The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and starting on the first one.

-Mark Twain

Hallo! Welcome to The Fab Folio Blog!

It’s Patricia here, and it’s an amazing pleasure to write to you about my greatest obsessions: books, business, and learning new things. I’ve been thinking about starting this newsletter for a while, and I finally decided to dive in and let your feedback help me refine the content as we go along. Our maiden edition is about small beginnings and how to get to anything big, you need to first, start ugly.

For “recovering perfectionists” like me, it’s almost anathema to suggest I would start anything ugly… I like things to work perfectly, I like to think through every little detail; I like perfectly working products; I like GREAT customer service; I like websites that just work; I hate bad design; and so on and so forth. I just cannot stand mediocrity. If you want to do something, just do it perfectly. That’s me.

This means that for me, starting ugly means breaking the mold of the old Patricia—the one who wants to release the best product the market has ever seen! The one who believes she can run a multi-million dollar corporation right away! Yes, we know, but can you just run your startup business consistently for a year? These are the questions we will answer as we journey on our way to SUCCESS. Join me to START UGLY. Thanks for journeying with me. Enjoy this maiden edition of The Fab Folio!

The Power of Small Beginnings: How Starting Ugly Can Lead to Big Success

Starting anything, whether it’s a new venture, a business, a blog, a book, or a personal project, can be daunting. The fear of failure, the uncertainty of the future, and the overwhelming amount of work that needs to be done can hold you back and make it difficult to take the first step. However, there is a saying that goes, “Great things come from small beginnings” , so in this week’s edition of The Fab Folio blog, we’ll explore the power of small beginnings and how starting small and ugly can lead to big success.

Picture by Rf._.Studio

The Importance of Starting Small

Starting small has many benefits. First, it allows you to test the waters without committing too much time, money, or resources to a project. This is especially important if you’re starting a new business or launching a new product. By starting small, you can see if there’s a demand for your product or service, and if there is, you can gradually scale up.

Second, starting small allows you to learn from your mistakes without suffering too much damage. Failure is an inevitable part of any new venture, but by starting small, you can minimize the impact of your mistakes. You can learn from them, make adjustments, and try again.

Finally, starting small can help you build momentum. Small wins can be incredibly motivating, and they can help you gain the confidence you need to tackle bigger challenges. As you achieve small successes, you’ll be more likely to take on bigger challenges and push yourself to further successes.

The Importance of Starting Ugly

The reason is literally scientific. I was never your best science student, but at least I remember Newton’s first law of motion:

“A body remains at rest, or in motion at a constant speed in a straight line, unless acted upon by a force.”

(The Law Of Inertia)

Isaac Newton

Basically, what this law is saying is that if you don’t start that idea, business, book, project, etc., then you won’t start until perhaps an external force pushes you to act e.g. losing your job. But guess what? By then, you won’t feel in control of that change. You will feel stressed, helpless, and angry. The difference between feeling like a victim and feeling like the vanquished is when you decide to start. I have some things to say about Newton’s 2nd law as well, but given that I was not a stellar science student (although I was excellent in the social sciences), let’s leave that for now.

If you have an idea you have been mulling around in your mind—a solution, a product, a service—or anything that has the potential to be of value to a lot of people, start. Start small, start ugly! Just TAKE ACTION.

If, like me, you are willing to start ugly, here are some tips from Chris Krimitsos, a serial entrepreneur who wrote the book “Start Ugly”.

1. Identify an opportunity or a new way of doing things.
2. Do your research on the subject. Set a time limit.
3. Create a minimal viable thing.
4. Commit to a launch date and make it public by telling people.
5. Start Ugly… and launch.
6. Set check-in dates to assess your progress.
a. If you find that you don’t like what you started, stop.
b. If you love what you’re doing, decide what your endeavour will become and set milestones accordingly.
7. Create systems and work towards perfect execution: You must improve your product or service after you start ugly.

Starting ugly is your baseline, you have to work towards getting better, until you get to perfect execution.

