5 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Was A Newbie Entrepreneur

After blogging here at Sam Vander Wielen LLC for the past 4+ years, we thought it’d be fun to spruce up some classics for you! We re-sharing this post that was originally published for you in 2017. Don’t worry – I’m all healed up from my brain surgery now! xo- Sam 

Editor’s Note: Hi friend! Sam here 🙂 I’m out for a little bit resting up from my brain surgery. In the meantime, some of my amazing, kind, and generous friends put together a few guest blog posts for you guys to nosh on while I’m gone!

Today’s guest post is brought to you by my friend Cameron Simcik — a nutrition and anxiety coach who helps women not only survive, but thrive, through good food, self-care, and healthy living.

Today, Cameron’s sharing with you “Things I Wish I’d Known As A Newbie Entrepreneur”. I can so relate to Cameron’s experience, and I hope you will, too.

Things I Wish I’d Known As A Newbie Entrepreneur

Take it away Cameron…

Being multi-passionate is my jam, and that’s why entrepreneurship was calling my name loud and clear a few years ago. I’ve been a radio DJ, voice over artist, food writer, marketer, and now, of course, an entrepreneur. Starting my business has given me the chance to carve my own path and mix and match my interests to create a heart-filled career!

After naturally overcoming my own 10-year anxiety struggle, I launched my nutrition and anxiety coaching business with a lot of passion and little idea of what to expect. What I’ve realized is entrepreneurship is like an awesome-scary-amazing-risk-taking rollercoaster ride that can reveal your amazing potential, and that’s why I love it.

Looking back though, there are definitely ways I could’ve stayed a bit saner and kept my stress levels in check early on. It’s totally possible to build your own business in a sustainable way, and that’s why I’m sharing with you 5 key lessons I wish I’d known when I was a newbie entrepreneur:

1 // Down time is just as important as work time.

Spending time filling your cup outside of your work is critical to avoid early burnout, especially since when you take your great idea and turn it into a business, you know you’ll be in it for the long haul. When you allow yourself to relax and do something just for fun, chances are you’ll show up to your business with a fuller heart and more focused mind.

2 // Make other entrepreneur friends!

Surrounding yourself with business owners who get it — the ups and downs, the victories and challenges — can help you feel much more supported throughout the process. It’s also a great way to bounce around new ideas and share advice!

Working from a local co-working space can be a great way to connect with other work-from-homers or entrepreneurs. I started expanding my tribe by following local wellness professionals on Instagram and simply reached out to those I felt shared my values. This might seem strange, but seriously, it works (especially when you find out how much hard work went into their businesses, and that a fraction of a fraction of them were actually over night successes).

Personally, I love having coffee shop work dates with Sam 😉  

{editorial note: Sam loves having coffee dates with Cameron, too!}

3 // There will be ups and downs, and that’s OK.

The rollercoaster is part of the entrepreneurial ride. You’ll probably be stretching yourself past your comfort zone often, and with that may come anxiety, doubt or fear. But on the other side are periods of pure joy, excitement, and pride! I used to think I was the only one going through major ups and downs, but when I started making entrepreneur friends, I found out I’m not the only one. Lean on that support system often.

4 // Make an effort to get out of your house/apartment.

In the beginning, there were days where I didn’t leave my apartment all day, and I barely got up from my computer chair.  I was so focused on my work and busy planning that I completely forgot how important it was for my sanity to have real human connections. It’s easy in an office, but if you work from home, isolation can happen pretty quickly. Having entrepreneur or work-from-home friends (see #2) can help you feel more connected, supported and calmer.

5 // Tune into your gut.

You’ll probably have people telling you what you “should be” doing in your business, because it worked for them. But (and this is a big but), it’s so important to tune into what feels right for your business. This includes what I’m suggesting!

Sometimes things just don’t feel right. You’ll know. I’m still told I “have to” do XYZ in order to get clients, but some advice doesn’t sit well with me. Aligning my values with my business has allowed me to feel much more connected to my work and build a sustainable foundation where I truly feel good about what I’m creating.

No matter what, enjoy the ride! Choosing entrepreneurship takes incredible courage, and when you approach it from a place of joy and fun, chances are you’ll attract more of that into your business and life.

Thank you so much, Cameron! I love all of your suggestions! I had to learn all of these the hard way, too. But — in retrospect — having to go through it all helped shape me into the entrepreneur I am, today. But I definitely learned the hard way that taking care of yourself along the way is vital to success.

More about Cameron:

Cameron Simcik is a nutrition and anxiety coach dedicated to helping women end their fight with anxiety and truly thrive! She’s based in the Philadelphia area and works 1:1 with women nationwide. Check her out on Instagram.