Learnings from my first year after switching from corporate to small business ownership

🎯 One year ago, I took a leap from corporate to small business ownership. Here’s what acquiring and running nail salons taught me about entrepreneurship… The transition from analyzing billion-dollar deals at Deloitte to managing day-to-day operations of two small businesses has been both humbling and rewarding. 𝘒𝘦𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳: 𝟬𝟭. 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 • My corporate background helped with strategy, but success came from understanding our team and customers • Built strong employees that directly impacted our bottom line 𝟬𝟮. 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 =/= 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 • Created sustainable jobs in our community • Built meaningful relationships with customers and other businesses 𝟬𝟯. 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝘁 • The hardest part? Finding the right people that can run the day-to-day operations • For multi-business aspirations, strong operators are crucial • Learning to let go and delegate was a game-changer for focusing on expansion plans 𝟬𝟰. 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 I developed a simple framework for task management: • Things I’m good at and want to do • Things I’m good at but don’t want to do • Things I’m not good at but want to learn/do • Things I’m not good at and should delegate This clarity helped me build the right team and focus on what truly moves the needle. 𝟬𝟱. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 • Sometimes you need to spend money to make money • Short-term expenses can drive long-term value • Understanding your financials inside and out is non-negotiable • Learned to differentiate between necessary investments and unnecessary costs 𝟬𝟲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 • Those “overnight success” stories? They’re usually years in the making • Despite what entrepreneurship literature promises, the path to financial freedom isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon • Building sustainable systems, reliable teams, and loyal customers takes time… often more time than you initially plan for • And that’s okay. The joy isn’t in the destination but in building something meaningful along the way • I’ve learned to celebrate small wins while keeping my eyes on long-term goals The biggest surprise? Operating teaches you things no spreadsheet can. While my corporate background gave me the analytical tools, hands-on ownership taught me the human side of business. To all considering the switch from corporate to small business ownership: Take time to understand yourself first. Your strengths and weaknesses will shape your business more than any market analysis ever will. And remember—it’s not about how fast you get there, but about building something sustainable that you’re proud of.