Last week I talked about my big newbie mistake, the one that halted my business success for two years before I figured out the big, missing piece.
In addition to not realizing the importance of knowing about business, I also picked up a ton of stories (many of which were wildly conflicting!) about what it takes to really make a business work.
After figuring out the “formula” to really making an online business work, I can clearly see past these silly stories and to the truth behind each one. But honestly, I wish I had seen the light sooner!
Today I hope to save you from the myths of success and point you toward the truth. Here goes!
10 Success Myths, Debunked!
Myth #1 – Having an online business is a piece of cake.
The truth: Hell no! While you can choose the amount of time you spend working on your business, there’s a lot to learn to get started. “Get rich quick” shortcuts simply don’t exist. You must have a thorough understanding of your service (coaching, writing, designing, etc.) plus the business and marketing know-how to ensure you actually make money.
Myth #2 – Having an online business is a ton of work.
The truth: Having an online business can be as much (or as little) work as you like. You’re the boss, so you can choose how much time you put in each day. In addition to setting your own schedule, you can also outsource tasks to other experts. Talented virtual assistants, copywriters, designers, and project managers are just an email away.
Myth #3 – I have to get “in” with the industry bigwigs to make it.
The truth: This is 100% false. Hoping to improve your status by hanging out with industry superstars will not give your business the strategic foundation it needs to thrive. Start where you are, and connect with people in your immediate circle. Sure, taking classes or working one-on-one with business-builders will help you learn and grow, but don’t look for anyone to come on a white horse to save the day. You can do this on your own; no coat-tail riding required!
Myth #4 – There’s not enough room for everybody at the top.
The truth: That’s baloney. I don’t know who started the rumor there’s a set number of people who can be leaders in their field, but it’s complete crapola (as my dad would say). There is room for you at the top. But you don’t have to take my word for it – head on up there and find out for yourself! Tweet that!
Myth #5 – My market’s already saturated. We don’t need any more _______.
The truth: Repeat after me: the internet is a global market. Every single day, there are more and more people connecting to the internet, learning about nutrition, seeking out life coaches, and wanting to start businesses. There is a growing need for people who do what you do. And there is no one – and I mean no one – who can do exactly what you do, exactly the way you do it. So you are absolutely, 100%, totally needed. Tweet that!
Myth #6 – I’ll be constantly self-promoting, and that’s just plain annoying.
The truth: Strategic marketing isn’t about putting yourself everywhere, all the time. It’s about engaging in the right places with the “be of service” attitude. There’s no need to rain down a flurry of Facebook posts and Tweets announcing your services every day. Hone in on where you’ll be most successful promoting (such as like-minded groups, websites, targeted ads, etc.), and use that outlet to your advantage. Quality, targeted promotions win over quantity every day.
Myth #7 – I just don’t have the charisma it takes to stand out.
The truth: Being who you truly are is the best path to success. Your personality will shine just the way it is. Copying someone else or imitating what you think is a successful personality will actually hold you back. I don’t pretend to be some punk dancer superstar when I’m just an introverted blond dog lover who enjoys spending time in nature. I don’t fake my personality to force you like me, and you shouldn’t either! Tweet that!
Myth #8 – I need some impressive credential or degree to be able to do this!
The truth: Incorrect. Need I remind you: Steve Jobs was a dropout. Danielle LaPorte never went to college. These are people who’ve built huge businesses by trusting themselves and their instincts. You don’t need a sheet of paper or a title to make you an expert. You just need to own what you know and share it in a way that clicks with your people. And like Laura Roeder said on this very blog, you can be your own credentials!
Myth #9 – There’s a secret code I need to crack to make my business work.
The truth: The answer to this one is: yes and no. Yes, in that marketing and business basics are critical. You should be blogging, sending out newsletters, building your following, connecting with others on social media, etc. And yes, you must think about how those fundamentals apply to you, your goals, and your audience. You have to know what you’re all about – that’s the not-so-secret code. And you also have to want it badly. At the same time, no, there is no secret, elusive code. Learn the fundamentals about business and marketing, and you’ve got the same code as the rest of us. Tweet that!
Myth #10 – If I don’t have immediate wins, I should just throw in the towel.
