Starting a business is like throwing a party

It's like you want to throw a big costume party.

You call a few friends, "hey, I'm going to throw a costume party." "Great idea!"
We make supportive noises, offer a few ideas, and say we'll be glad to help. Because we are, we will be, glad to help.

Then you work out a bit more on your own, and you send out the invitations, and you prepare like mad.

And you wait. Nervously. For guests you *hope* will arrive. "What if no one comes to my party?"

We all get that feeling. "What if they don't drink on Halloween this year?" "What if no one turns up for the services?" "What if PodCamp is a big flop?" You know, it is absolutely universal.

The waiting is the killer.

But when you actually get started, a few friends turn up early, and you get busy with them, and then suddenly, there is a party happening.

You have a network. You've positioned yourself and done all that self-selling already.
You are like a well known hostess. (you're giggling now, aren't you?)
If you announce your party, people will show up. Really.

The waiting is much worse than the reality.

"But imagine throwing a party and then charging at the door. FREE is easy. Getting people to pay is ridiculous. Isn't it?"

What on earth makes you think that it is that much harder to get people to pay?? It's not!

It's just a business. Really, just like any business on the face of the earth. If it's valuable to you, you'll pay for it.

If you put on the invitation that there's a cover charge, people will get it. They only get upset when you SURPRISE them by charging at the door.

[Thanks to Jon Swanson for encouraging me to post this.]

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