to work as hard as you in your business and so you must lead the charge!

I hope that these insights help to give you a healthy perspective on what it takes to start your own business! Starting your own business may be one of the most challenging things you ever do but it also may be the most rewarding! There is nothing like seeing your business grow after consistent effort, facing challenges head on, and overcoming doubt and fear. It is truly incredible to see people who have enough focus and determination to see their dreams come into fruition. I want that to be YOU!

Please reach out or let me know if you have any other questions about starting your own business! I love talking about these types of topics and so I hope you learned something valuable and I would to chat further about your personal dreams in launching your own business!

xo,
Lauren

The Power of Positivity

This blogpost is a little more on the serious side but it is very near and dear to my heart. I wrote this post while on my flight from Hawaii to LAX and I spent a lot of time reflecting on my journey and how positivity played a huge part in that. It's a self-love letter from me to you. xo, Lo

For the past 3 years, I have had the privilege to lead a team of skincare consultants that has grown to be in the hundreds now. What started out as a team of just me has grown into a large and diverse organization of virtual franchise owners all across the US, Canada, and Australia. I am constantly learning how to be a better leader and better mentor and there are many lessons I have learned throughout the years that has made me the woman I am today. I truly believe that these past few years have primed me for the new ventures I’m embarking on now. Since diving into wellness, studying holistic nutrition, and sharing my passion for health and wellness with the world, I have realized that many of the lessons I have learned in my R+F business applies to wellness and how we create a positive mindset for yourself.

Positivity.

Positivity isn’t something that’s taught in school but I truly believe it needs to be. I truly believe that the power of a positive mindset is a force to be reckoned with. In leading my team, I have seen people’s skincare businesses completely explode and I have also seen businesses fall apart. What makes the two scenarios different? Mindset.

A positive mindset is like a golden ticket for life. Have you ever seen someone who just seems like they are gliding through life without a care in the world? The type of person that always see’s the world as providing limitless opportunities and never frets a roadblock because they know the best that is to come? That’s a positive mindset. On the flip side, I’m sure we have all experienced people who always have something to complain about, someone to blame for their failures, and they are never able to get ahead because they aren’t noticing any roses in their life, only thorns. What you think is what you become. Your mindset defines your life. Let that sink in.

I have seen that changing your mindset can drastically change the outcome of a situation. I will use myself as an example for this. I used to have a horrible mindset when it came to my health. As someone who has suffered many chronic health issues, there were many years where I felt like I could not get ahead. I let these trials jade my mindset. Instead of being my positive and encouraging self, I became bitter, fearful of everything that could harm me, and my health suffered further because of it. My thoughts became my reality. My fears became true. It was almost like I kept manifesting bad health to plague me because that was what I was focusing on. My focus was on what could go wrong, not on how I could heal my body. 

When I finally realized how I was self-sabotaging myself, I knew I needed to make a drastic change in my life. I began by investing into my health. Instead of being fearful of my health, I began to nurture it and speak positive affirmations over myself. I began to take added stressors out of my life, learn to say no to things that didn’t serve my body well (eh hem, gluten) I put blinders on. I had health goals, and I had the faith and the hope that I could heal my body. Instead of complaining about what I couldn’t eat or do because of my health, I rejoiced in what I could do. I began to focus on gratitude for the smallest of the things. I can walk, I can run, I have a brain that can think and a heart that can love. I am blessed beyond measure. It was these small changes that I intentionally focused on that began to heal me. Not only was I feeling healthier and more energized, but I kept making healthy lifestyle choices because I began to value the amazing body I was given, not ridicule it. I truly believe that health is a life-long journey and I know that there are ebbs and flows and good days and bad days but the reason I am able to handle the setbacks when they come, is because I have a mindset that supports me and doesn’t destroy me. 

This is the truth: If you are constantly filling your mind with negative self-talk, you are setting yourself for disaster. Reframing your mindset could be one of the most powerful things you ever do for yourself, and your future. 

I want you to think about something in your life that you have a negative mindset about. What is one thing you are always cursing about yourself or your circumstances? What do you wish you could change? Maybe you wish you were farther along professionally. Maybe you wish you had a six pack. Maybe you wish you could pregnant. Maybe you wish that you had better friends. Whatever the case may be, I challenge you to focus on what you DO have, not what you don’t. I challenge you to look at the roses and don’t get thrown off by the thorns. There will be pain in this life, I am very familiar with it. There is hardship, and trials, and hard times. I am not telling you to avoid those situations or those emotions. Rather, I am encouraging you to not let those hardships define you. You can rise past them. You can change your mindset, and in turn, change your life. 

Weekends

Weekends have always been a time for relaxation & rejuvenation. but recently, weekends have taken on a new meaning for me. Weekends are a time to reconnect with my husband after a long week of barely seeing each other. The army life is not for the faint of heart, I'll tell you that. During the week while Danny is working, I spend my time working from home and connecting with friends, but our weekends are sacred. Over the weekend, we get to put our distractions aside, unwind, and get out into nature. I love our simple days of going to the farmers market, surfing or riding our bikes around the neighborhood. We love eating Thai food, playing with our cat, and having game nights with friends. This weekend, Danny had to work on Saturday but we still made the most of our Sunday! Danny surfed, we went to our favorite coffee spot, checked out the view at Kaena Point, and hiked Ehukai pillbox. It was simple & perfect & just so "us".  I treasure these weekends and any time we get to spend together. I never want to take It for granted. The nature of military life is hard & unstable & ever-changing and so I will hold onto these weekends and be thankful. I am so thankful. 

-Lo

City Lights & Pretty Jewelry

This weekend was pretty gloomy and rainy here in Hawaii but I was craving some adventure and so we went to town! Normally, we like our little section of the island and we really don't veer off very much but every once in awhile I crave more stimulation! ha

Chinatown is our favorite neighborhood to goto in Honolulu because of the cute boutiques, hip restaurants, and artsy vibe. There are so many good restaurants down there, I want to try them all!  Since this date was super last minute, I put together an outfit super quick. These rag + bone flared jeans are super fun and comfy and I just paired them with a loose Free People crop top. What I really loved about this look was my colorful jewelry! I collaborated with my friend Megan, who happens to be a Stella & Dot stylist, and she sent me some really fun jewelry to style! I am IN LOVE with Stella & Dot's summer collection and want to buy EVERYTHING. I already placed a pretty big order for jewelry this month and I am already eyeing some more pieces I want. ;) I am hosting an online Trunk Show for my friend Megan and it is going on now! Click this link to shop all of these goodies!

Have a great week, everyone!! 

xoxo