It’s ok to not know what the hell you’re doing. Here is what I learned about the early days.

The initial stages of a project can be the most daunting, often preventing people from even starting. Many don’t know where to begin and end up never taking the first step.

I was no exception. I frequently began projects only to abandon them later. My approach was either too aggressive, or I was paralyzed by not knowing where to start, giving up at the first struggle. I secretly hoped for someone to guide me through every step (a hope that was, unsurprisingly, never fulfilled…the audacity of people).

However, after reading extensively, I noticed a recurring theme: successful founders often started without a clear direction. For instance, Netflix, experienced multiple site crashes at its launch. They had to drive to a local electronic store to buy new servers, to support the load, only to have it crash again…and again….and again.

Currently, I’m facing a slowdown in user growth for emailemu.com, which seems directly linked to the amount of valuable content I produce. A break or slowdown on my part directly impacts growth. Not optimal or sustainable.

Why am I sharing this? It’s crucial to recognize that starting somewhere is better than not starting at all. Challenges are inevitable, but there is a wealth of information available that, when pieced together correctly, can guide you (a process I am navigating myself).

Here are some strategies that were pivotal in the early stages of my project:

📖 Validate Quickly:
Validation doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The goal is to avoid solving a non-existent problem. Launching a prelaunch site to collect emails, engaging with potential customers, and putting a new spin on solved problems are effective validation strategies. I’ve employed all three methods with success.

👝 Start Small:
In technology, the concept of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) exists for a reason. Identify the simplest solution that addresses the core problem and start there. For example, emailemu.com began as a database of emails from various companies, similar to how Grubhub started with routing phone calls to businesses.

🎾 Keep Momentum:
Doing small tasks daily was crucial in maintaining momentum. Engaging with your target audience, sharing your idea in communities, designing concepts, and coding are all small steps that contribute to the larger goal and help maintain excitement.

🤨 Set Realistic Expectations:
Aiming high is important, but it’s also crucial to manage expectations to avoid constant disappointment. Like for me I constantly remind myself to fall in love with the process and not the outcome. I am aware that it will probably take me years before I am able to replace my fulltime income. I am at peace with that. At the same time I know I will make this emailemu.com a success, but I expect to fail.

🤷 Accept The Unknown
Accepting that feeling of not knowing exactly what you’re doing is part of the process and this was especially true super early in my journey. It still feels that way. I’ve accepted it will always feel like this. Education through books, online courses, and experimenting have helped me navigate this journey. It has turned problems into puzzles.

😀 Have Fun:
Enjoying the process is essential to prevent burnout. Finding joy in what you do can turn challenges into opportunities for growth. I heard something once that said if you can find something that feels like play to you, but work to others then you’re in a good spot.

I hope these insights are helpful!

👋 P.S. - Join emailemu.com for FREE to discover email marketing strategies from top brands, save time, and gain access to weekly reflections on lessons learned. If not that’s cool too…your loss.