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- [00:00]
Emma Grede
Foreign hi everyone, it's Emma and welcome back to Aspire. So for those of you who have ever thought about starting a business, here's a number that stopped me in my tracks. 40% of new businesses fail within three years and nearly half are gone by year five. But the ones that make it, well, they often follow the same playbook. And today I'm breaking down that exact playbook. The 10 steps every first time founder needs to get started. So stick with me because this is the blueprint to finally starting your business journey.
- [00:47]
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- [01:14]
Emma Grede
They offer a delicious way to start.
- [01:16]
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- [01:32]
Emma Grede
When it comes to makeup, what's in the formula matters just as much as how it looks. That's why I use Merit Beauty. I've been using their essentials for a while now, and what I love most is how quick and effortless they make my routine. I'm not someone who wants to spend an hour getting ready. Merit keeps it simple, clean and effective. Their Flush Balm is one of my go tos. It gives that healthy natural glow and fun. Fact one was sold every 30 seconds this year. Then there's the Minimalist, which works as both foundation and concealer, so I don't need to like layer up on a bunch of products. I also love everything with SPF. And the tinted mineral sunscreen, which comes in 15 shades, is a game changer. It instantly hydrates and leaves my skin protected.
- [02:17]
Sponsor/Advertiser Voice
Oh, and they have the best brushes too.
- [02:20]
Emma Grede
It's time for beauty that actually fits your routine. And that's exactly what Merit delivers. Right now. Merit Beauty is offering our listeners their signature makeup bag with your first order at meritbeauty.com that's M E R I T beauty.com to get your free signature makeup bag with your first order. Merit beauty.com so back in 2017, I was obsessed with getting out of the agency and consultancy business and starting a brand that I could be proud of. But absolutely nothing was aligning. I couldn't quite get enough money together. Even the fabric I needed, I couldn't get my hands on. But I launched anyway. With my second choice, and without a clue of how I would make everything work, that messy star turned into Good American, a company that now has hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars in sales. And here's the truth. The number one mistake new founders make is waiting until everything feels perfect. If you want to start a business, you can not wait. You need a roadmap that gets you moving. Today, starting a business really is one of the most exhilarating, terrifying and transformative decisions you will ever make. I've done it more than once and I will tell you, I've succeeded. I failed multiple times. And having mentored and invested in countless ideas and founders, I've learned that most people overcomplicate the process and they fail to start. So today, I'm gonna walk you step by step through exactly what you need to do, what you need to think about, and the mistakes that you absolutely cannot afford to make based on my own experience. So here we go. Step one, let's remove the barriers and talk risk. So the first thing I wanna tell you, and you should grab your pens, is that you have to start. It's not that simple for so many of us, and I've been guilty of this too. An idea can live in our heads for years. A half written business plan can sit on a desktop forever. You might even have gotten as far as a prototype or a red page. But it's not enough. You have to start. You have to get really comfortable with taking a risk and it not working out and failing. It's true that for so many of us, taking a risk is hard. If you're able to get to the truth that no one is watching you, so you don't actually need to concern yourself with what everyone else is thinking, then the next thing can hold you back is the responsibility part. We all have bills to pay, people that rely on us, children, parents, significant others. And that's real. But the truth is taking a risk actually is part of starting a company. Risk is not something that you can get rid of. It's something that you need to plan for. And I want to give you a way to reframe how you think about risk altogether. You've got to redefine risk as not something to avoid, but as something to manage, to learn from, and even to leverage. Now, if you're smart, you'll learn valuable Lessons make you better because every business decision is an opportunity to gather data and refine your approach. So many of us think this is risky because we think to ourselves, I don't know the outcome. There's too much uncertainty. But I'm going to talk you through a process that can reduce uncertainty with some planning, some research and testing. The next thing I want to level with you on is how hard it is to actually start a successful business. If you're a perfectionist, starting a business will be really hard. If you're ambitious, if you're doing well at your current job, if you're on a path to promotion, it's hard. If you're busy with your kids and your life and you have no time, it's hard. But guess what? Even without all of those things, starting a business is hard as fuck. So the best way I find to manage hard things is by planning and anticipating them. Anticipating how much work goes in is a really good place to start. Knowing you're going to need to