The truth: If you put something out there and hear only crickets, it doesn’t mean you did anything wrong or should call it quits. Creating a business with a strong, long-lasting foundation takes time. It also requires traits like persistence, patience, determination, self-compassion, and experimentation. Pair those with the right people guiding you, you will hit your goals and go beyond; it just might take a little while to get there.
What Have You Been Believing?
Alright, let’s all have a good laugh. Tell me…
Which myths above have you been buying into or have you bought into in the past?
What other myths have you bought into or have seen others buy into? Point them out so we can set ourselves free with the truth!
I can’t wait to hear your stories so we can all continue to find the truth amidst the myths!
Jenny, thank you for a great post! You are soooo right. I found out a long time ago that the biggest obstacles are in our head NOT in the outside world. With my clients I often work on re-writing their stories, or sometimes on replacing the old film (drama with sad ending) with the new film with happy ending.
Here is the myth that I had been buying into: If you want to succeed in your industry (executive and leadership coaching) you need to be part of some big consulting or coaching company in oder to be more credible.
I stopped believing that when I started B-school and now I am happily building my personal brand :-).
That’s a great myth. Thanks for sharing, Alexandra!
I love that you help people stop buying into the things that hold them back. We need people like you in the world so we can all go and do great things!
Hey, what about the myth that only the coaches who are directly focused on people making more money in some way are successful? That’s one that I have been eating up lately. OUr minds can always find new myths. Thanks for bringing some to light Jenny.
I love that we can all write our own (good) stories and debunk whatever doesn’t work for us. Thanks for sharing yours, Brett!
Great post! Working mostly on myth #10 :/
Keep at it, and check out this post, too: https://jennyshih.com/2012/11/5-must-have-traits-of-successful-entrepreneurs-do-you-have-them/
The over-saturation one creeps into my pscyhe once in a while but then I hear my inner mama coach wisdom (who has a similar voice to your rebuke to myth number five) that there is alot of mamas out there seeking my medicine and delivered in my particular, creative way. And not to mention some of them aren’t even seeking yet!
You got it, Kathy! You are needed and more and more women will need you every day. Keep at it!
For me the challenge is definitely Myth #5. I struggle with the concept that the online marketing niche is over-saturated and a foolish place to be. Rationally, I know that’s not the case – just looking at my local area, it’s insane how many businesses still don’t even have a website. I think it’s easy to assume otherwise when you ‘live’ in online marketing community – sometimes you forget there is a whole other world of people not sure where to begin.
You nailed it, Caylie! When we “live” in the online world, we think everyone knows about this world and all that’s in it. But it’s totally not true!! Looking at your local business community is a great eye-opener. There are many, many businesses and people who need what we online folks offer — they just don’t know it yet, and it’s our job to let them know we’re here to help!
I needed to hear “It also requires traits like persistence, patience, determination, self-compassion, and experimentation. Pair those with the right people guiding you, you will hit your goals and go beyond; it just might take a little while to get there.”
Thanks so much love!
Yes, yes, yes!!! And I know you’ve got those traits, Amy! 🙂
Great post, as always, Jenny! The myth that still trips me up is that I need to be doing the same things that others are doing. Logically, I know that I am unique and need to be doing my own thing… but there is always that sense of fear and regret when I see the neat things the big players are up to. And I freak out and ask myself “should I be writing a book?!” “should I be planning a retreat??!!” “should I be hosting a podcast?!” “should my blog posts be in video format???!!!!”
The truth is, we need to do what is right for us and our audience! Taking stabs in the dark and wasting time on projects that aren’t a good fit for my perfect customer has been totally holding me back!
You got it, Stephanie! It’s so easy to get distracted by what everyone else is doing, and that takes us off course for what we’re supposed to do for our audience. Just know that it happens to all of us (no matter how much experience we have), and we get better at deflecting that thought as we practice. Keep up the practice 🙂
Loving what you do, what you offer or what you sell is so important. I still get a little thrill when someone orders just the smallest item from our website. I feel like they are my new friend and advocate in a way that a big corporation will never know. I heard plenty of people mention Myth #5 in regards to our products, but over time, our little brand has grown to the top three brands in the US and our products are sold through distributors all over the globe. Patience, persistence, and passion are so important as your Myth 10 suggests!
