It takes a lot of work to start a small business.

You either have a passion for it or you will soon give up...

I started @senseofwondergifts in January this year and so far I had only 8 sales.

That's right! 8 sales in 4 months!

And, if I am being honest, the majority of them was to friends.

It takes time to build a brand that people connect with and want to buy from... I totally understand that.

Also, not having any previous experience in business, there has been a lot of trials and error.

But in general, I feel that I am moving in the right direction and I continue as motivated as when I started.

I truly believe that every day I am a step closer to success...

And also, I am loving the process! 😁

Although my journey has just started, here are a 6 things I have learned so far:

• 1. Don’t quit your day job just yet

It’s true that starting a business is risky but it’s really only risky if you abandon your income source before generating income from your business. Don’t quit your day job just yet. Keep your job, and keep doing a good job, until you’re positive you’re ready to venture off into entrepreneurship.

• 2. Perfectionism kills productivity

That is true for most things. If you painstakingly work to achieve perfection, whether you’re designing your website, writing an email or Instagram post… you are holding yourself back.

• 3. If you’re not an organized person, you’re going to have a hard time

There is an ever ending list of things to do when you managing a business by yourself. If you are not organised, it is extremely easy to loose focus.

• 4. Continue to educate yourself

As I said before, I have no background in business. I have had to read a lot about things I had no clue about, from marketing strategy, to brand building, to social networking. Do not leave things to guess work. There is a lot information out there that can help you set off the right direction.

• 5. Not everything is going to be exciting for you

That's right... Doing it alone also means that you will have to do things that you don't enjoy but that are a vital part of your business.

• 6. Your “why” is the most important part of starting your business

Most people that go into business only focus on what they’re selling rather than the reason behind why they’re selling it. Repeat customers don’t just buy products — they buy people and they buy stories. Defining your reason why your business exists will help create genuine human connection by giving people a reason to support you.