Well, I have definitely more than 10 rookie entrepreneurial moves but will start with the top 10.
Tell your family you’re building a marketing consultancy, tech products, and a community to help heart-led leaders thrive—and watch every insecurity you’ve ever had RSVP to the party. That was me in year one: full of vision, high on purpose, and drowning in a sea of missteps, learning curves, and unsolicited career advice.
Friends laughed (literally) when I explained The Level-Up Club. Others suggested I become an insurance agent or financial advisor. Huh? (I’m still recovering from that gut punch.)
I already had an MBA, but it taught me nothing about the gritty, real-life boot camp of entrepreneurship.
I started out consulting—with a dream of helping others succeed with creating a path of more aligned connections.
Here’s my 10 rookie entrepreneurial moves that I learned the hard way during my first year in business.
1. Super-Sizing Our First Offer
We launched as a fractional strategic marketing (CMOs), pitching huge proposals to early-stage startups. They were impressive, complex, and completely wrong for the audience we were trying to serve. Many founders wanted everything but didn’t have money for anything. Major rookie entrepreneurial move!
Lesson: Start with a single, clear painkiller offer. Make it easy to say yes.
2. Chasing Passion, Not Pipeline
I had all the energy and belief in the world—but no real business development process. Most clients came from 1:1 connections. I joined a referral networking group to gain warm leads, but it sucked up my time and left me with a dry pipeline.
Lesson: Connection is key, but systems matter. Build real relationships and real strategies.
3. Outsourcing Too Early
I outsourced things like bookkeeping, video production, and social media thinking it would save me time—but ended up micromanaging the whole thing. It took more time than it saved and didn’t drive results. I’ve since pulled back and will outsource again once I’ve got better systems and consistent momentum.
Lesson: Don’t outsource chaos. Get your house in order first.
4. Getting Stuck in the Time-for-Money Trap
Consulting gave me income but not scale. I realized quickly that trading hours for dollars was a short-term plan. It paid the bills, but it wasn’t building the business I truly wanted. Another, major rookie entrepreneurial move!
Lesson: Consulting is a bridge, not the whole highway.
That realization led to a major pivot.
5. Expanding Into Community and Products
What I wanted was to create something scalable, sustainable, and soul-led. That’s when I started building The Level-Up Club—a bold, inclusive space for heart-centered leaders to grow from the inside out. The community just launched in June, and I’m building a tech tool to support it next.
Lesson: Follow the fire. When your heart pulls you in a new direction, listen.
6. Underestimating the Time to Build
Community takes time. Tech tools take longer. There’s no instant traction—just consistent effort, conversations, and alignment. Right now, I’m focused on building awareness and hitting the right problem with the right message.
Lesson: Early momentum isn’t always visible. Stay consistent. Trust the seeds you’re planting.
7. Listening to the Wrong People
People who’ve never built a business love giving advice. I’ve been told to get a “real job” more times than I can count. But I’ve taken the leap. I’m building something different—and I can’t unsee it.
Lesson: Filter advice through lived experience. Smile and keep building.
8. Playing Small on Pricing
Early on, I underpriced just to get in the door. Those “opportunities” often led to overwork, under-appreciation, and blurry boundaries. Consistently, of these rookie entrepreneurial moves, I hear this one a lot.
Lesson: Pricing reflects your expertise. The right customer values quality work for a fair price. Raise it. Stick to it.
9. Building a Foundation Before Jumping into Digital Marketing
I haven’t launched paid ads yet because I’m focused on building a strong foundation—clarifying my message, gathering social proof, and making sure the funnel works. But I know perfection isn’t the goal. The real secret is starting, even if it’s messy. Videos don’t need to be polished, and posts don’t need to be flawless to make an impact.
Lesson: Done is better than perfect. Experiment, test, and learn as you go. Momentum beats hesitation every time.
10. Hiding My Heart
For a while, I stayed in the “professional” box—afraid to speak the full truth about what I care about: energy, mindset, soul, and self-worth. I’m not hiding anymore. I’m coming out of the spiritual closet and calling in other leaders who know the old way is broken. If you can’t change the sandbox, it’s time to build your own. That’s my motto.
Lesson: Building resilience starts on the inside and your connection to something bigger provides inspired action.
So… was it worth it?
Absolutely. Year one of rookie entrepreneurial moves stretched me, stripped me, and sharpened me. I’m not the same person who started this thing, and that’s a good thing. I’ve learned what not to do. I’ve learned what matters. And I’ve learned how to keep showing up even when it’s messy.
To the new founders out there: You’re not behind. You’re becoming. Keep going.
If you’re building your own thing and the road feels lonely, I see you. If your heart is pulling you toward something deeper—you’re not alone.
Join The Level-Up Club. From stuck to unstoppable. We rise together helping you avoid rookie entrepreneurial moves.