Small (Ugly) Beginnings that Led to Big Successes

We all know these examples of big businesses that had very small beginnings, but are now recognized as huge, global successes:

• Amazon started as an online bookstore in Jeff Bezos’ garage.
• Apple started in Steve Jobs’ parents’ garage.
• Facebook started as a social networking site for Harvard students.
• Spanx, the billion-dollar shape wear brand, started in founder Sara Blakely’s apartment in the early 2000s. She packed her products by hand in envelopes and shipped them to her customers.

Big software companies like Microsoft still sell software with bugs. They wait for customers’ feedback and complaints to come in, and then they fix the bugs. So if even these companies are still “starting ugly”…why don’t you? All of these companies started small and ugly, but they eventually grew into some of the biggest and most successful companies in the world. They didn’t start out with grand plans for world dominance; they just started with a simple idea and worked hard to make it a reality. Your “small” idea has in it the seed of a huge project that can impact thousands of lives! Don’t be discouraged by the difficulty of the initial struggle; start ugly, learn, take feedback from customers, and build better and better!

Tips for Starting Small and Ugly

If you’re thinking about starting a new venture, here are some tips for starting:

• Start with a simple idea. One idea is all it takes. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel; start with something simple that you know you can easily execute.
• Focus on a core audience. Don’t try to appeal to everyone; focus on your core audience and build from there.
• Be patient. Success takes time, so don’t get discouraged if things don’t take off right away. There’s worth in the wait.
• Learn from your mistakes. Failure to achieve some outcomes is inevitable, but it’s also an opportunity to learn and grow. As long as you’re learning, adapting, and growing, you can’t fail.
• Celebrate small wins. Every little success counts, no matter how small. So celebrate those wins and be your best cheerleader!

Ugly Beginnings in Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is all about taking risks and starting something new. Entrepreneurs are responsible for most of the world’s wealth today. However, entrepreneurship is fraught with risks, particularly in today’s world, where we see unprecedented change happening at speeds that can leave you breathless. But know that there is no chance for success in entrepreneurship without taking a risk. No one starts off creating million-dollar businesses, or launching a book that sells millions of copies on the first publication (at least none that I know of!). They start off creating and failing at several businesses until they find the one that sticks. They may start off writing a first, second, or even third book before they begin to gain readership and cause some ripples. Even then, that one successful business or book may not be the million-dollar one, but the great thing is that action was taken, and momentum was gained. Failure only happens when you don’t take action on your dreams.

Starting ugly is a key component of entrepreneurship because it allows you to test the waters, learn from your mistakes, and build the momentum you need to achieve greater success. As you achieve small successes, you’ll be more likely to be ready to take on bigger challenges and push yourself further to achieve flawless execution.

“All great things have small beginnings.”

-Peter Senge

The Role of Market Research in Small Beginnings

Hey, remember to do your market research! We said start ugly, not start “stupid”. Market research is essential for anyone starting a new venture. It helps you identify your target audience, understand their needs and preferences, and develop a product or service that meets those needs. Market research also helps you identify your competition, assess the market demand for your product or service, and develop a marketing strategy that will help you reach your target audience. Conducting effective market research helps you start a business with knowledge of the competitive landscape, as opposed to being totally ignorant of the industry and customers, which greatly increases the risk of business.

Soon, you’ll be able to stay up-to-date with the latest market research trends and techniques at www.blumobility.com, our business resource and strategic solutions platform. Watch this space for more information!

Final Thoughts

Starting ugly can be scary and it can make you feel vulnerable, but it’s also incredibly powerful. Everything amazing starts small and ugly—plants, babies, houses, businesses, corporations, everything. By starting small and ugly, you can test the waters, learn from your mistakes, and build momentum. Remember Newton’s first law. Whether you’re starting a new business, launching a new product, or pursuing a personal project, remember that great things come from small (ugly) beginnings. Don’t despise your ugly beginnings, start the momentum, break your inertia, take action! Start Ugly.

Patricia F. Agha is the Founder of Blu Mobility, a business resource and strategic solutions platform designed to help small business owners with tools, templates, and curated learning resources to help transform business outcomes. To book a paid consultation, schedule a call with her through the link below:

http://doodle.com/bp/patriciaagha/meet-with-tricia-blumobility