make huge sacrifices and leveling with yourself that nothing happens overnight and that this will take time. It's not a nice to do, it's a must do. Anticipating fear and knowing how hard it can get is your starting point. Step 2 the idea so the first thing I want to say is that an idea isn't a business. Your execution is. Having a good idea alone doesn't make for a successful company. What matters is how well you bring that idea to life. Ideas are plentiful. So many people have ideas, and often multiple people are working on similar ones at the same time. A quote that I love from Samantha Wills is Originality is a myth. Authenticity isn't. It's never been done by you through your lens, your lived experience, your perspective. Make it your own. It's such a true quote. Because the uniqueness of an idea is rarely what creates lasting value. Think about how many companies make computers. There's still only one Apple. Ideas don't generate revenue either. An idea by itself doesn't attract customers, build systems, or pay salaries. But execution does. And execution is everything. The reason execution is everything is because creating the right product, obsessing over every single solitary detail of that product, hiring the right people, designing the right systems, and eventually the right processes, marketing effectively and obsessing your customer consistently will turn your vision into a reality. Two companies can start with the same idea, but the one that executes better, faster, with more discipline, at a higher quality, with better storytelling and a deeply understood connection with their customer. That's the one that wins. Think about how many social networks existed before Facebook or how many streaming services before Netflix. How you differentiate against the competition is the difference between success and failure. Let me give you an example. Back in 2017, I started ideating on what would eventually become Good American. Now, for those of you that don't know, Good American started life as a premium denim brand that was made for women of all sizes. Fast forward eight years, we now sell hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars of denim online, in our own stores and in every major department store globally. But most importantly, we rewrote the rules around sizing in fashion and the brand Good American largely credited in the industry as doing so. But no one in their right mind would have said then or now that the world needed yet another denim brand. And I would agree, except I had an idea about how to execute that was totally missing from the market. Now cast your mind back to 2017. The body positivity movement was in full swing, but women's clothing and retail hadn't quite evolved to meet the moment. I saw what was happening and I saw clearly that there was a business opportunity. Thin women bought from one set of brands and plus size women from another. And the options for the plus customer were dire. I had a couple of key insights that led to me having the conviction to start a new business. I had read somewhere that plus size women made up 68% of the female population here in the US. If you walked into a mall, a small handful of the stores catered to curvy bodies. Plus size women were relegated to unfashionable poor quality brands. But honestly, anyone with curves was actually putting up with poorly fitted jeans. Now armed with that information, we created a brand that would be focused on this customer. And for over a year I obsessed perfecting the perfect fitting jeans for this body type and truly understanding this customer. What was out there for her, what did she really want and what was missing? The more research I did on denim, the more I actually realized a lot of women had issues finding perfect fitting denim. Petite girls needed to do alterations to their jeans. Tall women had limited options. And so I pivoted from the original idea and the original plan and the world's most inclusive denim brand was born. What I knew for sure is that plus size women were sick of of not having the options that slimmer women had. And what I needed to do was make all the sizes sizes 00 through to a plus size 24. Now for sure I chose a great partner and better than just being one of the most famous women on the planet. Chloe was someone who uniquely understood the problem of being taller than most and curvier than most. Khloe Kardashian's fame, popularity, curves, and her loveability helped catapult the business for sure. But the product also lived up to its promise. And we all know that no matter how much of a fan you are of someone, no one spends 160 bucks on jeans that aren't great. Eight years after launch, the original idea of Good American still stands. And that was because the execution was flawless. We were able to build a real company around a couple of key insights and the strong desire to give a customer a what she wanted and what she needed. Honestly, I think I had a pretty average idea. It certainly existed in the marketplace already. We just did it better than everybody else. And as the market changed and adapted, so did we. So what I wanted to say, as you get to thinking about execution, you have to ask yourself these questions. What is the one problem that I'm solving? Number two, exactly who am I solving it for? And three, why am I the person to solve it? My advice is, don't chase trends. Trends come and they go. You have to start where your conviction is strongest, especially because when it gets