March 2, 2025 • 18 mins
Starting a business is one of the most rewarding—and challenging—journeys you can take. Since launching my brands, our host, Allison, has experienced the highs, the lows, and everything in between. In this episode, she's sharing the biggest lessons learned along the way, including:
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, already in the trenches, or just curious about the behind-the-scenes of building a brand, this episode is packed with real talk and valuable insights.
Stay Connected:
- The mindset shifts that have been game-changers
- The unexpected challenges no one warned us about
- What you wish you knew before you start
- How you stay motivated when things get tough
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, already in the trenches, or just curious about the behind-the-scenes of building a brand, this episode is packed with real talk and valuable insights.
Stay Connected:
- Email your thoughts and feedback to us at allisonscornerpod@gmail.com
- Follow us on Instagram for updates: https://instagram.com/allisonscornerpod
- Check out our YouTube for more insight: https://www.youtube.com/@AllisonsCornerPod
- Join the conversation with our book club: https://www.instagram.com/allisonandfriendsbookclub/
- Subscribe to my newsletter on Substack for more reflections and resources: https://allisonscornerpod.substack.com/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hey, and welcome to Alison's Corner. This is my little
corner of the Internet where we dive into wellness, personal growth, relationships,
and just other topics best suited for you. I'm your host, Alison,
bringing you fresh perspectives, inspiring conversations, and a little something
(00:29):
to spark your day. Be sure to follow along with
Alison's Corner on Instagram, subscribe to our newsletter, and watch
us on YouTube at Allison's Corner Pod. Here you'll find
more insights in community updates of what we have going
on on Allison's Corner. Now, without further ado, here is
(00:50):
today's episode. Hello everyone, and welcome or welcome back to
another up episode of Allison's Corner. Of course, I am
your host, Alison, and today's episode is all about entrepreneurship. Specifically,
(01:11):
I wanted to talk about what I've learned since starting
my own business. So if you've been following me for
a while, you know I have been on a journey
of starting to build my own brands. We have this
podcast and we also have my book club, Alison and
(01:31):
Friends book Club. Please join, please, please please. I would
love for y'all to get into the amazing world of books.
But It's really been an exciting ride. But I do
want to tell y'all something. Starting a business is not easy,
and it is not for the feint of heart, because
(01:54):
there is so much that goes from starting something from
scratch and seeing the end product. And so today I
just want to be real with y'all and let you
guys know all about the highs and the lows and
the things no one really talks about or tells you,
and my personal lessons that have changed my perspective on business, money,
(02:20):
and just success overall. So whether you're thinking about starting
your own business, or you're already in the thick of it,
or maybe you're just curious as to what it's like
behind the scenes, this episode it is definitely for you.
So I really want to talk a little bit about
of why I got started. I think I've always had
(02:42):
an entrepreneurial mindset. I just didn't know how it would
show up. And for years, you know, I work in
corporate and I've always followed that traditional career path, but
deep down, I've always wanted to be my own CEO,
and I wanted to create something of my own, and
(03:06):
especially something that felt aligned with who I am and
what it is that I truly love. And the realization
hit for me when I started Allison's Corner, because this
started as a passion project, just sharing my thoughts with
you guys, and it has truly become something so much
(03:29):
bigger than that, and it's made me realize that I
had something valuable to offer. And then, of course with
my book club with Alison and friends, you know, that
was simply born out of my love for reading and
wanting to share that love with other people too. But
if I can be real for a second, starting isn't
(03:52):
the hard part. It is the staying in it, the
pushing through the self doubt and actually figure bing out
how to make money, because that, my friend, is when
all of the real work truly begins. So I want
to just talk about some of the biggest lessons that
(04:13):
I've learned, and I have written some of them down
and listen, I got a list. When I started to go,
I was really thinking, so we're just gonna go and
hop right into it. Number One, you have to be
your biggest believer. Okay, no one is going to hype
(04:35):
you up the way you have to hype yourself up.
