Whether you’re looking to start a new full-time business, expanding your existing one, or kicking off a side hustle, setting off on a different venture can be chaotic, stressful, and very exciting, sometimes all at the same time. But after years of working with small business owners and entrepreneurs in Boston, the biggest piece of advice we can give is to think of this adventure like the Boston Marathon—it’s a long-distance race, not a sprint.
Start slow in the race so you can ramp up later. One of the biggest mistakes race newbies make is to start out too quickly at the beginning. The excitement and adrenaline leads to them running too hard, too quickly, and then struggling later. More advanced runners understand that when it feels like you’re going too slow, you’re going just about right, so that when you’re nearing those final miles, you can give it your all.
The same is true when you’re starting or expanding your business. It can be tempting to say yes to everything, burn the midnight candle every night, and generally throw everything you’ve got into your business. And there will be periods when this is necessary. But done too often for too long, you’ll find yourself burnt out much earlier than you want.
Instead, carve out manageable goals, look after yourself, and remember that, if this is a long-term venture for you, that a day off isn’t just deserved, but necessary.
Stay in your lane. Unless you are one of the elite runners, there will always be someone faster and stronger than you. Does that mean you shouldn’t run? Of course not, because you have different goals. You’re not looking to place number 1, but you might be after a new PB, a negative split, or just coming back from an injury. If you spent all your time comparing yourself to professional runners, you’d never put on your sneakers, never mind race.
The same is true in business. It’s likely there will be competitors doing something similar to you, or who seem more successful, or who you negatively compare yourself to. But you’re not them, and you don’t know what their story has been. Instead, stay focused on what you’re trying to do and do that well.
Reach out to your support team. Running a marathon is a big deal. It’s likely that your loved ones will be there, cheering you on. You might even ask them to hang around certain mile-markers, so that you can see a friendly face at a particularly tough point—Heartbreak Hill, anyone?
You can and should do the same in business. If you’re struggling with something, chances are someone else has, too. Most people are unbelievably generous with their time or sharing experiences. Tap into local entrepreneur groups, reach out to folks you admire on LinkedIn, or search for industry Meetup groups. Sometimes, just speaking with someone else who gets it can help. Create your own business support team that you can turn to.
Don’t forget to look back at your previous wins. You didn’t start out running marathons. But once you start running longer distances, it’s easy to forget that back in the day, a 5k was an accomplishment and a half marathon was the longest distance you’d done. Now and again, take stock of how far you’ve come. Soak in the fact that, at one point, where you are now is what you’d hoped for. And remember that if you’ve come this far, you can keep going.