hard, you're gonna need your conviction and that thing that got you started to carry you through. If you are just an opportunist, you're gonna struggle with motivation when the going gets tough. Now, moving on to step three for starting a business, we're gonna talk about research. So listen, for all of you solopreneurs out there, research isn't academic when you're just starting out. It's about being obsessed with your customer and the potential of what you're creating. Plus, I want you to be armed with some key insights that will help you when the fear creeps in. We all know people that let fear get in the way. So do me a favor and share this episode with anyone that you think could benefit from what I'm about to share. I want to split research into two distinct buckets for you. First, we're going to talk about understanding your market, and then we're going to talk about the market opportunity. Put simply, this is understanding your customer and understanding the business opportunity. So let's start with understanding your market. To run a successful business, you need to be able to find a customer and market to that customer effectively. To do that, well, you got to get close to them and you've got got to understand them. Where do they shop? How do they live? What frustrates them? What brands Are they currently buying? Now, you can go deep, deep, deep into this, and I suggest you do. But I want you to focus on the things that you categorically must do. First, you must build an initial ideal customer profile. This helps you avoid wasting time on customer segments that don't match your product offering. Speak to whoever you can, friends, family, colleagues. Reach out to whoever you can. When you create a customer profile or profiles, you're figuring out who your target customer is. Their age, gender, income level, education, occupation. Figure out what motivates these people, their values and their lifestyles. And you ask questions like, how do they discover products like mine? Through search, through social, through word of mouth, and how much are they willing to pay? And then finally you ask yourself, where are they purchasing? Where do they prefer to buy? Is it an online store? Is it through physical retail or by subscription? Next, I want you to obsess the competition. You need to know everything about the competitor set. So let me share how I usually do this. Take three brands that are in the category of what you'd be launching or that have relevant adjacencies and study the life out of them. Learn their product and what makes it great. Understand their pricing, obsess the language that they use in marketing. Sign up for all of their emails and look at what they do, how often they launch, when they go on sale, what changes they make to their website. Go on LinkedIn and look at their staff and piece together an org chart. You basically need to be like a crazy bitch for business. And you know, it's always good for us girls to channel our energy into something. So you need to look daily at the businesses in your competitor set. Now you can use tools like Google searches, review sites, Yelp, G2, Trustpilot, social media, chattered out and competitor websites. And you can ask yourself and ask your friends, what do they do? Well, why are customers dissatisfied with. Where are there gaps that you can exploit? Moving on from understanding your market, now you have to do some market research. How big is this market is the question. But be sure to keep it super focused. The goal isn't to know everything. The goal is actually just to reduce risk and sharpen your idea. You can use publicly available reports, government data, industry publications, competitor filings, but you're looking for the following information. Tam, SAM and som. So TAM stands for total addressable market. Essentially, if everyone who could did buy, what is the size of that? SAM is the serviceable available market the portion of TAM that you can realistically serve with your offering, and then SOM serviceable attainable market. The realistic slice that you could capture in the next three to five years. Now next, if you can talk to customers or people that you believe would be your potential audience about your actual offering, doing interviews, surveys, focus groups, all of this can be a game changer at the start of your business journey. Even a handful of conversations can reveal real pain points that you, who is so engrossed in your idea, can so easily miss. Don't pitch. Ask open ended questions. What frustrates you the most about the problem that you're trying to solve? How do you currently solve it? What would make it better? And be sure to record patterns, not one off comments. Lastly, you want to synthesize all of these insights into action. This part is easy, but don't skip it thinking that it's just going to live in your head. Getting everything down on paper and pulling together your findings into a simple brief is actually really going to serve you so well. And by the end of this process you you'll be able to carefully articulate firstly, who is your customer and second, how big is the opportunity? Third, who else is playing in the space? And lastly, what is the problem you're solving and how will you stand out? These things are key. Now Step four the Business Model and Money My favorite part. So my advice here is simple. You have to start lean. You got to be scrappy as fuck. Reinvest every penny in growth. Period. End of detailed planning around the business