And people may be supportive and There will be some
people who won't take you seriously until they see you
making money, but others just won't understand why you're doing
what you're doing. Some people will legit think you're crazy.
(04:55):
And I had to learn that my belief in my
vision matters more than anyone else's approval. If you don't
take yourself seriously, no one else will. And that means
showing up even when no one is watching, and acting
like your business is already successful before it even reaches
(05:19):
that point number two. Consistency is more important than perfection,
and this carries on in business and in life. This
one was hard for me because I personally love a plan.
I write everything down. I wanted everything to be perfect
before I launched, whether it was my branding, whether it
(05:43):
was my socials, whether it was my content. But the
truth is perfection is a trap, and waiting until things
are perfect it will keep you stuck. And I've learned
that showing up consistently matters more than getting everything one
(06:03):
hundred percent right. Because listen, I really want you guys
to know. You will improve as time goes on. You
will learn from your mistakes, You will adapt to new
things as technology changes, as what resonates with your audience
might change, but the key is to just start and
(06:25):
be willing to adapt along the way. Number three and
this one was a bit hard for me. When you
work for someone else, you get a paycheck every two weeks,
every three weeks, every month, whatever. You get a paycheck,
and it's stable, it's predictable, you know when it's coming,
(06:48):
and it is it is yours, okay. But when you
work for yourself, all of that stability is gone, and
suddenly you have to create your own income. And with
this I had to unlearn a lot of my fears
around money because instead of thinking, well, what if this
doesn't work out? You know, I had to start thinking
(07:11):
how can I make this work? Because I'm still someone
who is still doing their nine to five. And when
I tell you this is something that I truly need
to master, I need to master because I always think,
in the back of my head, if I lose my
job tomorrow, can this podcast or whatever else I create
(07:32):
sustain me. And one of my biggest shifts was realizing
that money isn't just earned through hard work, it is
also earned through value, and people pay for what they
see as valuable. The question is Are you solving a problem,
are you meeting a need? You know, what is it
(07:53):
that you are valuable in or whatever product or service
you are offering. Where does it's value lie. Once I
started focusing on that instead of oh, just you know,
I want to make money, I feel like that is
when things really started to shift. Number four, Your friends
(08:14):
and family are not your first customers. And this is
something that I wish so much more people talked about,
because when you start a business, everyone assumes that their
friends and family will be their biggest customers. And sometimes
they are. In my case, I'm very blessed in which
they are for me, but oftentimes they are not. And
(08:38):
I want to assure you that that's okay, because it
doesn't mean that they don't support you. It just means
they're not your target audience. You know, your real audience.
They're out there waiting for you, but you got to
go find them, and you need to focus on them
and not on trying to get your family and friends
(08:59):
to buy from you overall. Because this leads me to
my next point, you guys. Number five, knowing your target
audience is key. Okay. One of the biggest mistakes that
I see people who start a business make is not
(09:20):
knowing who they're selling to, because you cannot tell to anybody,
any and everybody will not buy from you. So for example,
with me with Alison and friends, I'm not just creating
a book club. I'm selling an experience. I'm creating a
community of people to read more from authors who are
(09:44):
people of color and to learn about their histories and
their cultures outside of what is typically taught to us
in school. So my audience is people who love to
read but want to learn and explore different writings from
people who also look like them, or maybe don't look
(10:06):
like them. So when you're starting a business, you have
to ask certain questions. You need to ask who are
my people, what do they love or what problems do
they have that I can solve. Because the clearer you
are on who your audience is, trust me, the easier
(10:28):
it is to sell. Number six Persistence is the secret.
And I really want to hone in on this because
so many people start a business, they start a podcast,
they start some brand, and then they quit way too soon.
