Failing When Trying to Start a Business: What I’ve Done, Learned, and Why I Won’t Stop
Failure is the most valuable lesson you’ll ever learn in business—so why does it feel so damn bad?
The idea that failure is part of the process has been drilled into us for years. And yet, no one talks about how crushing it can feel when things don’t go as planned. Here’s the truth: failing when starting a business isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a full-on gut punch, especially when everything you’ve worked on feels like it’s crumbling in your hands. But here’s the catch—I’ve learned that these failures, messy as they are, can be the stepping stones to something greater. And I’m not stopping. You shouldn’t either.
Tired of watching your business ideas flop? You’re not alone.
If you’re anything like me, the excitement of starting your own business quickly turns into frustration when things don’t work out as you envisioned. You’ve spent countless hours brainstorming, researching, and even investing your hard-earned cash, only to watch it all slip away. At first, it feels like a slap in the face. But if you really dig deep, you’ll realize this: most business ventures fail not because of lack of effort, but because they ignore one crucial thing.
What is that thing? Adaptability.
In the early stages, many business owners are so focused on making everything perfect, hitting every checklist, and sticking to their initial ideas that they forget the key to success: staying adaptable. The market changes, your customer needs evolve, and your initial plan often needs tweaking. Not being ready to pivot can keep you stuck in a cycle of failure.
And when that happens, it can feel like your entire dream is slipping through your fingers. I’ve been there. It’s painful. The kind of “I put my heart and soul into this and now it’s failing” kind of pain.
Here’s what I’ve learned after failing—a lot—in the past few months of my business journey:
The key to bouncing back is embracing the failure, learning from it, and keeping the momentum going. It’s not about avoiding failure—because if you’re doing things right, it will happen—but about responding to it in a way that drives you forward instead of crushing you.
So, how do you do that? Let me break it down for you with this simple framework:
- Acknowledge the failure, but don’t dwell on it.
I used to sit for hours thinking about what went wrong and beating myself up. Then I realized that doing that wasn’t helping anyone—especially me. So, when something fails, don’t ignore it, but also don’t wallow in it. Learn from it quickly, and keep moving forward. - Analyze your mistakes objectively.
This is the painful part. You have to look at what went wrong and ask yourself why. Was it the product? Was it your approach to marketing? Was your customer avatar off? You can’t fix the problem if you don’t know what caused it. Look at data if possible, talk to your customers, and see where things started to shift. - Adjust, but don’t go back to square one.
If I had to start over from scratch every time I failed, I’d be in a perpetual loop of starting. But here’s the thing: you don’t need to wipe everything out and begin again. Just adjust. Tweak your plan based on what you’ve learned. If your pricing structure is wrong, tweak it. If your messaging isn’t resonating, adjust it. Just don’t stop. - Keep your eyes on the long-term goal.
It’s easy to get discouraged when things don’t work out. But let me tell you something: business isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. There will be ups and downs. Sometimes it will feel like you’re climbing uphill, but as long as you keep your eyes on where you want to go, you’ll eventually make it.
Here’s how I fixed my own failures in 3 days: I reviewed the feedback from my audience (which is a step most new entrepreneurs miss) and adjusted my marketing strategy accordingly. The change didn’t happen overnight, but I started to see improvements within a week. I kept adjusting and testing, rather than throwing in the towel, and that’s how I started to see my brand picking up traction again.
You’re probably thinking, “Yeah, easier said than done, right?” And you’re not wrong. But here’s why this approach works:
A recent study found that businesses that actively adjust their strategies in response to market changes are 60% more likely to succeed than those that rigidly stick to their original plans. This backs up what I’ve learned the hard way. Flexibility and responsiveness are critical to success.
Real-life example? Take a look at Airbnb. The founders had to adapt when their initial business model wasn’t working. They changed everything, from their pricing strategy to their target audience, and today they’re one of the most successful companies in the world. Failure didn’t stop them. They learned, adjusted, and thrived.
And I’m not the only one seeing this success. The businesses I work with and the clients I advise who embrace failure as part of their growth strategy tend to come out stronger in the end. One of my clients shifted their product offerings after a failed launch and saw a 200% increase in sales after adjusting their target market.
Here’s the deal: If you keep running from failure, you’ll keep running in place. It’s easy to want to quit when things aren’t working, but if you’re truly serious about building a business that will last, you need to get comfortable with failure.
Want to skip the feeling of being stuck and start learning from your mistakes instead? Try this: embrace failure as your business partner. Analyze, adjust, and move forward. The only thing that truly holds you back is staying in the failure. Don’t let it stop you.
If you need more help on this journey, check out my free guide on turning failure into opportunity—I promise it will shift your perspective and get you back on track. No more wishful thinking. It’s time to take control.