model and money is where most founders get really stuck. But if you don't spend the time and do the work here, you can't create a business that will thrive. I also hear a lot of first time founders say, well, I'm not good with numbers or I'm not a finance person. And let me just say for the record, I definitely fall into that category. But here's the thing. When you're a founder, the buck stops with you and only you. And if you've listened to me enough, you'll know that one of my principles is to always be in learning mode. Now, if you didn't listen to my first solo episode of this podcast, you should. It's called Emma's Blueprint for a Successful Life. Bookmark that for later after you finish this episode. So let's go back to finances. Even if this isn't an area of strength for you, you can count, right? I know when the math ain't mathing. You know if you buy something at a certain cost and you're selling it at another cost without enough of a margin in the middle, you're not going to be able to make money. Sometimes things are way more simple than when we first give credit to them. So what I want you to do is break down simply how will the money come in and how will the money go out and what are the costs associated with you doing business? You should always slightly overestimate to give yourself some cushion. The most common mistakes that I see are not pricing for profit. And you have to create a margin that allows you to operate with some flexibility. So margin, put simply, is the amount of money a business makes after covering the cost of the product. But what I want you to focus on is net margin, not gross margin. Net margin is what matters. That's the money that's left after paying for the product or the service, plus all of the business expenses. Never, ever underestimate costs, thinking that investors will swoop in. Because listen, my experience tells me they absolutely won't. I really, really advocate for no investors in the start of a business. And let me tell you why. Firstly, you stay in control. In the beginning, you don't actually want investors telling you how to run a company. You get to keep 100% of the equity and the decision, decision making power. More importantly, you have the freedom to experiment and pivot or even walk away without external pressure. Next, and this is a big one, you learn discipline early. Limited funds actually force you to be resourceful, to be scrappy, and to stay super focused. You prioritize essentials and you cut out waste. And that builds really strong business habits. This muscle of efficiency actually serves you for life, even if you do end up raising money later. And the next thing, you prove the model before you risk in any big capital bootstrapping forces you to validate whether your product actually sells. Revenue from real customers becomes proof that your idea works. And when and if you approach investors later, you're negotiating from a place of strength. Then you avoid premature scaling. Raising money too early often leads to chasing growth before finding a product market fit. And that can be death to a new business. Also, it builds founder credibility. Investors, partners and customers respect founders who have skin in the game. A track record of bootstrapping shows grit, resilience and execution ability. Lastly, and honestly, less stress equals more freedom. Without external investors, you can grow at your own pace. You decide whether the business is a lifestyle company, a fast growing startup, or something in between. Okay, so we've talked about money, the part that makes most founders sweat. But don't go anywhere because after the break, I'm going to share the unglamorous but absolutely essential step that most first time founders skip. And it's the thing that can save your business from crumbling later. There's nothing I love more than hearing about people's side hustles. You can host your home on Airbnb while you're gone, and it's such a practical way to earn a little extra money without it feeling like a full time job. Just a few nights of hosting can help you cover travel costs or maybe even a nice meal on your next trip. It's simple, easy and doesn't require constant attention. You just open up your space while you're away and let others enjoy it. So if you've got a trip coming up, whether it's for work, a family visit or just to get away, hosting really does feel like a smart, practical choice. Seriously, your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much@airbnb.com host these days.
- [22:59]
Sponsor/Advertiser Voice
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- [23:10]
Emma Grede
Symbiotica's formulas combine science and so importantly.
- [23:13]
Sponsor/Advertiser Voice
Clean ingredients to support everything from focus and energy to glowing skin and better sleep. For example, the Shilajit Liquid Complex flavored Hazelnut Cacao helps improve cognitive function, boost cellular energy and balance your hormones. Their Luposomal Glutathione in Citrus Berry flavor, which is quite possibly my favorite supplement, promotes glowing skin, gut health and healthy aging thanks to faster nutrient absorption through luposomal delivery and magnesium. L Threonate with a smooth vanilla cream flavor that supports your focus, calm and restful sleep, which we all need. Every product is carefully crafted with bioavailable nutrients and the convenience of their monthly delivery makes staying consistent so easy for anyone looking to elevate their daily wellness.
