How to Overcome Startup Fears and Move Forward with Your Business Goals

Aiming to grow your company's profits or team size may be a given within startups, but moving a business forward can also involve personal growth.

Ready to start your business? Plans start at $0 + filing fees.

Trustpilot star rating bar
how to overcome startup fears and move forward with your business goals

Contents

Updated on: November 2, 2023
Read time: 4 min

For many entrepreneurs, setting business goals and acting on them can be a daunting—if essential—step toward ensuring the long- and short-term success of your business.

How to Overcome Startup Fears and Move Forward With Your Business Goals

Use these tips to overcome your fears and turn your ideas into reality.

Determine your business focus

Bernardino Hernandez began executing his business idea in 2016. It has since evolved into Spanish Proofreaders, a linguistics-focused business that has seen numerous changes since Hernandez came up with the original concept.

A need for quality control inspired his goal-shifting mentality when it came to limiting the number of languages the company would work with. "Back then, we provided proofreading services in 50 languages," he says. Fluent in English and Spanish, Hernandez additionally offered proofreading assistance in Portuguese, French, Italian, and more, using a small team of linguists. But it soon became clear that he had to specialize.

"Rather than offering so many languages, now we only have Spanish and English," he says. "It was a big change, but I had the reassurance that I'd know what I was talking about."

Katherine Domantay and her business partner launched their showroom, Common Vice, in 2016. Today, the company manages wholesale transactions and helps designers form relationships within the women's fashion industry—but that was not always the case.

"In the beginning, we thought we would only focus on sales but now we do a lot more consulting for our designers, even stepping into the design aspect when needed," Domantay says.

Finding your focus means learning whether specializing, like Hernandez, or adding services, like Domantay, works best for key company aspects like workflow, resources, and growth.

Getting to this point took time, experience, and reflection—and the courage to pursue the paths that opened up for their companies.

Set short-term goals that consider the current environment

The past four years have allowed a more established vision for Spanish Proofreaders and Common Vice, as well as the opportunity to work with well-known companies and brands for both. But additional obstacles may arise that require new goals for your business.

Inside or outside of fashion, for example, Domantay knows that short-term goals always vary by season. "We set sales goals every four to six months, for selling seasons and for each designer," she says.

Both Hernandez and Domantay advise that, in order to assess the business environment to develop your startup's goals, you must:

  • Conduct external research: Hernandez follows trends in the gig economy to see where his company might land, referencing Wonolo's projection that more than 50% of the U.S. workforce will be doing freelance or gig work by 2027. Likewise, Domantay believes what works to her company's advantage is that it occupies a digital space, not a physical one like most showrooms, enabling mobility and flexibility.
  • Stay organized: Both founders agree that spreadsheets and careful records have helped them find room for growth and target customer or client needs.
  • Network and pay attention to feedback: Having a digital-only showroom means that Domantay relies on networking for company growth. "Networking is a big part of the sales business and we do most of ours through trade shows and store visits," she says. For Hernandez, hearing feedback on his company has helped him modify accordingly. For example, he's not afraid of competition like translating software because he's learned that customers prefer "manually translated" work.

Define what kind of CEO you are

While Hernandez aims to someday expand the number of people who consistently work for Spanish Proofreaders from the current six, his objective is not to be so big that the company absorbs his identity.

"I could grow 100%, and I would still not sacrifice personal time," he says. "I think it's more important to be efficient and resourceful so that I can have more time to do things outside of work—to do more with less."

Meanwhile, Domantay says Common Vice is growing in terms of international sales, and while travel abroad may soon be necessary, she has made sure the business can blend into her personal lifestyle.

"My work goals have always been influenced by my personal goals," she says. "This industry allows me to travel both for business and for pleasure, and it can be done from anywhere."

As an entrepreneur, you carry a lot of responsibility to keep your startup growing, which sometimes requires making bold adjustments to your business plan. But continually assessing where you are and where you'd like to be can help you overcome your fears and move forward.

Ready to start your business? Plans start at $0 + filing fees.Start My LLC
Twitter logoFacebook logoLinkedIn logoReddit logo

This article is for informational purposes. This content is not legal advice, it is the expression of the author and has not been evaluated by LegalZoom for accuracy or changes in the law.

40 days ago
Trustpilot star rating bar

The request I made for formation…

The request I made for formation documents was taken care of immediately and professionally. They were very helpful in getting me what I needed.

Bruce Fleishaker
117 days ago
Trustpilot star rating bar

I had the absolute pleasure of working…

I had the absolute pleasure of working with Maria as my business formation specialist at LegalZoom, and I couldn’t be more grateful for her support throughout the process of creating my LLC. From start to finish, Maria was patient, knowledgeable, and incredibly thorough. She took the time to answer every one of my questions—no matter how small—and walked me through each step with clarity and confidence. Starting a business can feel overwhelming, but Maria made the entire experience smooth and manageable. Her dedication, professionalism, and genuine care for her clients truly stood out. Thanks to her guidance, I felt supported and well-informed every step of the way. Thank you, Maria, for your outstanding service and for going above and beyond. You are truly an asset to the LegalZoom team!

Diego Louis
152 days ago
Trustpilot star rating bar

Using Legal Zoom made my business…

Using Legal Zoom made my business formation very easy. The program is user friendly and explains every step clearly.

Anna Silvia Mejia
181 days ago
Trustpilot star rating bar

Legal Zoom is a true one stop shop

This is the second company I have formed using Legal Zoom. They say what they are going to do and they do it. Legal Zoom provides all the tools and services you will need to quickly start your company, allowing you to focus on your business. The business formation specialist I spoke with, Juan was great; extremely knowledgeable and professional while giving me the feeling that I was talking with an old friend.

Steve Robbins
185 days ago
Trustpilot star rating bar

The agent was extremely helpful and…

The agent was extremely helpful and gave me the info that I was looking for. As soon as I got off of the phone with her, I got the official acceptance of my business formation!

Joshua Roberts
196 days ago
Trustpilot star rating bar

Seamless Support from Day One

I was impressed by how quickly Alan, my Business Formation Specialist, reached out to me. Having support from day one is incredibly reassuring, especially as I navigate starting my first business. I look forward to seeing how my relationship with LegalZoom and my experience with their services evolve.

Rosemart Aoki
210 days ago
Trustpilot star rating bar

ClarisseTravel Wine Tourism Agency

I recently utilized LegalZoom's services. The platform was user friendly, making the complex process of business formation straight forward and accessible. The customer service team was knowledgeable and responsive, promptly addressing all my inquiries. The efficiency and professionalism demonstrated by LegalZoom have provided me with confidence and peace of mind. I highly recommend their services to anyone seeking reliable business formation assistance.

ClarisseTravel LLC
210 days ago
Trustpilot star rating bar

The business formation specialist…

The business formation specialist Ramses Cardenas understood my needs and articulated well the company's product. I chose the pro package because it was my best option based on the information Ramses supplied. The process was quick easy and to the point.

Aaron Kinney
Rated4.6out of 5 based on23,943+ reviewson

Showing our favorite reviews