Start Simple, Grow Fast
I know the feeling, because I’ve been there. Right there in your shoes.
“I have a new business! I must immediately DO ALL THE THINGS!”
And by ‘do all the things’, I mean: offer all the complicated packages and subscriptions, provide all the services, buy office space, hire staff, spend money on advertising, invest in all the hardware and tools, automate everything. You get the idea.
Now, depending on your perspective, this can seem either amazing and energizing, or downright overwhelming. So the advice I have will be bad news or good news. The advice is this:
DON’T.
Don’t do all the things that you could possibly do right away. Pace yourself. Start simple, perhaps even minimal.
I can hear some of you breathing a sigh of relief, while others are questioning my desire to see them succeed… so let me explain.
Why Starting Simple is Better
When I started my first consulting business, I wanted to do everything right away. Offer all kinds of services, in complicated packages, supported by a multitude of tools and automation, processes engineered to within an inch of their lives. I built offerings in great detail, and spent a lot of time, money, and energy developing systems for managing all the business I would have.
I scrapped 90% of that work within the first year. Completely wasted.
That’s right. 90% of my efforts went unused and ultimately went nowhere. Why?
Because I didn’t focus on getting clients immediately, with simple and flexible engagements featuring my best product: me.
Had I focused initially on landing clients with straightforward offerings, I would have:
learned what I really needed to manage my business
understood what my ideal clients truly want and will pay for
not wasted time and money on overhead costs I could have avoided
built confidence in myself, my skills, and my business.
There’s plenty of time to add offerings, services, and packages, to expand your physical location, to bring in new technology…all after you have your feet firmly planted.
Narrow Your Focus
I’m not saying don’t invest in your new business. Not by a long shot! I’m saying be sure you are investing (both time and money) in the RIGHT things first. So let’s talk about how you know what those right things are.
There’s a saying in book editing that may apply here:
“Kill your darlings.”
When writing a draft, sometimes you come up with a phrase or scene that is so brilliant, you want to force it into the final manuscript no matter what. Even if it doesn’t fit the story, even if it doesn’t advance the scene, this is your ‘darling’ and you do everything to make it fit. You don’t want to edit that genius out! It’s a little harsh, the ‘kill’ part, because you can always use that scene/character/turn-of-phrase in another book…but you get the idea. These darlings get stuck in your head, and distract you from the real story you need to tell.
So what’s your ‘darling’?
Complicated package offerings that are impossible to sell?
Membership structures that present a back-office management nightmare?
Niche services that have a very limited market?
A sexy office suite that’s out of your price range?
Projects like these often add undue cost and stress, which is exactly the opposite of what you need when starting a business.
What Do You Really Need?
I’m going to start generic. This is what nearly every business needs to get started today:
A company name and all the legal stuff that goes with it (licensing, registration, contracts, etc)
An accountant/bookkeeper - unless you’re starting an accounting business 😉
A logo and branding, including colors and fonts
A professional website with a way to contact you
Custom email (free for the first year with me!)
Now let’s get more specific.
If you’re starting a medical aesthetics practice, as many of my clients are, you want to start simple with your services.
What exactly you offer may vary; here are some questions to help you decide:
What provides the best profit margins?
What are clients in my area interested in?
What devices are needed, and do I already have them?
What service can I offer to differentiate myself from my competition?
What will it take to sell, schedule, and track revenue for this offering?
What services am I confident performing?
Many times, these questions lead clients to an opening menu that includes things like neurotoxins, chemical peels, 1228 Protocol®, fillers, facials, and microneedling.
Services are single pay visits (with the exception of treatment series packages which can be two-pay), cash or credit card; no memberships, variable pricing or gift cards.
As your client base grows, you’ll learn more about what sells well in your area. And as your business matures, you can take on back office management of things like memberships, clubs, discounts, affiliate sales, and more!
Oh, and one more benefit of starting simple:
Every time you add a new service or offering, it’s like a mini-launch! 🎉 Expansion is a great reason to reach out to your client base with a newsletter, make a big splash on social media, or throw a party in your office!