- [24:02]
Emma Grede
Routine like me, Symbiotica offers a single.
- [24:05]
Sponsor/Advertiser Voice
Simple, effective way to start feeling better from the inside out. Go to symbiotica.com aspire for 20% off plus free shipping that's symbiotica.com aspire for twenty percent off plus free shipping running.
- [24:21]
Emma Grede
A self care business isn't just about the services you provide. It's about keeping your clients coming back and giving them an experience they love. But if you're juggling multiple tools for bookings, payments and marketing, it can feel impossible to stay on top of everything.
- [24:35]
Sponsor/Advertiser Voice
That's why Boulevard was created.
- [24:37]
Emma Grede
Boulevard is the fastest growing client experience platform built just for appointment based self care businesses, salons, spas, barbershops, med spas and more. It's not just software. It's a smarter, simpler way to manage all of your locations in one place. From bookings and payments to appointment reminders and client profiles, Boulevard makes everything, every client interaction seamless. And with AI powered scheduling and marketing, your business can work smarter, not harder. You'll see more bookings, higher ticket values, and clients who keep coming back. Plus the always on AI chatbot and expert support team respond in minutes, not days, keeping your days running smooth. It's no Wonder more than 5,000 top beauty and wellness brands trust Boulevard to grow their businesses and stay with it. Visit joinblvd.com to learn more about Boulevard and book a demo to see if it's right for your business. And for a limited time, Boulevard is offering new customers 20% off your first year subscription. That's J O I N B L V D.com to learn more J-O I N B L V D.COM all right, we're back and now it's time to get into the nitty gritty structure every business needs to survive. Trust me, this isn't glamorous, but it's what separates the hobbyists from the real founders. Step five is setting up the structure. Now this is the practical side that most first time founders ignore. It's boring, it's not glamorous. But if you don't build your foundation right, it crumbles later. We could do a whole episode on this stuff, but the basics are this. You need to register the business and choose a business structure. You have to get a bank account set up, any contracts you might need. Protect intellectual property, meaning whatever you've created needs to be legally protective. All of this is easily searchable online, so I won't go into the details of every step. But what I want you to know is that you might cringe at the cost. But I promise you that if you're putting your sweat equity into a new business, these aren't steps that you can afford to skip. If you have anyone at your disposal, a lawyer in the family, a friend who's an accountant, someone you know who has a business, ask questions and lean on them for advice. But whatever you do, don't skip this crucial, crucial step. Step six the next thing to do is to build the brand and the product. Now listen, brand is not your logo. It's how people feel when they interact with you. I think Simon Sinek says it best. He says people don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Sinek actually popularized the idea that ethos, your why is the primary driver of brand loyalty. He argues that when a company clearly communicates its values and beliefs, it creates emotional resonance. Products change, market shift, but a clear ethos endures. Your brand ethos sets the tone for the story that customers tell themselves about your brand. And without it, you're just selling commodities. If you haven't watched Steve Jobs famous 1997 Apple keynote, you should. But he reminded the world that ethos comes before features. Apple's ethos, creativity, simplicity, challenging the status quo, was deliberately reinforced in every touch point. That's why something like the Think different campaign still resonates decades later. World class marketeers see brand ethos as like a compass that guides every decision. How you show up, what you say no to, why customers should believe in you. It's not decoration, it's completely foundational. And I will tell you, every single touchpoint matters. Your website design, your social captions, the packaging, your overall tone of voice, what you say in emails, how you speak at customer service, and on and on and on. A framework that I like to use constantly is to obsess everything your customer sees and touches. Even now, I force myself to behave exactly as a customer would all the time. I'm always in stores, I go onto our sites monthly and I experience firsthand the shopping experience. I take myself through the checkout, I wait for the product to arrive, I unbox. All the while comparing myself to other experiences that I'm having with other brands. And let me tell you, it is a great way to keep your focus on what's actually happening in your business rather than what you think is happening based on the work you're doing and the decisions that you're making. You need to train yourself to know that the only thing that matters is what the customer sees. But never ever forget that product has to live up to the promise. No brand story saves a bad product. So step seven Getting out of the Gate so next you need to start selling