And why is that because they expected instant results. And
(10:54):
here's the truth. Success is not overnight. It takes a
lot of time, and it takes so much consistency to
get there. An overnight success takes ten years, and it
takes pushing through all of those things when it feels
like nothing is working, all the self doubt, all the
(11:16):
imposter syndrome, everything. And I've had moments where I've questioned
whatever it is that I'm doing, because I have truly
thought about giving up, honestly, but I always have to
remind myself why I started and what it is that
truly keeps me going. Number seven, Most people start but
(11:40):
don't continue. And I want to kind of reiterate this
point a little bit. It's a little different from number six,
but I really want to hone in on this one
a little a little bit. Let's talk about podcasts for
a second. Did y'all know that most podcasts don't make
it past ten episodes And a lot of people say
that podcasts, the field of podcasts or the industry is
(12:05):
super saturated, but truthfully it's not. There are so many
podcasts out there, but there are so few that are
actually active. And the reason is because people start, they
get excited, but when they don't see that instant success,
they stop. And I've been podcasting for a little over
(12:27):
two years now, and I get it because there were
times when my episodes didn't get as many listeners as
I've hoped. But I've kept going because I knew growth
happens over time, and this applies to everything in business.
The difference between those who succeed and those who don't
(12:52):
are the ones who succeed because they keep going even
when it feels like nothing is happening at the time.
Number eight. I really want to stress this one. You
can't do it all alone. Friend. I used to think
that because I was the one with the vision, I
had to do it all myself. Everything was done by me.
(13:16):
But trying to wear every hat, you know, being the CEO,
the marketer, the accountant, the content creator, it'll burn you
out very fast. And the best thing that I did
was learning how to outsource and learning when to ask
for help and when to let go of control, because
(13:38):
whether that's hiring a designer for my branding, getting advice
from other podcasters or other entrepreneurs, or even automating certain tasks,
delegating is a big game changer. And last, but not least,
number nine, rejection and failure are part of the game.
(14:02):
One of the hardest things to accept is that not
everything will work, and some ideas will flop, and some
pitches they'll go ignored, and just overall, some people won't
believe in your business. But I want you to remember this,
Every no is a redirection, every mistake is a lesson
(14:29):
because I used to take rejection very personally, but now
I see it as just part of the journey. If
you are not feeling sometimes you are not taking big
enough risk, and you need to take all the risk
if you really want to succeed. So, now that I've
given you what I've learned since starting my business, I
(14:51):
really want to highlight some of the things that are
the best parts and the hardest parts about starting your
own business. Oh, the best parts create a freedom. You
build something that is one hundred percent yours, and that
is the best feeling you have. The impact knowing that
(15:17):
something you created is helping or inspiring others in a
way that is priceless. And another thing that I love
is the potential. Because your income or your business isn't
capped at just this ceiling. Your growth potential it is limitless.
(15:41):
But the hardest parts financial uncertainty, especially in the beginning
when you're trying to figure it all out, because trust me,
I have been there, the imposter syndrome. I talk about
it to you guys all the time. I feel like
a broken record is just that constant feeling of am
(16:03):
I even good enough to do this? Just always having
that feeling sometimes is annoying and also the pressure to
succeed because when it's your business, the responsibility falls all
on you. So if you're thinking of starting your own business,
(16:23):
here is my advice, and I'm gonna keep it quick
and simple for you. Number One, start before you're ready,
because you will never be one hundred percent ready, So
just start, Just start and adjust along the way. Number two,
be willing to pivot because your original idea might evolve,
(16:48):
and that is okay. Number three, I want you to
build a community. I need you to network, and I
need you to find support because once you're able to
do that, that is going to take you so much
further than trying to do everything alone. Number four, I really,
really really want you to know your why. Money is great,
(17:12):
but your real motivation it should be bigger than that.
