5 Struggles All Entrepreneurs Face & How to Overcome It

Hi, My name is Jasmine Stith AKA The Pretty Plug. I inspire, motivate and educate women to #walkbyfaith & #launchyourgold on the internet. I specialize in creating marketing strategies for brands and business owners to increase their exposure on the internet. Nothing happens until you launch your gold (book, blog, youtube channel, podcast, idea, tech app or community). You are the common denominator.

It has now been 90 days since I began my full-time entrepreneurship journey, but I have been creating content and building my platform as the Pretty Plug since 2015. It all started from walking by faith on social media consistently which has led me to full-time entrepreneurship.

I talk with a lot of women and men who have great ideas, but they all have the same five challenges that must be overcome with time. I’ve listed them below as I have had to overcome them in my own journey as well. Please leave me a comment and claps if you enjoyed this read. If I missed anything let me know as well. I’ll use it for inspiration for my next article.

1. Validation of Your Idea

Since grade school, we have been taught that we get an “A” when we pass a test with given rules and guidelines from our teachers. The teacher knew the information we just had to demonstrate that we understood it based on the tests we took. When building a brand or business those rules no longer apply. You don’t receive an “A” when you have a great idea or vision that you want to commit to. In fact, if the world could give a grade “C” which means we can’t see how that idea is going to work, but good luck. After we tell our friends and family about the idea and receive our grade “C” we begin to lose the one thing we always had which was validation. Your idea is valid, but as of right now you are the only one who can “C” it. I read, “Choose”, by Ryan Levesque who is the CEO of The ASK Method® Company and it changed my life. You can validate your own ideas by answering the following questions:

What do you love doing more than anything else in the world? (Define what it is.)

Does it fit your personality & strenghs?

Could you do it for the next five years?

Would you die for it?

Truth be told my answer to all of those questions was #WALKBYFAITH. I spent days in my NYC apartment trying to figure out how I would quit my job and make income. I spent time calling people and asking others what I should do which would bring me more happiness. However, I had my answer all along. I just really lacked the “validation” of my idea. Once I got confident in my “it”. I took the leap of faith and I now receive my “C” from everyone else around me. A lot of people think I am completely crazy for quitting my six-figure job in New York City. I can’t say that everyday I feel validated or completely confident in my choice. But I am very confident knowing that my feelings aren’t fact. My, it is attached to who I am and I will continue to uncover it bit by bit in my marathon on earth.

2. Consistency

I mastered consistency while working my 9–5 on Wall Street. It took me a long time like three years to actually find ONE thing I could do every week without excuses. In 2015, I started with Snapchat and moving my feet with the words #walkbyfaith on the screen and I did it every day. But that, in my opinion, was simple. It took five seconds out of my day to commit to creating that walking affirmation to myself.

Creating content and being super consistent was the challenge. I started blogging, wasn’t consistent. I started a Youtube Channel — wasn’t consistent. I graduated from college and six months went by where I felt completely empty without doing something that had #walkbyfaith at the center. That’s when I learned about #podcasting. I could interview anyone, anywhere and create the content weekly with social media marketing to promote the show. I found one thing and I kept at it.

There were times I didn’t get much rest. There were times I missed meals. There were times when I was late for work because my episode wouldn’t upload properly. But there was nothing more fulfilling than sacrificing my energy, time and effort to tell the stories of Christian entrepreneurs who are trusting God with their success story. Allow me to plug my podcast here. It gave me joy and I knew that I wanted to make it even bigger from a podcast to a show, but everyone has to start somewhere.

What’s your one thing?

• Do you like talking? Try Podcasting.
• Do you like to write? Try Blogging.
• Do you like to talk and make videos? Try Creating IGTV Videos then migrate to YouTube.
• Do you like building communities? Try monthly brunches or meetups.

Whatever your one thing is try it for 90 days. Don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t stick right away. That’s the beauty of the process. Remember you validated this idea, give yourself the grace to see it through.

3. Time Management

We’re all given twenty-four hours a day. Up until this point, I don’t think technology has created a new time hack for our time, other than making it even harder for us to stay focused for a given time period. In college, I began mastering my time. If it was not in my calendar, I wasn’t doing it. It can seem mean, but it makes me so happy to know that any activities that I plan outside of the things I value most are scheduled and have a time/place. I utilize google calendar, google sheets and my cell phone to keep me on point. #techlover

I recently got married, so now my time is even more important because I’m sharing it with another human being who needs him some me. lol. (I really did chuckle while writing that.) I came up with this excel sheet that helps me list out my activities and place them in time slots so I execute based on my specific schedule. I then convert it to my google calendar and stick to it, without excuses. If something doesn’t work then I keep working at it until it sticks.

Take a look at it. It’s a great guide for you to list out your activities and prioritize what makes sense for you. I also mentor and coach women in my gold member’s club weekly to keep them on track with their goals. Check it out here if you’re interested. You get 10% off your first month when you use the code: GOGMC.

4. Support

If you are an entrepreneur or a content creator you know that this is one of the main things everyone faces. Support. You either have it or you don’t. Brendon Burchard actually wrote this caption and I couldn’t agree more. Your dreams and businesses won’t be understood by most. Which is why you have to surround yourself with like-minded people that can support you. Most of them will be at conferences. I wrote a post last week on the top 10 you should check out for 2020. I know at those conferences you will begin to find your tribe. No matter your taste there is one for you. You just have to be bold, network and find them. You’re not alone we all have been a one-man band before. It will come. Don’t get discouraged.

God will send you your support and the people meant to help you build your mission.

Check out that article here.

5. Fear

The last struggle is fear. By Definition, Fear is an emotion induced by perceived danger or threat, which causes physiological changes and ultimately behavioral changes, such as fleeing, hiding, or freezing from perceived traumatic events.

I was extremely fearful before leaving my job. I was extremely fearful to love and have a successful relationship. I am still working on overcoming the fear, doubt and overall mindset to keep progressing every day. Fear will have you feeling like you are in a jail cell of your own body. You might not be able to get up and thrive because of fear. You might not be able to go up to the woman/man because of fear. You might not start that blog, book, or podcast because of fear. But you have to acknowledge where it comes from, and which action items you will take to overcome that fear.

The good news is I did quit my job. That was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.

The great news is I got married in 24 Hours to my best friend. Plug we have a YouTube Channel.

The even better news is that I haven’t given up yet.

I choose to fight my fear with FAITH. It’s my brand that I started on accident I must say and I will fight for everyone to live the life they love by choosing faith. I just have to be the leader and the witness to the path I’m on. I know that if he has done it for me, he will most definitely do it for you. #WALKBYFAITH

I’m praying for you, Jasmine | The Pretty Plug

P.S. Feel free to tweet me @__theprettyplug or dm me on IG @jastheprettyplug if you have any questions. If you like what you read Give Me some Claps to support more content coming your way.

P.S.S. You can also subscribe and donate to the Walk By Faith Podcast which is the #1 Podcast that brings you motivation, education & inspiration from faith-based entrepreneurs every Wednesday. Available on all your favorite podcast streaming platforms.