I’m officially one year into entrepreneurship as a self-employed agricultural photographer. Wow, what a ride it’s been. There’s always more to learn, but in the past year I’ve certainly learned some lessons the hard way that are worth sharing with others. Here are 5 lessons I’ve learned in my first year of entrepreneurship.

“If you build it, they will come” is bull $#!t.

My college education prepared me to be an agricultural input salesperson. After a couple of traditional sales jobs, I realized I hated sales, and getting out of it became one of my biggest motivators for becoming self-employed. L.O.L. Joke’s on me. Imagine my surprise when I’d built this great, niched-down photography idea and realized I actually had to go out and find people to pay me for it. Every day, in some way or another, I am selling my services, my talents, my knowledge, and even my personality. 

You’ve got to market and sell whatever it is you do. Whether you have a product-based business or are a service provider, there are people out there who don’t know what you do, why you do it, or how you’re a better fit than someone else doing similar work. Furthermore, there are 8 billion people on this planet! You can’t rely on the right people just finding you. Go out, introduce yourself, and get to know people.

Get comfortable with the word no.

Speaking of going out and selling…get comfortable hearing no and saying no.

Hearing no:

Sometimes no will come in the form of a ghost. Sometimes it comes in the form of a kind, “thanks for the info, but not right now” note. Or it could even come in a blunt, “we’re not interested” message. All are fine. I’m not naive enough to say it’s not personal, sometimes it might be. But most likely it isn’t. It could be a no because I didn’t effectively portray value. Maybe it’s a no because someone is already providing that service for them. Or maybe they don’t like my pricing or don’t have it in their budget. With the exception of the first one, these factors are out of my control. I send a kind message back, and move on to the next one.

I keep my chin up by reminding myself that it only takes a few solid yeses to really change the trajectory of things. Oh, and one more note? If you don’t ask, the answer is automatically no. My thought is, I might as well make them say it.

Saying no:

Now, let’s talk about saying no. Once you start a business and start advertising your work, you’ll start to get some crazy requests. Some are harmless requests to do some work for “exposure” and “networking” that can actually turn out to do you good. Others are downright outrageous.

I do think there is value in saying yes to opportunities when you’re first starting out. But as you start to hone in on your skill and niche down, there comes a time to recognize when “no” is a more appropriate answer to better serve someone by directing them to a better fit AND to better serve yourself by leaving your time and energy open to work that is better suited for you.

Q1 sucks.

Just plan on not making much money in the first three months of the year. It’s cold, people are broke after the holidays, they’re partied out and recovering from a sugar coma. Everyone is hibernating and we’re all just counting down the days until Spring. In short, unless you’re selling something to do with tropical vacations or anything that will help with the “crush your goals” fads, you’re most likely entering a slow season. Plan ahead and store up for winter in Q4.

Know your numbers, but don’t obsess over them.

As a business owner, you HAVE to know your numbers. I’ve never looked this up, but I would bet that there is something in our brain that registers money coming in differently than money going out. Especially when first starting out, little unexpected expenses creep in and slowly eat away at profits. If you’re not paying attention, you can easily be fooled into thinking you’re generating more profit than you are. Pay attention to where you’re at today, what expenses are to come, and potential earnings for the future. Make sure they all balance. If money and numbers isn’t your thing, find someone to help you. 

Now all that being said, every coin has a flip side. I’ve caught myself becoming hyper focused with projections and how I’ll earn my money and if my goals and my pricing and my time available to complete services align. But there’s a point where you have to a) stop analyzing and go out and DO something (see below) and b) trust the process. Money will come to you in unexpected ways. Accept it as it comes, learn how it got to you, and figure out how to replicate it.

Last note on this, pricing is HARD. I’d hazard a guess that it’s most business owners’ least favorite thing to do. But again, know your numbers. Know your market and your ideal client and what they’re willing to pay. Know your value and how to communicate it. And once you set that price, be confident in it. Don’t waver.

Action > Analyze

Paralysis by analysis is a real thing. We live in a society where we have access to information and experts galore, all accessible with our fingertips in just a few seconds. We can read books, blog posts and websites; listen to podcasts; watch YouTube videos; and binge TikTok or Instagram accounts. This is a circumstance where less truly can be more. You can study, learn, compare, and research your heart out, but there comes a point in time where you have to stop analyzing and get out there and take some action. Moments of impulsiveness can lead to great reward.

Additionally, set aside perfectionism. Nothing says you have to have everything figured out before starting. You just have to have a foundation and a willingness to adapt, and you’ll be fine.

Entrepreneurship is a roller coaster. I’ve felt the highest highs and the lowest lows, some days all within a few hours of each other. I have incredible people supporting me, encouraging me, and helping me see the things right under my nose that are too close for me to see myself. I’ve met amazing clients who have become friends and year after year continue to pay me to come back. I take none of this for granted. Despite the ups and downs, the freedom, fulfillment, and sense of accomplishment I feel from successfully making it one year as a solo-preneur is like nothing I’ve felt before. Cheers to year 2! 

And some special thanks…

I certainly couldn’t go about this journey alone. Here are just a few of the folks who have helped get me to where I am.

Jade Boyd: I joined Jade’s coaching program with the goal of sustaining my side hustle. Three months in, I’d met my annual revenue goal and quit my job. Jade, I couldn’t have done this without you. Thank you for teaching me about systems and helping me realize I’m not as organized as I thought I was.

Emily, Kylie, and Kiah: Find yourself some business besties. I’ve talked to these three ladies every single day since October 2022. They’ve been on this roller coaster ride with me from day 1 and have pumped me up when I needed a confidence boost, talked me down on an entrepreneurial spiral day, and have cheered on every single win. I’m so dang grateful for you three.

Jen Sincero and her books, You Are a Badass and You Are A Badass at Making Money. I rarely reread books, but I have come back to you You Are A Badass at Making Money countless times when I’ve needed a confidence boost and a reminder that I CAN make the money I need to.

And of course, my husband Andy. He’s my rock, my voice of reason, and my reality check when I need one. I love you.

To learn more about my agricultural photography services, check out my website, https://hannahdorn.com/.