What My First Month as a Business Owner Taught Me

One Month In: What No One Tells You About Starting a Business

Photo by IKIGLOO on Unsplash

Hey you,

One month ago, I officially stepped into a new chapter of my life: I became a business owner. Not just someone with a side project or an idea scribbled in a journal — but someone who registered a name, ordered samples, spoke with suppliers, set prices, and hit “post” on social media to tell the world: This is mine. I built this.

It’s only been a month, but honestly, it feels like a year’s worth of lessons packed into four weeks. I want to share some of the biggest things this first month has taught me, not the Instagram-pretty version, but the real, sometimes messy truth.

1. Suppliers Will Test Your Patience (and Your Faith)

One of my suppliers stressed me so much that I almost questioned why I started this at all. Deadlines were almost missed, calls weren’t returned, and I had to chase like my life depended on it. It reminded me that business is rarely a straight line — there will always be people or processes that challenge you. What matters is how you adapt.

2. Pricing Wasn’t Just About Numbers

I thought pricing would be simple: cost + margin = selling price. But when it came down to it, fear kicked in. “Will people pay this?” “Am I charging too much?” “Am I undervaluing my work?”

What I’ve realized is — pricing is part math, part mindset. The math tells you what keeps you in business. The mindset tells you to own the value of what you’ve created.

3. People Actually Notice the Quality (More Than You Think)

One of the sweetest surprises has been the feedback. People actually like the products — not just to be nice, but genuinely. They’ve complimented the quality, the comfort, and the design. That encouragement has kept me going on days when doubt was loudest.

4. Talking About My Business Felt Like Coming Out of My Shell

At first, it felt awkward to tell people, “Oh, by the way, I run a footwear and bag brand.” Someone on my Instagram texted me and told me he knows me to be a conservative person, and he’s surprised to see this side of me, and he loves it. I worried about being judged or sounding too salesy. But the more I shared, the lighter it felt. I realized that if I don’t speak confidently about what I do, how will anyone else believe in it?

5. Social Media is Work (and Courage) in Disguise

Posting for my brand has stretched me. It’s not just about making something look good — it’s about showing up, telling a story, and daring to be seen. Every caption feels like me putting a piece of my heart online, with the hope that it resonates.

6. Clarity Comes From Doing, Not Thinking

I used to spend so much time in my head, waiting to figure it all out before starting. This month taught me that clarity doesn’t come in the quiet; it comes in the trying. Every step forward (even the shaky ones) gave me more direction than all the planning in the world.

7. Small Wins Are Big Fuel

Selling that first item. Hearing a kind word. Getting a repost. They might seem small, but in the early days, it’s actually what keeps you going. I’ve learned to celebrate them fully instead of rushing to the next milestone.

8. Your Brain Never Switches Off

As a business owner, your mind is always buzzing. Ideas, doubts, strategies, questions, they don’t stop at night. I catch myself thinking of packaging designs while trying to fall asleep or pricing tweaks while in the middle of a conversation. It’s exhausting but also exciting. It’s like carrying a baby you want to nurture well.

9. Growth Sometimes Comes With Tears Too

I’ll be honest — I’ve cried. From stress, from overwhelm, from feeling like I wasn’t doing enough. But those tears didn’t mean failure. They were a release, a sign that I care deeply about what I’m building.

10. This Is Just the Beginning

If one month could teach me all this, I can only imagine what the next year will hold. It’s scary, yes — but it’s also full of possibility. And I wouldn’t trade this ride for anything.

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Now I want to hear from you:

If you’ve ever started something new — a business, a project, even a habit, what was your first-month experience like? What lessons did you carry with you?

Hit reply and share with me, I’d love to read your story.

P.S. If you’re curious about the brand I’m building (TIA Essence), you can check it out.