What's Really stopping you setting up your first business?

If you're reading this, it's because you have probably had that niggle, that little voice at 2am asking, "should I just start my own business? Could I actually work for myself?"

Here's the thing: almost everyone who's ever had that niggle gets stuck on the same handful of reasons not to, I want to pull them apart one by one, because I guarantee they aren't anywhere as hard to overcome as you think!

"It's too expensive to set up!"

You're picturing a fancy office, business cards, maybe a logo designed by someone who charges by the vowel. Forget all that. Most successful small businesses start small but look bigger than they are. All you need to get most businesses started is a laptop, a proper website, and a few systems that actually work and your brains!

The expensive part isn't starting. It's starting badly and having to pay to fix it later. If you are in a trade, there can be costs to set up, which can add up, there is funding out there to help you though!

"I don't know enough about running a business to be successful!"

Nobody does on day one... Nobody. The business owners who look like they've got it all sorted are just better at hiding the Googling or asking ChatGPT and are most likely crying on in the inside some days. (This is completely normal by the way)

You don't need an MBA. You need the right support in the areas you're not sure of, so you can spend your energy on the thing you actually set out to do, whatever that is.

All you need are your own skills, experience and knowledge about the business you want to launch. However, don't sit thinking "Do you know what, I am going to set up a joinery business because you fitted a shelf last week" I mean experience and knowledge in what you are good at ... it goes a long way!

"I like the security of a job paying my wages"

Fair enough. Genuinely. There's no shame wanting a wage that lands on the same day every month. But this isn't all or nothing. Loads of people build their new business on the side before they hand their notice in, testing the water instead of diving straight in, and building steady foundations before they make the leap. This works well for tradespeople, hairdressers/beauty, or counsellors/physios.

"I don't know where to even start!"

The classic. Staring at a blank Google Doc titled "Business Plan" and quietly shutting the laptop again.

You don't need to figure it all out on your own. You need a first step. Just one. Everything after that is easier than the first one felt.

"What if it doesn't work and I fail?"

Most businesses that struggle don't fail because the owner wasn't good enough at the job. They fail because the foundations were wobbly from day one. No clear booking system, no proper policies, a website nobody could find.

Get the setup right first and you knock out most of the reasons things go wrong later. You're not eliminating risk (nobody can promise that), but you're not leaving it to chance either.

"What if I'm not ready?"

Truth time... I set up my first business 10 years ago, creating branding and design work for businesses, I bought a website, a domain, and a Canva subscription, I thought I was going to make millions, it failed. It wasn't because I didn't know what I was doing, I just didn't have the drive or motivation I needed... I wasn't ready mentally, now it's a whole different story, I have the drive and the passion for Olive & Elm, I am ready to run my own business, I am mentally checked-in. If you are here reading this, you're ready!

"I'll lose my sick pay, holiday pay and pension!"

This one's real, and it deserves more than a pep talk. Going self-employed does mean building those things yourself instead of having them handed to you on a plate.

The fix isn't to ignore it. It's to plan for it from the start: pricing that covers it, a proper buffer, maybe a part-time transition rather than a leap. You can also get insurance to cover sickness for loss of earnings, holidays... take them when you want! ... Pension, you can still contribute to a pension scheme, you don't get the employer contributions, but if you start your business in the right way, succeed and be sensible, you will be financially better off long term.

"I'm not techy enough to sort a website or the admin!"

You don't need to become a web developer for this. You really don't.

Sorting a booking system, building a website, setting up the admin that keeps everything ticking along: that's not something you're born with or not. It's a skill, and it's one you can borrow from someone else instead of teaching yourself the hard way. I stand by my outlook on skilled business owners, you spent years at college, university and in job roles learning, and developing your skills, you were never shown how to run a business, and that's okay, we are here to help with that, and it's why we do what we do!

"I hate the idea of selling myself!"

Selling yourself feels like standing in the street shouting about your own personality. No wonder folk avoid it. Except that's not what marketing actually is. It's not bragging. It's just making sure the right people can find you when they need you. Website copy, a bit of social presence, a clear message about what you do: that's not "selling yourself," that's just being visible.

None of these barriers are dealbreakers. They just feel enormous right up until you break them into steps, and then, funnily enough, they're just... tasks. Things that get done.

That's where Olive & Elm comes in. Whatever your business is, and whoever it's for, we help turn "I don't know where to start" into an actual, working business: the website, the systems, the admin, the support, sorted, so you can crack on with the part you're actually good at.

So, what's actually stopping you? If you got this far, book a free 15-minute chat with me and let's find out what it'd take to get you started or take a look at our launch packages.