The Skills Nobody Told Me I'd Need to Run a Business
I started my business the way a lot of people do. I was sick of someone telling me when to have my butt in a seat and thought that web design and marketing (which were the skills I already possessed) was all that I needed to accomplish my dream of leaving the corporate world. I was good at them, I enjoyed them, and I figured that would be enough to build something real. What I didn't account for was everything else.
Coming from corporate, I understood departments and everyone working in their separate areas to accomplish overall goals.
In theory, I knew that going solo meant wearing all the hats. What I didn't know was the magnitude of time, energy, and skill each one of those hats would actually require and on top of that, I didn't have any other entrepreneurs in my life to guide me.
This was when I realized that I was figuring out a lot of this stuff on my own. Although that whole idea was scary to me, I learned a lot about myself and my business along the way.
Here's what actually caught me off guard.
The Skills That I Expected to Need
For this area, honestly, web design and marketing were really it.
I assumed that what I was good at would be what carried my business, and in some ways it did, but I quickly learned that there was more to it than just my strengths. The skills that actually determine whether a business survives are not always the ones that inspired you to start it.
The Skills That Caught Me Off Guard
As I mentioned previously, when I left corporate, I knew I'd be wearing a lot of hats. What I didn't know was just how many there would be or how quickly I'd have to figure out how to wear them all at once.
Sales Skills
Selling is a skill. Maybe that sounds obvious to you, maybe it doesn’t, but it’s foundational to a business. It doesn't come naturally to everyone and it has to be learned, and practiced.
And honestly, I'm still actively working on it.
The moment that really shifted things for me was looking at my numbers. Out of 18 discovery calls, 6 became clients. I realized that if I could improve that conversion rate, I wouldn't be burning myself out, constantly trying to book more and more calls just to keep the business moving. As a 1:1 service provider, your time is extremely limited. Learning to sell well isn't just a revenue strategy, it's a sustainability strategy.
Financial Skills
This one blindsided me completely. When I first started, I had no idea how to pay myself as an LLC, I didn't even know what a distribution really was, and don’t get me started on taxes.
One thing that I really wish someone had told me sooner is the concept of LTV (lifetime value of a customer). At the time, so much of my energy went into acquiring new clients, but I had nothing built in to retain them once the process was over. This has even caused me to start rethinking the retainer model as well.
With this, my practical advice if you're just starting out is that one of your first hires should be finance-related. Find a bookkeeper, or at minimum, someone who you can do a consulting call with who actually understands small business taxes. Also, track every single business expense from day one, even the ones that feel small. They add up, and come tax season, you'll be thanking yourself.
What I Wish Someone Had Told Me
First, get visible online faster and more consistently than you think you need to. In 2026, three posts a week is not enough. More eyeballs equal more sales. It really is that important, even when showing up consistently feels hard.
As we know, entrepreneurship is difficult, and that does not go away even after you've seen real success. Three years in, I still have moments where I question whether to keep going. That's normal and just part of the journey!
The people who make it are not the ones who never have these moments and feelings of doubt. They're the ones who stay consistent through the uncomfortable seasons. For me, faith has been what grounds me in those moments. It helps me remember that I’m doing what I love to do and that sometimes the hardest tasks end up being the most rewarding!
What Success Actually Looks Like
For me, success is building 30 websites in a year, completely by myself. It's being able to support my VA so she can stay home and homeschool her kids. It's picking up my daughter from daycare on a random Tuesday to go to the zoo, just because I can.
I work more now than I ever did at my 9-5, but the difference is that I’m not chained to a desk, and I have a lot more freedom. Time flexibility is most important to me, and every challenging season has been worth it for that.
You’re More Capable Than You Think!
The skill that got you into business is not always the skill that keeps you in it. Sales, finances, visibility, and resilience are some of the things that actually hold a business together, and none of them come with an instruction manual.
If there's one thing I hope you can take from this, it's that every entrepreneur is figuring this out as they go. You aren’t behind and you aren’t doing it wrong, you are growing!
Follow my Instagram to learn along with me and see some behind-the-scenes of how I actually use these skills in my business on a daily basis!
