Next up in our Small Business Inspirational Series is DeAndrea Dorsey, Owner of Rubie Sadie LLC, a small business offering IT performance and streamline services through customized coordination solutions. DeAndrea shares the simple but business-changing advice that gave her the push she needed to start her business.
"The best advice I was given came from a complete stranger who chose to speak to me after I requested a volunteer business coach from SCORE. He is a gentleman that has had substantial experience volunteering and supporting aspiring entrepreneurs. His advice to me was to just start and stop overthinking all the possible outcomes, whether good or bad. He mentioned,
“The difference between those who are thinking about doing something and those who are actually doing something is that the latter simply started”.
I received this advice because I was scared to start an IT consulting business due to the lack of professional support, especially on specific networking social media sites. This lack of support made me feel that no one was interested in what I was offering. However, his advice propelled me to simply start.
To combat my fear and take the advice to heart, I followed his instructions clearly and they were: ask for recommendations from those in your network on LinkedIn as it will help build credibility, develop a website and keep it simple with just a landing page and ensure that it has everything that is needed, check to see if there are any agreements in place with your current company that will prevent you from starting a business and lastly, bootstrap everything until you are financially able to pay someone to do things for you. After taking his advice and combining it with developing a clear business objective, I implemented it all. Although traction has been slow, because I didn’t implement this advice immediately, waiting about six months to act, I am quite proud of myself for starting. This further led to me to developing a business plan, drafting grant proposals for future opportunities, and signing up for networking events to learn from experienced entrepreneurs.
This journey taught me that fear can stop us from walking in our purpose and bringing forth ideas that could eventually lead to the changing of lives.
When I was first contemplating starting my IT consulting business, I was overwhelmed by the potential obstacles and negative outcomes. I worried about whether there would be enough interest in my services and if I could sustain the business financially. These fears paralyzed me, preventing me from taking the initial steps needed to bring my vision to life.
The advice to just start was a pivotal moment for me. It helped me realize that overthinking and dwelling on potential problems were holding me back more than any external factors. By taking that first step, I broke free from the cycle of doubt and hesitation. As I progressed, I found that many of my fears were unfounded or manageable. Starting my IT consulting business has been a gradual process, and while I am facing challenges on this journey, I know that each step will be a learning experience and I am up for the challenge. Along this journey, I am gaining confidence in my abilities and a deeper understanding of what it takes to run a business. I expect traction to be slow as I’m just getting started and those outside of my immediate circle don’t quite see the impact I am expecting to have on this industry. This experience has reinforced that starting is often the hardest but most crucial step toward success. By overcoming my fear and embracing the journey, I have set my business on a path of growth and have opened the door to opportunities that could potentially change lives, including my own."
- DeAndrea Dorsey
Thank you for sharing a vulnerable and honest view into your journey becoming a small business owner DeAndrea Dorsey. The fears you overcame to simply start and the steps you took to start and grow are so inspiring.
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