It’s curious how good advice is hard enough to come by that we have to Google it and buy self-help books to find some; yet, bad advice comes at us like the tidal waves, especially when we get married, have babies, or start a new business. Strangely enough, those three activities are quite alike in that they are all heavy on the commitment and need a lot of nurturing to grow.
So what’s the worst advice you’ve ever heard about being an entrepreneur? We’ll start off, and you can leave yours in comments below.
“There are no new ideas.”
Just look at all the books, articles, songs and movies written every day. They are all just a different spin on existing ideas. While we are all for creative thought, it must be considered that different events and ideas can spark a creative thought, and as long as you don’t copy someone’s idea fully, you can use it as inspiration to create your own unique products or service.
“Do what you love.”
Ten minutes on Facebook or Instagram will bombard your senses with at least as many memes that say something to the effect of “Do what you love, and the money will follow.” Some of us love karaoke, but if we’re tone deaf, we probably won’t make money from it.
Of course, we like the idea of following our bliss, but one must be realistic. Someone who loves sewing and starts a sewing business will only be blissful for the few hours a day she gets to spend sewing. She may not enjoy the marketing, bookkeeping, sales and staff management as much.
We prefer the advice we found online from an unknown source:
Find three hobbies you love –
one to make you money
one to keep you in shape
and one to be creative.
As long as you make time for that, you will handle the pressures of entrepreneurship much better.
“Rather stick to your day job.”
Many well-meaning individuals will encourage you to stick with traditional employment. While entrepreneurship can lack security, particularly in the early days, it is a fantastic route for people who prefer fewer constraints. We just love having the ability to continually dream, innovate, and celebrate our successes.
“You can’t run a business if you’re a mom.”
So many women are told that they have to hide the fact that they are mothers if they want to make a success as an entrepreneur. We strongly disagree. Entrepreneurship is the most suitable job for a mother, as it provides flexibility. Who says you can’t be a loving mother and a committed business woman?
Over to you: What’s the worst entrepreneurial advice you’ve ever heard?