And lastly, number five, I told you I was going
to keep it pretty short. Keep going success it doesn't
happen overnight, but consistency will always pay off. So, guys,
(17:32):
starting a business is not easy, but it is most
definitely worth it. And if you're on this journey, keep going,
stay persistent, and most importantly, believe in yourself. Of course,
before we go, I want to leave you with a quote,
and this is from Simon Sinek, and it says, dream big,
(17:55):
start small, but most of all, start as always. God
bless have an amazing day and thank you for listening
to Alison's Corner. Thanks for tuning in to Alison's Corner.
If you enjoy today's episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave
(18:15):
a review, and share it with a friend who'd love
to join the conversation. For more context and updates, follow
us on Instagram and YouTube at Allison's Corner Pod. Until
next time, be blessed,
Hey, and welcome to Alison's Corner. This is my little
corner of the Internet where we dive into wellness, personal growth, relationships,
and just other topics best suited for you. I'm your host, Alison,
bringing you fresh perspectives, inspiring conversations, and a little something
(00:29):
to spark your day. Be sure to follow along with
Alison's Corner on Instagram, subscribe to our newsletter, and watch
us on YouTube at Allison's Corner Pod. Here you'll find
more insights in community updates of what we have going
on on Allison's Corner. Now, without further ado, here is
(00:50):
today's episode. Hello everyone, and welcome or welcome back to
another up episode of Allison's Corner. Of course, I am
your host, Alison, and today's episode is all about entrepreneurship. Specifically,
(01:11):
I wanted to talk about what I've learned since starting
my own business. So if you've been following me for
a while, you know I have been on a journey
of starting to build my own brands. We have this
podcast and we also have my book club, Alison and
(01:31):
Friends book Club. Please join, please, please please. I would
love for y'all to get into the amazing world of books.
But It's really been an exciting ride. But I do
want to tell y'all something. Starting a business is not easy,
and it is not for the feint of heart, because
(01:54):
there is so much that goes from starting something from
scratch and seeing the end product. And so today I
just want to be real with y'all and let you
guys know all about the highs and the lows and
the things no one really talks about or tells you,
and my personal lessons that have changed my perspective on business, money,
(02:20):
and just success overall. So whether you're thinking about starting
your own business, or you're already in the thick of it,
or maybe you're just curious as to what it's like
behind the scenes, this episode it is definitely for you.
So I really want to talk a little bit about
of why I got started. I think I've always had
(02:42):
an entrepreneurial mindset. I just didn't know how it would
show up. And for years, you know, I work in
corporate and I've always followed that traditional career path, but
deep down, I've always wanted to be my own CEO,
and I wanted to create something of my own, and
(03:06):
especially something that felt aligned with who I am and
what it is that I truly love. And the realization
hit for me when I started Allison's Corner, because this
started as a passion project, just sharing my thoughts with
you guys, and it has truly become something so much
(03:29):
bigger than that, and it's made me realize that I
had something valuable to offer. And then, of course with
my book club with Alison and friends, you know, that
was simply born out of my love for reading and
wanting to share that love with other people too. But
if I can be real for a second, starting isn't
(03:52):
the hard part. It is the staying in it, the
pushing through the self doubt and actually figure bing out
how to make money, because that, my friend, is when
all of the real work truly begins. So I want
to just talk about some of the biggest lessons that
(04:13):
I've learned, and I have written some of them down
and listen, I got a list. When I started to go,
I was really thinking, so we're just gonna go and
hop right into it. Number One, you have to be
your biggest believer. Okay, no one is going to hype
(04:35):
you up the way you have to hype yourself up.
And people may be supportive and There will be some
people who won't take you seriously until they see you
making money, but others just won't understand why you're doing
what you're doing. Some people will legit think you're crazy.
(04:55):
And I had to learn that my belief in my
vision matters more than anyone else's approval. If you don't
take yourself seriously, no one else will. And that means
showing up even when no one is watching, and acting
like your business is already successful before it even reaches
(05:19):
that point number two. Consistency is more important than perfection,
and this carries on in business and in life. This
one was hard for me because I personally love a plan.
