For anyone interested in startups or starting their own business (no matter how big or small), I’ve got an episode for you! For this episode of the Mo’ Money Podcast, I’m joined by Maria Aspan, the editor-at-large of Inc. Magazine and the author of the new book Startup Money Made Easy. Maria has a unique perspective on entrepreneurship because she isn’t sharing her own entrepreneurial journey. She’s sharing what she’s learned by interviewing hundreds of entrepreneurs about their journeys. And what’s really interesting is they all have very different journeys. Sure, they are some similarities and patterns, but in general no story is alike. That’s why there can never be a one-size-fits-all guide to entrepreneurial success. What may skyrocket one person’s business may be the downfall for someone else. In her book, she dives deep about the financial aspects of starting a business, and here are some key things she shared in this episode. Never Invest More Than You’re Willing to Lose You hear stories all the time about how someone racked up a bunch of debt to get their business started…and it paid off big time and they’re now a millionaire! You don’t often hear the stories of all the people who racked up a bunch of debt and had a business that flopped. We hear a lot of success stories, and maybe not enough failure stories. When it comes to starting a business and finding that initial financing, use the same logic as investing your money for a big goal like retirement – never invest more than you’re willing to lose. Make Mistakes Is Inevitable, Make Sure to Learn from Them Maria mentioned that Serena Williams, famous tennis player and entrepreneur, once said that in business everyone makes mistakes. What you need to be prepared for is being open to learning from those mistakes. Usually when we make mistakes, we want to brush them under the rug, not talk about them, just move forward and forget about it. But mistakes are amazing learning tools! I’ve learned amazing things from my mistakes and failures! It’s not easy. It will definitely bruise your ego a bit. But you need to remember that success is a long-game. If you want to eventually reach your goals, you need to learn from each one of your mistakes and change your behaviours and actions accordingly. Don’t Jump In, Make a Business Plan I see so many people out there get caught up in the idea that they can start a blog, start posting on Instagram, sell an online course, make a fashion line, etc… and start making money right away. That’s no reality. The people who are telling you that you can make money blogging, Instagramming, selling courses, or selling your own clothing designs, they may have neglected to tell you that there’s no such thing as an overnight success. It takes time, hard work, and most importantly a solid plan! Don’t ever think you can just quit your day job and figure it out. Figure it out while still working your day job. Start learning what you don’t know about running a business, and make a business plan you feel good about. For full episode show notes visit https://jessicamoorhouse.com/193