Learn From My Rodeo Wrecks
Building a business isn’t for the faint of heart—it’s for the bold, the gritty, and the ones willing to dust themselves off and get back in the saddle after hitting the dirt. Trust me, I’ve kissed that dirt more times than I care to count, but every mistake taught me something worth sharing. So, saddle up, small business owners—let’s talk about the mistakes I’ve made and how you can avoid them to ride smoother trails.

1. Riding Without a Map
Early on, I thought I could wing it—no clear plan, no strategy, just grit and hope. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t work. A goal without a plan is like trying to herd cattle without a fence. Whether it’s marketing, sales, or operations, you need to know where you’re headed and how you’ll get there.

How to Avoid It: Set clear goals for your business. Break those goals into actionable steps, and measure your progress regularly. Tools like project planners, CRMs, and content calendars are worth their weight in gold.

2. Doing It All Myself
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been the CEO, marketer, bookkeeper, janitor, and social media manager… all at once. Guilty as charged. I thought asking for help was a sign of weakness, but it’s the fastest way to burnout.

How to Avoid It: Delegate, automate, and outsource where you can. Focus on what you do best and bring in support for the rest—whether it’s a virtual assistant, a bookkeeping service, or a marketing agency (hint, hint).

3. Forgetting to Build a Brand
In the beginning, I thought a business was all about selling. But without a strong brand, you’re just another face in the crowd. Your brand is your story, your values, and the trust you build with your audience—it’s what makes you unforgettable.

How to Avoid It: Start with your ‘why’—why you do what you do, who you serve, and how you stand out. Build a consistent look, voice, and message across your website, social media, and emails. Let people see the real you. Book a consult call with us today if you are ready to take your brand to the next level this year! 

4. Ignoring the Numbers
I’ll admit it—I used to (and still do, let’s be honest) avoid looking at the books like they were a rattlesnake. But if you don’t know your numbers, you don’t know your business. Cash flow, margins, ROI—these aren’t just buzzwords; they’re your lifeline.

How to Avoid It: Set aside time every month to review your finances. Understand your income, expenses, and profit margins. If numbers make your head spin, hire a pro to help you lasso that data.

5. Overlooking Marketing
If you build it, they will come… not quite. I’ve been guilty of putting all my energy into my product or service and neglecting to market it. A great offer without visibility is like a rodeo with no audience.

How to Avoid It: Make marketing a priority. From social media to email campaigns, invest in reaching your ideal customers. And if you’re not sure where to start, partner with folks (like us) who can show you the ropes.

6. Missing Life Outside of Work
This one’s a tough pill to swallow. For years, I worked so much that I missed precious moments with my kids—first steps, first games, first words. I was so focused on building a business for my family that I forgot to actually be with them. And let me tell you, partner, you can’t get that time back.

How to Avoid It: Set boundaries. Your business can’t thrive if you’re running on empty, and your family deserves your presence, not just your hard work. Schedule time off, be intentional about work-life balance, and remember: success at work means nothing if you’re failing at home. Some recent boundaries that have worked for me are: 

• Turning my phone on DND after I pick the kids up from school and not turning it off DND until I drop them off the next day. 
• Setting clear “in office” times for our clients to be aware of. This way if they send a message outside of working hours they are aware that we may not get to it or respond until the following working day. 
• Putting my phone to bed. I have a “no phones in the bedroom” policy and my phone sleeps in the kitchen. 

7. Thinking Small
For a while, I played small—thinking I wasn’t ready, good enough, or deserving of bigger opportunities. That mindset? It cost me time and money.

How to Avoid It: Believe in the value you bring and take bold action. Set big goals, raise your prices when you need to, and step into opportunities even if they feel a little scary. Growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone.

Every Failure is a Blessing… If You Let It Be
Building a business is messy, beautiful, and downright wild—just like life on the range. I’ve made my fair share of mistakes, but every one of them brought me closer to my own version of success. And here’s the thing, partner: you don’t have to learn the hard way like I did.

Let’s ride this trail together—one smart decision at a time. If you’re ready to rope in better results, avoid burnout, and get your business on track, reach out to us [book a free call with me, Krista West, HERE]. We’ve been down the road, made the mistakes, and come out the other side… and now we’re here to help you blaze your trail without hitting the same bumps.

Here’s to riding smarter, not harder.