and I recommend for all first time founders that you get out of the gate with a minimum viable product or mvp. This is like a basic stripped down version of the product that includes just enough core features to solve the main problem for early users and test whether the idea works in the real world. Meaning it doesn't need to be 100%. Like I mentioned earlier, when we started Good American, I launched with what was actually my second favorite fabric. Because what I wanted was only available in huge quantities. It was gonna be at least five or six months before I could get orders in at that level required. But I knew that I just needed to start. No one knew that, and it never, ever hurt us. The purpose of an MVP is not to be perfect or complete. It's to learn quickly. By launching something more simple, you can validate demand, see if people actually want to use the product before investing heavily. You can get feedback early, learn what customers really care about instead of you just guessing. You actually save resources so you avoid wasting time and money building unnecessary features. Also, you can test assumptions. You'll see if your idea actually does solve the problem as you had imagined. And doing small tests when it comes to investing your own cash isn't just smart, it's prudent. You need to start with enough that it makes for a decent test, but not too much that you'll be saddled with excess product if it doesn't work out. Now, look, this is different for everyone, but the investment you make up front is one of the most fundamental decisions that you'll make as a founder. It's about doing what's comfortable based on your circumstances. But don't mortgage your mum's house. All right, step eight. Let's talk about getting your very first customers early. Traction is about storytelling and hustling. And the best founders take us on a journey to making something. It doesn't just pop up and come from nowhere. A really great example of this is off season and a brilliant young founder that I invested in called Kristin Juszczyk. So for years and years, Kristin's been making her own outfits and sewing on her sewing machine ahead of all of her husband's games he plays in the NFL. She's actually brought us on a journey, and her social media following has really kind of built over time. Her audiences loved getting to see what she's gonna wear week after week. So when Kristin and I started off season, that spirit continued, and she took us on the journey of building the brand, like, even into the factory when she made her first samples. And when it came down to our launch, Kristin's followers, the people that had been along the journey for years and years before she ever started anything, they came out in of front force to support her new business. And so a new brand and a brilliant new founder was born. So I want you to use your network, no matter the size of it. Don't worry about them. You can DM people be shameless. Like, at the end of the day, what do you have to lose? And by the way, you can't be a shy founder. You need to ask for stuff all the time. It's imperative that you create a content strategy that will educate, entertain and inspire. Don't wait for like perfect branding or a viral moment. Start talking about what you're building every day to anyone that will listen. So here we are. You got your first customers. Amazing. But listen, this is just the beginning. After the break, I'm going to tell you how to build the right team around you and the leadership lessons that I had to learn the hard way. You know, one thing that's never changed in business is the need to stay close to your customers. Today, that means being everywhere they are. On Instagram, TikTok or wherever the conversation is happening. With Shopify, I can do exactly that. Their integrations make it easy to connect with audiences in real time, creating loyalty and trust that lasts. I love that you don't need a full tech team to make it happen. Shopify brings everybody, everything together. Online sales, pop ups, social channels, so that I can manage it all in one place. And whether it's an emerging brand or a household name like Skims or Good American, Shopify powers it all, making it simple to scale while staying authentic. Plus, their AI tools like Shopify Magic feel like having a team in your back pocket, helping write product descriptions, plan content, track trends, all without the chaos. If you want to meet your customers exactly where they are and grow your brand with ease, Shopify makes it seamless. Ready to build your own empire? Head to shopify.com aspire and get started today.
- [34:29]
Sponsor/Advertiser Voice
Today's segment is brought to you by Bumble, the go to dating app for finding love. You all know that I'm a big believer in building things that last in business, in family, but especially in relationships. And the truth is, dating can feel totally overwhelming. That's why I've noticed so many of my friends and people in my circle turning to Bumble. They've been listening to their community and making changes that actually build trust. Bumble is now photo and phone verified, so you know you're actually talking to someone real. And with optional ID verification, you've got the added reassurance that their photos and.
- [35:05]
Emma Grede
Their age are real too.
