From Julia

I’m no stranger to hard work. After working for McKinsey & Company, Alibaba and Disney, I saw multiple industries, held different roles, spent long hours traveling, and built a career that anyone would be proud of.

But nothing truly prepared me for everything that happens when you build a business from scratch. My push for starting Multitasky was how I felt about my career and my role in the work world. My whole life, everyone tried to put a label on me. “Corporate Worker,” “Entrepreneur,” “Financial Model Builder,” but I was so much more than one thing.

I wanted to multitask a career, so I started a brand with multi-talented items that encourage women entrepreneurs to pursue ALL of their goals and not pick and choose to fit into a box.

The brand was the dream, but the real work was in the implementation. If you’re thinking about starting your own business, here are the steps I wish someone told me while I was starting out. Building a business is definitely tough, but I know you can do it. 

How to Start 

I started my business in November, just before the holidays. It was a crazy Christmas because I was packing hundreds of boxes all by myself while trying to orchestrate global shipments. Those first few months were by far the toughest, because I was teaching myself how to do everything. I built a website, strategized my marketing, figured out my supply chain, and managed day-to-day operations.

When you’re starting, it’s going to feel overwhelming. This is totally natural when you’re building a business. Make sure you set manageable goals, surround yourself with support, and take breaks. The first three months will mean less sleep and more stress, but you never have to go through it alone. Make strong to-do lists, set concrete goals, and invest in help whenever you can.

Preparing Yourself

Right before starting Multitasky, I was a freelance financial consultant for start-ups. I would help them build financial models and act as their CFO. I wanted to start putting out courses, but then I dove into Multitasky. I quickly learned how tough time management is when you’re doing a million different things each day.

And I’m not here to tell you to give up everything else and dive into entrepreneurship because I truly feel that you can do it all. You can work a full-time job, freelance, be a mom and start a venture. Balancing your time will be a challenge, but if you know that in advance, you can make decisions that will increase your efficiency and help you be more than one thing. That’s why I encourage you to work on your mindset, so you truly believe in your heart that you are capable. Entrepreneurship is going to test you, so it’s important to be mentally up for the challenge. 

Steps to Grow 

Every business is different, and as much as I wish I could just give you a roadmap to grow, there’s no way one size will fit all. Before you even start the “building” process, you need a plan. Start with strategizing the big things in your business. Who will you serve? How will you provide value? What is the customer journey of your venture? Who are your competitors? What do you want to be known for? When you ask these big questions, you can get the clarity you need to dive in, knowing what you need to do.

Then, do the research. It’s not the most fun part, but educate yourself on the market. Invest in skills that help you grow your weaknesses and enhance your strengths. I learned a lot as I went, but I sometimes think it would have been easier to learn certain skills before launching.

Lastly, use a combination of intuition and logic. You know what’s best for your business but never underestimate the power of strong research and data-backed decisions.

You’re going to have great days where everything is coming together and rough days where everything is falling apart. That’s all normal. You can do this.

What it means

Even though I’m telling you how to build a business from scratch, I’m still learning every single day. That’s the thing about entrepreneurship. It never stops. If you are passionate about an idea, you can lean into your desire and make it happen.

You do not have to settle for your current labels and only be one thing forever. Try things. Grow things. Leave things. Do it all over again. You never know which lives you’re going to change by pursuing that current idea in your head.