As I prepare to celebrate my 10th anniversary in business, I am keenly aware of the many mistakes I have made, and of what I have learned from them. I've made more than 99 mistakes over the past 10 years, and each one has equipped me to meet new challenges and given me the experience I will need to overcome the next 99+ mistakes I will make.
While I didn't make all 99 of the mistakes listed here, I have insight into each one because if I didn't make it myself, I helped someone who did. I hope you will scan the list and subscribe to my blog so you can read all of the upcoming posts which will contain the stories behind the mistakes and offer suggestions for how you can avoid making them. Here goes!
- Relying on your son’s friend’s cousin’s father to design your website.
- Not getting some kind of smart phone.
- Using other people's money without a plan to pay it back.
- Not delegating enough.
- Abandoning your email newsletter (or not launching one.)
- Not exercising.
- Resisting new technologies.
- Expecting to receive before you give.
- Burning bridges, then trying to rebuild them without an apology.
- Asking someone you barely know to be your mentor.
- Trying to get rich quick.
- Talking about what you're going to do instead of doing it.
- Constantly comparing yourself to your competitors.
- Being a poor follower.
- Letting cobwebs grow on your blog.
- Not giving your blog enough time to “catch on.”
- Complaining and whining.
- Bad mouthing your competitors.
- Not participating at other people's blogs.
- Asking for help before you've done some legwork of your own.
- Giving when you cannot afford to give.
- Automating too much of your social media outreach.
- Expecting your use of social media to perform miracles for you.
- Buying or hiring without comparing pricing and offers.
- Not learning HTML.
- Using your logo or pet ferret (or cat or dog or goldfish) as your avatar.
- Doing things because you said you would do them, even when they don't work.
- Taking stupid chances.
- Failing to distinguish between what your business needs and what it (or you) wants.
- Not creating and using a Twitter account.
- Spending too much money.
- Not spending enough money.
- Not setting basic work hours.
- Forgetting to say, “please” and “thank you.”
- Passing the buck.
- Not understanding the laws that affect your business.
- Not laughing at yourself.
- Underpricing your products and services.
- Thinking that all you need to be successful is a good idea.
- Maintaining non-performing employees because you like them as people.
- Being a bit too easily offended.
- Not using YouTube because you don't like how your hair looks.
- Analysis paralysis.
- Doing things when you feel like doing them instead of creating systems.
- Thinking people will buy your products just because they are great.
- Requesting social connections and endorsements from people who don't know you.
- Putting your smart phone in the washing machine.
- Going to a pot luck dinner empty-handed.
- Believing there is any such thing as an overnight success.
- Lowering your prices because of a poor economy.
- Not MasterMinding.
- Failing to ask for the sale.
- Committing before you know what's involved.
- Not standing up for yourself.
- Being mean.
- Trying to kill too many birds with one stone.
- Not killing enough birds with one stone.
- Not introducing yourself.
- Mistaking “hobbying” for being in business.
- Failing to accept your position as a publisher.
- Not opening a business bank account.
- Not consulting an accountant.
- Not getting help with the kids.
- Not scheduling regular business hours.
- Not celebrating small victories.
- Giving up.
- Not giving up.
- Going to a pot luck dinner empty-handed.
- Diluting your brand with Google ads.
- Thinking that doing nothing is not making a decision.
- Not tooting your horn.
- Failing to nurture connections in your own back yard.
- Going to a pot luck dinner empty-handed.
- Trying to be someone you are not.
- Not listening.
- Trying to be all things to all people.
- Believing that there is no power greater than yourself.
- Not carving out specific areas of expertise that you are known for.
- Not admitting your mistakes.
- Inappropriate use of Flash technology.
- Not sharing.
- Not calendaring.
- Not planning.
- Not setting priorities and non-negotiables.
- Small thinking.
- Having a “launch and lunch” mentality.
- Being too hard on yourself.
- Not learning from your mistakes.
- Not setting up the best profile page possible.
- Thinking that social media is just idle chatter.
- Thinking you don't have enough time.
- Failing to include your spouse or significant other in your business.
- Not blogging.
- Semi-spamming people.
- Not exposing yourself.
- Not using spell check.
- Taking on work you hate or are not qualified to do in order to get work you like.
- Not giving credit where credit is due.
- Sending the one type of email message that is worse than spam.
How To Avoid Them
In case you haven't already figured it out, you can avoid making these mistakes by subscribing to my blog! Throughout 2010, I will share helpful real-life stories about each one of these mistakes. Some stories will be funny, others not so much. But throughout the year, we will laugh and share as we celebrate how we've overcome some of these mistakes and how we can help those coming behind us to avoid them.
Question: Have you made any mistakes that I've missed? If so, share them in the comments section below. There's no reason why we can't add to the list!
