The longer I’m in business, the more frequently I’m asked how I started and grew Elle & Company. My answer is never extremely straightforward; there was no quick fix or simple trick that helped me find my footing in this industry, but there have been several monumental steps along the way that have helped me maintain a steady income and create a job I truly love. I always love hearing the story of how other people got started; it gives me a greater perspective and a connection with their business that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.

And to be honest, I’ve been hesitant to share this kind of post because I don’t want it to seem like I esteem myself highly or that I’ve “arrived.” In the past year of business, I’ve realized that you never arrive; you’re constantly coming up with new ideas, refining your process, and uncovering ways to run your business better. My goal in sharing this today is to tell you the story of Elle & Company, both the good and the bad, in order to give you insight on where this started and hopefully encourage you along in the story of your own blog or business. 

8 out of 10 business fail within the first 18 months (source). That’s a shocking number, isn’t it? And after being in business for over a year now, I can see why that statistic is true; there is a lot more to entrepreneurship than creating your own work hours, being your own boss, and following your dream. I learned the hardest, most costly decisions within my first year, so today I’m sharing some of the most common business mistakes that I’ve run into. While many of life’s best-learned lessoned are often learned from personal experience, my hope is that many of these mistakes will help you stay proactive and avoid errors that could be detrimental to your business in the long-run.