Starting Something New? Start It Right
5 Steps—and a Shift in Mindset That Changes Everything
As you might know, I’ve been getting ready to start a new business, and now, I’m ready. In this article, I want to share the process I’ve followed so far, and at the end of this article, I’ll also tell you about the idea itself. Your thoughts, feedback, or encouragement are always welcome 🫠
Step 1: Check Your Motivations
As I wrote in a previous article, the first step is to ask yourself:
Am I building this from fear?
It’s surprisingly easy to design a business model from a sense of lack, what you want, need, or don’t have. But when you build from fear, you’ll likely feel anxious or unsettled. If that happens, pause. Ask yourself: What is this fear, anxiety, or tension trying to tell me?
Step 2: First, focus on the Customer challenges, not yours.
What problem are you solving for someone else?
I know that sounds obvious, but it’s not. You need to be sure the problem is real, that solving it is a priority for someone, and that you can offer a solution right now, without waiting for perfect conditions.
Step 3: Align with Your Strengths
Do you feel genuinely excited about solving this problem?
Does it make sense with your strengths and your personal story so far?
If the answer is no, pause. