One of the best things about video games is the ability to restart – you can use your learnings to move faster and avoid obstacles. We often think about what we would do differently if we were starting over in business and we figured others probably think about this as well and so we asked the community to share their thoughts with us.

Suzie Gamboa

I would lean into my intuition more often. Coming from a scientific background made it easy to research all day and every day. While, yes, research is important, so is action! Looking back, if I’d taken more imperfect action I might be doing the work I love now, a lot sooner. Read more>>

Yibi & Nimrod

If I was starting my business over again… I would just tell myself to believe, to believe in me, to not give up just becase im not seeing results fast doesn’t mean im not doing good. When we started the business it was just me as the photographer, then my husband came along as the videographer, and we started seeing more growth because we were offering photo & video. However one thing I would have done differently at the beginning, Is that I would have invested more in education. Read more>>

Lauren Ephrat

If I was starting over I would be far more patient, discerning, and selective about the people I hire. I would not rush into partnering with marketing or advertising agencies in hopes of them scaling the business quickly. Contrary to the few overnight successes that you read about, I’ve come to realize that building a business takes time. I would perform far more due diligence and have a deeper understanding of the experiences of their past clients. I wouldn’t rush into trusting that anyone could be as passionate about marketing the brand as I am, and that their attention to detail would compare with mine. Read more>>

Nathan Mitchell

Starting off as a photographer in the wedding industry is often a matter of realizing that you can make money shooting weddings, picking up a camera, and shooting a friend or co-worker’s wedding. That’s how I started. But it’s a business just like any other business, and so if I were starting over again, I’d treat it more like a business earlier on. I don’t mean sacrificing creativity, I mean setting more goals, managing money coming in, advertising more right off the bat, and networking more with other photographers. Read more>>

Sierra Doucette

Running a service-based business as a soloprenuer can be very challenging when just starting out. If I was to start over, I would definitely try to vet my clientele, via an application process, rather than accepting all clients. It took me over a year of dealing with various clients who were not compatiable with my business to realize that not all money is good money. When an entrepreneur is just beginning it can be exciting to have so many clients and seeing the profit and the growth of the business. Read more>>

Jen Walker

If I could go back, I would tell myself not to let other people’s thoughts or opinions affect the future of my career. When I started college at MTSU, I majored in graphic design. I got frustrated about meeting portfolio deadlines and let myself feel discouraged by professors and other students based on their opinions. I did what everyone else told me to. I switched to a music business major because it’s Nashville and that’s what people do here. Read more>>

Vickie Murphy

Since starting my business, I have made some mistakes and experience some failure. However, I have learned a lesson from everyone. If I could start over and do things differently, two main things I would change is not being fearful and knowing my niche. I relied on the acceptance of everyone in my town and often I found myself second guessing my prices. This cause financial strain and I accumulated a lot of debt. Read more>>

Antonio Johnson

When I started taking pictures, I didn’t know anything about the industry. I just knew that I wanted to take pictures. I had to learn the importance of finding out what kind of pictures I wanted to capture and what messages I wanted to convey. If I were to start over today, I would spend more time learning my niche, how to capture light, and how to run a business. Starting with these things in mind, I would be able to target my time and energy on perfecting the shots. Read more>>