I write everything down. I wanted everything to be perfect
before I launched, whether it was my branding, whether it
(05:43):
was my socials, whether it was my content. But the
truth is perfection is a trap, and waiting until things
are perfect it will keep you stuck. And I've learned
that showing up consistently matters more than getting everything one
(06:03):
hundred percent right. Because listen, I really want you guys
to know. You will improve as time goes on. You
will learn from your mistakes, You will adapt to new
things as technology changes, as what resonates with your audience
might change, but the key is to just start and
(06:25):
be willing to adapt along the way. Number three and
this one was a bit hard for me. When you
work for someone else, you get a paycheck every two weeks,
every three weeks, every month, whatever. You get a paycheck,
and it's stable, it's predictable, you know when it's coming,
(06:48):
and it is it is yours, okay. But when you
work for yourself, all of that stability is gone, and
suddenly you have to create your own income. And with
this I had to unlearn a lot of my fears
around money because instead of thinking, well, what if this
doesn't work out? You know, I had to start thinking
(07:11):
how can I make this work? Because I'm still someone
who is still doing their nine to five. And when
I tell you this is something that I truly need
to master, I need to master because I always think,
in the back of my head, if I lose my
job tomorrow, can this podcast or whatever else I create
(07:32):
sustain me. And one of my biggest shifts was realizing
that money isn't just earned through hard work, it is
also earned through value, and people pay for what they
see as valuable. The question is Are you solving a problem,
are you meeting a need? You know, what is it
(07:53):
that you are valuable in or whatever product or service
you are offering. Where does it's value lie. Once I
started focusing on that instead of oh, just you know,
I want to make money, I feel like that is
when things really started to shift. Number four, Your friends
(08:14):
and family are not your first customers. And this is
something that I wish so much more people talked about,
because when you start a business, everyone assumes that their
friends and family will be their biggest customers. And sometimes
they are. In my case, I'm very blessed in which
they are for me, but oftentimes they are not. And
(08:38):
I want to assure you that that's okay, because it
doesn't mean that they don't support you. It just means
they're not your target audience. You know, your real audience.
They're out there waiting for you, but you got to
go find them, and you need to focus on them
and not on trying to get your family and friends
(08:59):
to buy from you overall. Because this leads me to
my next point, you guys. Number five, knowing your target
audience is key. Okay. One of the biggest mistakes that
I see people who start a business make is not
(09:20):
knowing who they're selling to, because you cannot tell to anybody,
any and everybody will not buy from you. So for example,
with me with Alison and friends, I'm not just creating
a book club. I'm selling an experience. I'm creating a
community of people to read more from authors who are
(09:44):
people of color and to learn about their histories and
their cultures outside of what is typically taught to us
in school. So my audience is people who love to
read but want to learn and explore different writings from
people who also look like them, or maybe don't look
(10:06):
like them. So when you're starting a business, you have
to ask certain questions. You need to ask who are
my people, what do they love or what problems do
they have that I can solve. Because the clearer you
are on who your audience is, trust me, the easier
(10:28):
it is to sell. Number six Persistence is the secret.
And I really want to hone in on this because
so many people start a business, they start a podcast,
they start some brand, and then they quit way too soon.
And why is that because they expected instant results. And
(10:54):
here's the truth. Success is not overnight. It takes a
lot of time, and it takes so much consistency to
get there. An overnight success takes ten years, and it
takes pushing through all of those things when it feels
like nothing is working, all the self doubt, all the
(11:16):
imposter syndrome, everything. And I've had moments where I've questioned
whatever it is that I'm doing, because I have truly
thought about giving up, honestly, but I always have to
remind myself why I started and what it is that
truly keeps me going. Number seven, Most people start but
(11:40):
don't continue. And I want to kind of reiterate this
point a little bit. It's a little different from number six,
but I really want to hone in on this one
a little a little bit. Let's talk about podcasts for
a second. Did y'all know that most podcasts don't make
it past ten episodes And a lot of people say
that podcasts, the field of podcasts or the industry is
(12:05):
super saturated, but truthfully it's not. There are so many
podcasts out there, but there are so few that are
actually active. And the reason is because people start, they
get excited, but when they don't see that instant success,
they stop. And I've been podcasting for a little over
(12:27):
two years now, and I get it because there were
times when my episodes didn't get as many listeners as
I've hoped. But I've kept going because I knew growth
happens over time, and this applies to everything in business.
