10 reasons why you shouldn’t join Kickstart
We recently launched a new, 12-month course to help you start a business. But, as great as Kickstart is, it’s not for everyone. Here are 10 reasons why you shouldn’t join it.
We’re not stupid. As brilliant as we (and others – just check out the amazing testimonials here) think our new business course Kickstart is, we know it’s not right for everyone.
Yes, lots of people will love it, and will use it to build profitable businesses they love every month. But plenty more will find it unsuitable for their needs and personality.
10 reasons why you shouldn’t join Kickstart
To help you decide whether Kickstart is a wise investment for you, whether it’s the right time to join, and even whether it’s the right course for you full stop, here are 10 reasons why you shouldn’t join.
1) You don’t have an idea
While Kickstart contains everything you need to shape and test your idea and get it out into the world, it won’t actually help you come up with an idea.
So if you don’t yet have a business idea, you’re not ready for Kickstart yet. If you need help coming up with a business idea, we recommend checking out our Business Idea Kit.
2) You’re not ready to start a business now
Kickstart is a practical course that hits the ground running. From day one you’ll start doing work on the foundations of your business (and on yourself!). So if you’re not quite ready to actually start your business now, don’t join yet.
3) You want instant results
Remember the infamous marshmallow emotional intelligence test? (The one where children were given the choice of eating one marshmallow now, or waiting and eating two?)
Kickstart is the business course equivalent of two marshmallows.
One of the reasons why we created Kickstart is because we’ve seen many businesses fail through impatience. We’ve seen entrepreneurs launch their business in a flurry of energy and hope, and try to do too much in too little time. As a result they miss key steps, can’t replicate early success, and quickly deplete their energy and hope.
We don’t want that to happen to you. So Kickstart is built on a ‘get rich slow’ philosophy. We take you methodically through starting a business, shaping a sustainable (and very importantly: profitable) business from the ground up.
And while you’ll make satisfying progress each month, mastering all the important steps in growing a profitable business, you won’t see six figures overnight. It’s not that kind of course. So if you don’t want to wait for two marshmallows, this isn’t the course for you.
4) You want to take a gamble on success
If you like an element of danger – if you’re a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants person, this isn’t the course for you. Of course there’s an element of risk in every business, and we’ll absolutely be pushing you out of your comfort zone, but we won’t encourage you to take reckless gambles.
Instead we’ll guide you through a comprehensive roadmap, helping you to progressively build your business (and confidence) every month.
5) You don’t want to follow a roadmap
One of the most important elements of Kickstart is that it is structured around a roadmap – a clearly defined process that ensures you don’t miss any element of building a profitable business.
Following a roadmap is one of the key differences we see between successful and struggling businesses.
So if you don’t like the idea of following a roadmap – if you’d rather go your own way on your terms – then don’t join Kickstart.
6) You don’t want to invest in your business
While Kickstart follows a get rich slow philosophy, we don’t advocate going so slow you’re overtaken by snails. Nor do we recommend making avoidable mistakes (there are enough unavoidable ones to contend with)!
This is one of the reasons why we have always invested in our own business. And why all the successful entrepreneurs we know do the same.
Every month we invest in training, coaching, expertise, software and tools. In resources that enable us to learn faster and better, outsource tasks that we’re not good at (or take us away from growing our business) and allow us to work smarter.
It’s one of the reasons why Talented Ladies Club has been so successful.
And just like the coaching we ourselves pay for, Kickstart is a business investment. Yes, it costs money (and we know how you need to watch every penny when you’re a startup). But it’s money you’re investing in your business, with the expectation of seeing a return.
You can of course try to build a business without investing in training and support. But you risk making expensive mistakes that slow you down and erode your confidence.
7) You don’t want to save money
There will come a time in every startup when, if you want to build a professional business, you’ll need to invest.
Unless you’re a multi-skilled entrepreneur with endless time, you’ll need to invest in professional help for things like copywriting, PR, social media management, sales and website design. Either you’ll pay someone to do them for you, or you’ll pay for training courses to learn the DIY skills you need.
This is where Kickstart gives you another important advantage: we train you how to be your own professional for all of these skills and more.
We show you how to write your website. How to design and implement a social media strategy. How to get your business in the press… and so much more.
And it’s all included in your monthly membership. So if you don’t want to save money on tackling every area of growing a professional business, don’t join Kickstart.
8) You don’t want support
Starting a business is lonely. You no longer have colleagues or managers. You’re often working at home, completely alone. And no one understands or cares about your business but you.
Who can you turn to for help with a tricky problem? Who can support you through difficult weeks? And who can you celebrate your small (and big) wins with?
When you join Kickstart you join a talented group of women who are busy building their own businesses – and sharing the ups and downs of the journey together. You’re also getting us on your side.
As a Kickstart member you join a private Facebook community, you also get monthly live online classes with us in which you can ask us anything, and get our feedback on problems you’re struggling with. You can also contact us at any time to ask us questions. It’s one of the aspects of Kickstart our members value most:
“Having the support from other members of the Kickstart ‘gang’ has been great too. Hannah’s ‘lives’ in the group, and other one-to-one interactions and support have always been spot-on and backed up with such credibility, experience and humour! Worth every penny and by far one of my best business decisions” Jo Clifton
“Hannah is very supportive and generous with her time – and it is also great having helpful advice and much needed high-fives (!) from the rest of the Kickstarters.” Bonamy Gauvain Waddell
So if you hate the idea of having support on tap as you shape your business (and we can’t think of a reason why anyone would!) then don’t sign up to Kickstart.
9) You don’t want to learn core business skills
As we’ve already covered, Kickstart helps you to ‘skill-up’ – teaching you vital business skills like copywriting, social media, PR, marketing, sales and branding. We even teach you the principles of good design.
So if you don’t want to learn these core business skills – if you just want to pay someone else to do them – then this isn’t the course for you.
10) You don’t want to feel confident
And finally, Kickstart doesn’t just teach you important entrepreneurial skills. It boosts your business confidence. Specifically, Kickstart gives you the confidence:
- That you’re following a comprehensive business roadmap.
- That you’re not missing any important steps.
- Of a team of experts and supporters on your side.
- Through mastering key business skills.
- That you’re not going to get overwhelmed or run out of energy.
We even tackle the issue of confidence head-on with an expert confidence workbook in month two.
So if you’re comfortable feeling your way unsurely in your business, steer clear of Kickstart! But if you’d like a boost of business confidence, come and join us!
Kickstart isn’t for everyone – but is it for YOU?
As you can see, Kickstart isn’t for everyone. It’s for people who want to grow a profitable business with intelligence, confidence and support. For people who are ready to stop talking about being an entrepreneur and actually do it. For people who want to build a business they love, every month.
If this sounds like you, find out how Kickstart will help you do just that.