Patience, persistence, and passion are definitely things I know you’ve cultivated, Ken. And I love how it all has culminated into a great business for you. The road to success isn’t quick or direct, but if we stick with it, great things happen — and your biz is evidence of that!
PS Nice to see you back commenting here!!
Thanks Jenny! This was not just another “10 myths” post. I particularly liked the one about the industry bigwigs and the one about self-promotion.
Your business, your rules, you are the savior and the hero.
That’s a huge compliment: “Not just another 10 myths post.” Thanks for saying so, Maria!
The bigwigs one is funny because that came from a friend of mine. It was never a big hook for me, but it certainly is seductive!
Great article. I’m not sure it’s a ‘myth,’ of more of a mindset – but, the moment we realized that we really could do as much (or as little!) as we wanted, we suddenly could breathe again. It’s easy to get caught up in, “must implement ALL ideas we have ever thought of …immediately!” – which is entirely overwhelming. Now, we *try* to take the mindset of, ‘what would move our business forward AND feels fun’ – because if it ain’t fun, we’re not interested! 🙂
Great myth, Erin! “We must do it all right now, or else!” What a load of hooey! You’re totally right, the mindset shift into thinking “make a plan, follow that plan, step-by-step for your business”…. that’s way more fun and keeps you moving forward, too. Thanks for sharing!! xo
Love this Jenny!
So the one about having to pair with the big-wigs really resonated with me. What I have learned in my business is that when we focus on being 10000% US, we radiate a magnetism that attracts the right clients who we can add value to and yes, in some cases, the “big wigs” but it’s an effect, not a cause of your lasting success. Love you!
Diana
Amen to that, Diana!! Being yourself to the core is more magnetic than partnering with bigwigs (or pretending to be someone you’re not). I love watching how you get more and more you all the time. Inspiring!!
I’ve been guilty of believing a bit too much in most of these. It’s funny, I think they are things we know on some level are not true, but when things aren’t happening as quickly as we would like, the doubts and their good friends, the myths, start creeping in and things can really spiral downward from there.
I love your focus on being yourself, but getting serious about learning the fundamentals and being persistent, patient and determined. I honestly believe my relentlessness may be the only thing that gets me through the day sometimes!
Really awesome post, Jenny! From one introverted dog lover to another! 🙂
You’re right about that — they sort of creep in without us realizing it!
I think your strategy sounds like a great one: focus on yourself, get serious about biz fundamentals, and be persistent, patient, and determined. That certainly is the key to making it all happen. You go, you introverted dog lover!! xo
Thank you for your post Jenny.
The one that I’m kind of ashamed to admit was true — was that “creating an online business was a piece of cake. Oh … I thought it would be easier. I get that there is a lot of hard work involved — and lots & lots of learning. I guess the good thing is that I’m afraid of hard work.
Oh — oh I wish it were true. :^)
Thanks Jenny.
You’re in good company, Nathalie! I used to think the same thing. The good thing is that you now know the truth… and the other thing I like to remind myself of in this case is that because it’s not easy, it means there’s a lot less competition out there than it seems, especially for the high-achieving go-getters. So keep at it, and you’ll get there, too!!
I think the two biggest for me have been ‘saturation’ and the secret code. I’ve always known I wanted to work for myself, and what my passion work was, but I’ve only recently really embraced this in a way that I think is ‘workable’ for me. I think saturation is a state of mind. It’s highly unlikely in 2013 that you’re not going to find at least a few people doing the work you want to do, but you can’t let that stop you from pursuing the work that lights you up. I personally believe (and have found this to be true) that when someone is trying to force something to work or do work that doesn’t light them up, you can kinda tell.
The secret code issue is still one that kinda pulls at me in times of frustration. You see people who clearly ‘get it’, and then you try to do what they’re telling you they do, and it doesn’t work. I’ve gotten to the point that I almost don’t really want to know how anyone else does anything, unless it’s something technical (not my strongest suit). I think the biggest thing is yes, you can look at what other people are doing, but that doesn’t and won’t mean it will work for you. Just my personal experience.
Thanks for the great articles!
Glad you see what could keep you tripped up, and even happier to see you know how to keep yourself in check. Kudos, Candace!