The Most Useless, Well-Meaning Advice Entrepreneurs Hear

For whatever reason, people love their meaningless clichés. Now, I generally wouldn’t kick off an updated blog with a negative post, however I’ve been receiving plenty of bad advice that I’d like to address. Alright, ‘bad’ might be harsh. Generally, people mean well and they want to help, but aren’t sure how and wind up doling out nice-sounding, but impractical or wholly useless advice, like “just be confident!”

Originally, I intended this to be one, single post, but there's enough bad advice for a series! Personally, I like to be practical, so I’m including some tips that work for me. Please share your own tips, tricks, and bad advice in the comments.

“Just put yourself out there! Network Network Network!”

Yes, it is important to network. Meeting and connecting with the right people can make worlds of difference in an endeavor. The catch though, is that it’s important to meet with the right people. While plenty will tell you “right” means “most prominent,” it’s more helpful to meet “your tribe,” so to speak. When I approach someone who isn’t into what I’m doing, it’s palpable. It feels, to me, like rejection. No one likes to be rejected, let alone in a room full of strangers.

Different types of events work for different folks. As an anxious introvert, HUGE events with a general theme (like my college’s alumni events) are usually a bust. I’ve found my most successful networking is done at small, focused events. I run a submissions-based magazine that works to empowers teen girls. Events focusing on girls’ and women’s rights, a specific cause, or even women’s businesses, tend to be my best bets because attendees are already interested in the cause.

My best tip (and I’m no pro at this, for sure!) is to only go when I’m in the mood. I have to work up to going to an event. I’m not alone in this, although extroverts are baffled by this phenomenon. If I am tired, cranky, or pre-occupied, it broadcasts to everyone in the room and I sink. I can’t just “turn it on” at will, so I’ll skip out it’s free or last-minute. If I have paid for an event in advance, I write it in my calendar and literally prep myself for it in the preceding days- sometimes even passing on other social outings. (Priorities!)

 In the preceding days, I’ll brainstorm questions that feel organic. If you’re not the type of person to ask strangers about their book or movie preferences, as many networking blogs suggest, think up a few questions that fit, beyond “what drew you to this event?” (Duh.) Try “How did you get started in this type of work?” and something less work-y like “What is your passion?” I legit practice in my head (and be sure I have my own answers prepared). And do my power poses (think Superwoman.) Because I’m really cool. 

Day of, I tie my hair back. Despite years of being told it “looks nicer down,” I will fiddle with it non-stop if I am nervous. As a person who is fidgety in general, I do a body scan every few minutes to make sure I’m not picking at my nails or anything. It makes people uncomfortable. Finally, as a person in the digital age, unless the event is specifically a live tweeting/photo op type of event, I leave my phone on silent, in the bottom of my bag, if I bring it at all. It’s good to be aware of all of our weird habits adorable quirks and learn how to manage them in certain social situations. If you’re even more anxious than me, ask a friend to help you prep and point out any habits you may have. (I also shake one leg like it’s on fire- which I avoid by standing when possible.)

Oh, and bring your business cards. Bring an amount that feels like way too many. You want to have them *just in case,* although you should shoot for 1 to 3 meaningful connections. You never know who will want to connect with you!

“Write/Do what you know and love! The money will follow.”

You can substitute ‘write’ and ‘blog’ with an applicable business-y word.

This is crap. It’s well-meaning and nice sounding crap, but still crap. It is difficult enough for creatives to find legit work that pays…and the further one gets down the rat tail (the more niche) the less likely people will pay for that kind of work. You can write what you love and know, write well, and still not make a living. Is that fair? No, probably not. Not always. This quote cuts out all of the reality of running a business.

Yes, there are plenty of bloggers who make a good living “just” blogging (and speaking, planning, designing etc.), there are dozens more who’s blogging income is supplemental, and hundreds more who make nothing at all. I think managing expectations is crucial. What does “money” mean? What are you trying to achieve? When? If you want to make a living off your blog, it’s probably not the best idea to write about something so niche that the market for it only includes 50 people. (Unless those 50 people are insanely wealthy….1000-Foot Yachting Monthly?)

Making any sort of money off of a blog/start-up takes time, patience, trial and error, rejection, frustration, patience, more patience, and a lot of planning. Even if your work is on-freaking-point, most well-paying companies require a massive  following before they’ll cut checks- and you’ll make the first move. Research, talk to other bloggers, see what their success looks like and how long it took. Ask if/how they supplement their income. Do they also teach classes based on their blog? Sell branded mugs? Give speeches? Maybe their blog/business is a spring board for an empire. Don’t assume that someone is “successful” doing *just* one thing. Come on, we’re millennials now, and do you know any millennial entrepreneur who does only ONE thing (for better or worse)? (Kidding, kind of!)

I’d love to offer more advice on making money from a website, but I’m only starting to breach that point. Mostly, I deal in disappointment and failure temporary rejection. I’m in the experimenting, frustration, and patience portion. I’ll share when I crack the code, I work on abundance.

If you have tips or ideas for creative ways to earn cash from your blog/website/small biz, please share them in the comments!

DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND YOU’LL NEVER WORK A DAY IN YOUR LIFE!

This is allegedly encouraging and it’s THE MOST CRAP. Sure, it’s great working on something you care deeply about. Yes, it’s great getting emails from customers letting you know they appreciate your work. It’s so, so fulfilling to see something you built grow. Some work is enjoyable, some is tedious. Work doesn't have to be suffering- BUT IT IS STILL WORK. 

There will ALWAYS be aspects of running a business that are draining, tedious or just shitty. I *love* writing and working with teens. I hate selling myself to strangers. I hate cold emails, and think the idea of cold calling (or cold dropping in) should be hurled into the damn sun. Guess which of these I spend the most time dedicated to?

I am so, so passionate about giving teen girls a platform, but in order to fund said core (see #2), I have to get out there and make meaningful, relevant connections (see #1). Without readers, how am I giving anyone a platform? It doesn’t matter how deep the passion burns if you’re relying on your business to feed you and it’s not. (See also: expectations! See also: even creating this projection is WORK.)

Running a business I am passionate about is LOTS OF work; some of it comes easier or more enjoyably. Meetings are work, planning is work, finding inspiration is work, paying bills is work, chasing down unpaid invoices is work. I try to take solace in knowing that as an entrepreneur, I have challenges my 9 to 5 peers don’t- BUT this is something I chose, that I am dedicated to, and proud of. Yes, I work every day. Sometimes on weekends. Sometimes at night. Sometimes when I’m sick. It is *work.* I wouldn’t change it though- I can always learn new ways to cope with challenging situations while pursuing my passion.

Share your most-often received bad advice in the comments!