- [35:07]
Sponsor/Advertiser Voice
So no catfish here. I keep hearing the same perspective. I fumble, just feels more intentional Now. Profiles highlight the things that you have in common right away, so it's easier to see if someone aligns with what actually matters to you. And I love that they've added the dating advice hub in the app. It's like having a dating expert in your pocket. It's a reminder that dating doesn't have to feel overwhelming.
- [35:30]
Emma Grede
You can take your time.
- [35:32]
Sponsor/Advertiser Voice
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- [35:51]
Emma Grede
You know, at this point in my life, I really care about the quality of my sleep. And that includes what I wear to bed. I've tried so many pajamas that don't look chic and effortless. So at Skims we knew we had to make the best looking PJs. They are also the best to sleep in. Skims fabrics are so soft, cozy and breathable. They really are a game changer. It's like the fabric hugs you in all the right ways and somehow makes me feel more relaxed the moment I put them on. What I love most is curling up on the couch with a cup of tea wrapped in my Skims sleep set. It's become my little ritual. And honestly, as a busy mom, I'm already thinking about the gifts for this year. And Skims has sleep sets for women, men, kids and even pets. So it's perfect for everyone on your list. You can bet my sister's getting one too. Sorry sis. If you're listening so you can shop my favorite pajamas@skims.com after you place your order, be sure to let them know that we sent you. Select Podcast in the survey and choose Aspire in the dropdown menu that follows. If you're looking for the perfect gifts for everyone on your list, the Skims Holiday Shop is open now@skims.com welcome back. You've hustled, you've got customers, and now the big question is who's going to help you scale? That brings me to step nine Building the team and Learning to lead. Now, in the beginning, you are the team, but as soon as you can, you must hire for your weaknesses. This takes a lot of honesty, a lot of self reflection, and a lot of interviewing, which is a skill all by itself. Finding the right people to help you bring your vision to life is another thing I could do an entire episode about. But one thing I've learned is that in the beginning when you're starting out, you have to hire for values, not just for skills. I've said it so many times, but I hire for attitude over experience all day long. Because in those early days you just want people that believe in what you're doing and see their Role as more than just a paycheck. One of the more important lessons that I've learned the hard way, by the way, is that you have to trust people that you bring in. You have to be able to delegate in order to grow. And you've got to empower those around you to make decisions. I have never met a rich, successful micromanager. Let me tell you, I really tried to be the first one. It doesn't work. It doesn't work at all. Now, being a good employer or creating a great environment to work is key to building a great company at any size. And you as the founder, have to make that essential part of what you do, not an afterthought because you're running on empty. People are your greatest leverage in any business, especially in startups or growing companies. Your team is everything. The right people in the right environment can 10x your output, and great talent is a multiplier. But let me tell you, poor leadership or toxic culture kills it just as quickly. Great environments actually attract great people and culture builds a brand inside and out. Your internal culture is your external brand. Employees talk, customers notice and culture like leaks into product decisions, into customer support, into your brand, tone of voice like everything. Lastly, retention. Keeping your staff saves time, money and momentum because hiring is expensive and losing great people is even more expensive. When your team feels respected, safe and valued, they stay. And when they stay, they grow. And your business grows with them. High turnover kills velocity, and a healthy culture compounds over time. So I want you to get feedback from your staff. Be open to critique, and above all, be honest. If you don't hire well, fire quickly and put yourself and whoever you've bought in out of their misery fast. Know that business can only grow as fast as you do as a leader. So invest in becoming the best leader that you can. Okay, step 10 the real truth about being a Founder. Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint. My experience is that nothing really good happens that quickly. I really want you to think about that because the culture tells us differently. And I know that sounds like a cliche, but cliches exist for a reason. They're usually true. When I started, I thought success would come so fast. I thought if I just worked hard enough, if I burned the candle at both ends, if I chased quick results, if I chased hype, and I learned the hard way that nothing truly meaningful, nothing truly great happens overnight. The companies that last, the ideas that stick, the products that change people's life, they all take time. Time to build, time to fail, and time to learn. And Time to become something really real. So if you're in the early days and it feels like you're moving slowly, I want to remind you, forward is forward, progress is progress. Your job actually isn't to explode out of the gate. It's to keep showing up, to keep putting one foot in front of the other, even on the days when it feels like nothing is working. As a founder, urgency, curiosity, and a willingness to learn are the most important traits. You gotta want to win more than you want to be right. If you keep focusing on solving your customer's problem and putting your customer's needs first and at the center of every decision you make, you will win. And if you keep learning and you keep getting better, you will win. Because I promise you that that is when the magic actually happens. It's in the quiet consistency, in the unglamorous grind, in the decisions that nobody sees. And listen, you don't have to win today. You just have to last long enough to matter. Don't wait until you feel ready. You will never feel ready. Just start and then refuse to stop. So stay patient, stay focused, and most of all, stay in the game. Because you deserve to be in it. Okay, so let's bring this home. I've just walked you through 10 big steps and I don't want you to leave this episode just thinking about them. I want you to actually put pen to paper, write it down, make it real, and share it with a friend who's been talking about starting something too. Here we go. Step one. Start. Don't overthink it. Don't wait for perfect. Just begin selling something. Testing something. Forward is forward. Step two. The idea. Remember, an idea is not a business. Execution is everything. How you bring it to life is what actually matters. Step 3. Research. Obsess over your customer. Know your competition, size, the opportunity. Get close enough to understand the real pain points and how you'll solve them. Step 4. The business model and money. Keep it lean. Price for profit. Don't rely on investors at the start. Prove your idea with real revenue. Step 5. Structure. Do the unglamorous but essential stuff. Register your business. Set up your bank account, protect your ip and build a foundation that can actually last. Step six. Brand and product. Brand isn't your logo. It's how people feel when they interact with you. And no story saves a bad product. Make sure sure your product delivers on its promise. Step seven. Getting out of the gate. Launch with an mvp. The minimum viable product. The most basic stripped down version of your product. Test, learn and then adjust you don't need to be perfect, you just need momentum. Step 8 First customers hustle. Use your network, share your journey and be shameless about telling people your story and asking for support. Step 9 Team and leadership Hire for values, not just skills. Build culture early, empower people and grow as a leader alongside your company. Step 10 the truth about Being a Founder it is a marathon. Stay patient, stay consistent and stay focused. Your only job is to stay in the game. So that's it. That's your roadmap. 10 steps. Write them down, stick them on your mirror. Share them with someone who needs to hear this because starting is hard, but it's even harder to do it alone. And you never know who might get the push they need when you share. See you next time. And don't forget to always bet on yourself. If you're loving this podcast, be sure to click Follow on your favorite listening platform. While you're there, give us a review and a five star rating and share an episode you loved with a friend. You'll be so grateful. Aspire with EM Agreed is presented by Audacy. I'm your host, Emma Greed. Our executive producers are Corrine Gilliatt Fisher, Derek Brown, and me. Our executive producers from Audacy are Maddie Sprung Keyser, Leah Reese, Dennis, Asha Salouja and Jenna Weiss Berman. Stephen Key is our senior producer. Sound design and engineering by Bill Schultz. Angela Peluso is our booker. Original music by Charles Black Video production by Evan Cox, Kirk Courtney, Andrew Steele, Carlos Delgado and Arnie Agassi. Social media by Olivia Homan Special thanks to Brittany Smith, Sydney Ford, My teams at the lead company and WME Maura Curran, Josephina Francis, Hilary Schuff, Eric Donnelly, Kate Hutchinson, Rose, Tim Meekol, Sean Cherry, and Lauren Vieira. If you have questions for me, you can DM me at Aspire with Emma Greed. Greed is spelled G R E D E. That's Aspire A S P I R E with Emma Greed. Or you can submit a question to me on my website. Emagreed me. Every entrepreneur has that moment at 2am when they're wrestling with a problem that won't let go. Maybe it's restructuring a partnership deal. Maybe it's figuring out international expansion. Or maybe it's debugging a code that's blocking your launch. That's where Claude becomes invaluable AI that thinks through problems with you. Upload your contracts, financial models, or business plans. 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