How to start your big idea? Start small

Got an idea for a business? Take it one step at a time
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Got an exciting idea for something but feeling the fear? You’re not alone. It’s really exciting starting something new but add your internal dialogue plus other people’s opinions and it can start to feel a bit overwhelming. You might also think you need to have everything in place before you start. You don’t. Striving for perfection can hold you back, and it’s often just the fear of the unknown stopping you from acting. So how to push the fear aside and just start?
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We put a lot of focus on the starting point but it’s not really the important part. It’s simply that: the start.

The starting point is not the destination

Thinking about your long game helps you remain focused, and not be put off by small hiccups. What’s your long term vision? Try writing it down and think of it often. It will make the starting easier as you know what you’re working towards.

Know what you care about

Focus on what you care about and what makes you feel good. Being kind, thinking creatively and being generous with ideas and contacts is what I’m passionate about so I’ve made sure Common Exception reflects this. If you know what you care about, it’s easy to talk about and remain authentic to your vision.

Be you

Don’t try to be something or someone that you’re not. Just be you. You’ve got something to say, even if you’re not sure what it is yet, and ideas that we want to see.

Focus on what makes you unique

We’re all unique and bring something different to what we do. It could be your use of colours, your expression, your design. And if you think there’s nothing unique about you, think again.

Create a picture of your brand

There’s something about seeing images or words written down that can help solidify our thoughts. If you’re finding it hard to know what your brand is about, start by jotting down the words that spring to mind about who you are and what you do, add images and colour — magazines that you love are a great place to start — and get a feel for what your brand stands for and what it looks like.

Find a space for being brave

Sometimes to be brave we need to create a sense of safety, knowing that nothing bad will happen to us if we step outside our comfort zone. Think about ways you can make yourself feel safe while creating a creative space to put both you and your work out there. It could be a physical space but it could also be financial. If you’re more incentivised by rewards, you can also try doing this.

One step is better than no steps. What are the small steps you can take to get your idea off the ground?

Be creative in your thinking

Try new ideas and be comfortable to share, let it go and adapt as you go along. Just like getting older, you’ll learn so much more than you ever expected as you go. Being open to new approaches and other people’s experiences helps you think about how you could do things differently in your own business or practice. Not everything is going to work — and you don’t need to keep trying something new each week — but being able to think creatively and adapt is key to running a business.

Start small

One step is better than no steps. What are the small steps you can take to get your idea off the ground? Perhaps it’s talking to experts in the sector, doing market research or starting to find your community by setting up a social media account. No business is built in one go: it’s built through a lot of small actions.

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