A lot of digital nomads are also entrepreneurs — and it’s no coincidence. Both nomading and starting a business require certain characteristics that not everyone has: you have to be willing to leave the security of the familiar, take risks, strive to learn, and invest in yourself. You have to be self-motivated, passionate, proactive, flexible, and perseverant.
But some of those same characteristics can be their — our — worst enemy.
You charge off into the sunset, ready to execute your great idea, unafraid of failure because you know it will lead to growth in the long run. You don’t always take the time to do what should be the critical first step: all the research and strategy work that ensures you have a solid foundation to set your business up for success.
I’ve worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs around the world, and this is one of the most common mistakes I see them making.
Many entrepreneurs, when they get an idea for their business, start by thinking, “I need a website,” followed immediately by “what should I say on my website?”
In a perfect world, you wouldn’t start with the website. You wouldn’t start with the logo. You wouldn’t even start with what makes your idea great.
You would start with examining the existing market: understanding your field and the most important and pressing issues, not just now, but that will emerge in the next decade. You would start by looking at who your competitors are and what they offer. You would start by determining who your audience is and what they’re looking for.
Only then would you look at what you can offer and what makes it distinct. You’d figure out not just what makes your product or service unique, but who your brand is and what your company stands for. From there, you’d figure out what to say and how to say it in a way that meets your audience’s needs. And only then would you be ready to create a logo and a website.
If you’re thinking “eep, that’s me” — it’s ok. We don’t live in a perfect world. That’s why you’re an entrepreneur. You iterate. You grow.
But if you haven’t yet done that strategic work of understanding your market and the gaps and opportunities you can fill for your audience in a way that your competitors can’t — now is the time.
If you’re not sure where to start, that’s ok. You’re the entrepreneur — the ideas person. No one is an expert at every element of running a business.
That’s why I created my Business Strategy, Brand Positioning & Messaging Accelerator — to help current and aspiring entrepreneurs make sure they have all the fundamental pieces in place for a successful business (scroll down for a discount). I’ve used the same processes to help Fortune 500 companies and U.S. government agencies launch multimillion-dollar initiatives.
So what are you waiting for? No matter how big your company is, making sure you have an up-to-date understanding of your market, your competitors, and your audience is essential.
Get more information and apply for Tasha’s accelerator program here. Enter the code “Nomadific25” on your application under “how you heard about the program” for $25 off.
100% – I agree. There have been so many businesses that I have set up without doing any of the basics first.
It’s SO important to do the foundation work so you will have a fitting chance to be able to start and grow.