The difference between those who succeed and those who don't
(12:52):
are the ones who succeed because they keep going even
when it feels like nothing is happening at the time.
Number eight. I really want to stress this one. You
can't do it all alone. Friend. I used to think
that because I was the one with the vision, I
had to do it all myself. Everything was done by me.
(13:16):
But trying to wear every hat, you know, being the CEO,
the marketer, the accountant, the content creator, it'll burn you
out very fast. And the best thing that I did
was learning how to outsource and learning when to ask
for help and when to let go of control, because
(13:38):
whether that's hiring a designer for my branding, getting advice
from other podcasters or other entrepreneurs, or even automating certain tasks,
delegating is a big game changer. And last, but not least,
number nine, rejection and failure are part of the game.
(14:02):
One of the hardest things to accept is that not
everything will work, and some ideas will flop, and some
pitches they'll go ignored, and just overall, some people won't
believe in your business. But I want you to remember this,
Every no is a redirection, every mistake is a lesson
(14:29):
because I used to take rejection very personally, but now
I see it as just part of the journey. If
you are not feeling sometimes you are not taking big
enough risk, and you need to take all the risk
if you really want to succeed. So, now that I've
given you what I've learned since starting my business, I
(14:51):
really want to highlight some of the things that are
the best parts and the hardest parts about starting your
own business. Oh, the best parts create a freedom. You
build something that is one hundred percent yours, and that
is the best feeling you have. The impact knowing that
(15:17):
something you created is helping or inspiring others in a
way that is priceless. And another thing that I love
is the potential. Because your income or your business isn't
capped at just this ceiling. Your growth potential it is limitless.
(15:41):
But the hardest parts financial uncertainty, especially in the beginning
when you're trying to figure it all out, because trust me,
I have been there, the imposter syndrome. I talk about
it to you guys all the time. I feel like
a broken record is just that constant feeling of am
(16:03):
I even good enough to do this? Just always having
that feeling sometimes is annoying and also the pressure to
succeed because when it's your business, the responsibility falls all
on you. So if you're thinking of starting your own business,
(16:23):
here is my advice, and I'm gonna keep it quick
and simple for you. Number One, start before you're ready,
because you will never be one hundred percent ready, So
just start, Just start and adjust along the way. Number two,
be willing to pivot because your original idea might evolve,
(16:48):
and that is okay. Number three, I want you to
build a community. I need you to network, and I
need you to find support because once you're able to
do that, that is going to take you so much
further than trying to do everything alone. Number four, I really,
really really want you to know your why. Money is great,
(17:12):
but your real motivation it should be bigger than that.
And lastly, number five, I told you I was going
to keep it pretty short. Keep going success it doesn't
happen overnight, but consistency will always pay off. So, guys,
(17:32):
starting a business is not easy, but it is most
definitely worth it. And if you're on this journey, keep going,
stay persistent, and most importantly, believe in yourself. Of course,
before we go, I want to leave you with a quote,
and this is from Simon Sinek, and it says, dream big,
(17:55):
start small, but most of all, start as always. God
bless have an amazing day and thank you for listening
to Alison's Corner. Thanks for tuning in to Alison's Corner.
If you enjoy today's episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave
(18:15):
a review, and share it with a friend who'd love
to join the conversation. For more context and updates, follow
us on Instagram and YouTube at Allison's Corner Pod. Until
next time, be blessed,
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Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!