Avoid These 8 Business-Killing Mistakes Most Rookie Entrepreneur Makes #113

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Starting a business is thrilling, but it’s also a minefield of potential mistakes. As someone who’s built six businesses and coached over 500 entrepreneurs, I’ve seen the difference between success and failure often comes down to avoiding common pitfalls.

Today, I’m breaking down the eight biggest mistakes new business owners make—so you can skip the trial and error and get straight to building a thriving business.

 

1. Skipping Product Validation

One of the biggest missteps is launching a product without validating it first. Skipping this crucial step can lead to investing time and money in something your audience might not need or want. Before you go all in, take the time to validate your idea with real customers. Use tools like surveys, pre-sales, or even a simple MVP (Minimum Viable Product) to gather feedback. This ensures you’re meeting a genuine market demand and sets the stage for success.

2. Overspending

New business owners often believe that they need to spend big to make an impact—whether it’s on marketing, office space, or product development. This mindset can quickly drain your resources, leaving you with little room to manuever if things don’t go as planned.

I started most of my businesses with less than a thousand dollars. There's a module on pre-selling in my MomBossGoal program on how to make money before you even have your products ready. 

At the beginning, you can also focus on high-impact, low-cost strategies like content marketing and social media to build your brand without breaking the bank. Remember, lean startups are often the ones that thrive in the long run.

3. Chasing Followers Over Sales

In today’s social media-driven world, it’s tempting to focus on growing your follower count. But followers don’t pay the bills—customers do.

Instead of chasing vanity metrics like likes and number of followers, prioritise creating content that builds your brand, rally people to be part of your community and converts views into leads and sales. Your goal should be to turn those followers into paying customers by offering real value and solving their problems.

Forget about going viral. There's no point reaching people who aren't your target customers.

4. Waiting for Perfection

Perfectionism is a business killer. Many new entrepreneurs delay launching because they’re waiting for everything to be “just right.” The reality? There’s no such thing as perfect. All my websites are not perfect - but they have generated millions of dollars for me.

The most successful entrepreneurs get their products out there, gather feedback, and iterate. The key is to start—improve as you go.

5. Targeting Everyone

Rookie entrepreneurs often tell me that their products can be used by everyone. While that may be true, your marketing message need to focus on one group of people at a time.

Because trying to appeal to everyone usually means your message resonates with no one.

It’s crucial to identify your target audience and tailor your offerings (and marketing message) to meet their specific needs. The more focused your niche, the more effective your marketing will be. Don’t be afraid to niche down—you’ll attract a more engaged and loyal customer base.

6. Copying Others

While it’s important to learn from others, copying what they do won’t make you stand out. Your unique selling proposition (USP) is what sets you apart.

Instead of mimicking others, focus on what makes your business unique - and very often in the current crowded market, it is your thoughts, perspective and values you have as the founder that's truly unique. 

Hence, don't hide behind your brand. You are the USP of your business. Your authenticity and originality resonate far more with customers than imitation ever will.

7. Ignoring Email Marketing

In the rush to build a social media presence, many new business owners overlook the power of email marketing—and it’s a costly mistake.

Did you know that for every $1 spent on email marketing, the average return is $42?

Email is still one of the most effective ways to nurture relationships and drive sales. By not starting an email list from day one, you’re missing out on a direct line to your most engaged audience. Without a strong email list, you could be leaving significant revenue on the table.

Starting an email list early allows you to deliver value, build trust, and create a loyal customer base. If you’re unsure where to start, check out my posts on creating irresistible lead magnets and building high-converting landing pages to get your email marketing strategy off the ground.

8. Not Starting Today

Procrastination is the enemy of success. If you’re waiting for the perfect time to start your business, you’ll be waiting forever - there's no certainly what tomorrow may bring. 

As the saying goes, "The best time to start a business was yesterday; the second best time is today."

Take that first step, no matter how small. The sooner you begin, the sooner you’ll learn, grow, and move closer to your goals.

 Ready to Start Your Business Journey?

If you’re serious about starting a business and avoiding these common pitfalls, join my free webinar, 3 Secrets To Grow a $100K Business From Home. I’ll share the strategies that have helped me and hundreds of others build successful businesses. Let’s turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality!

Sign up for the free webinar here!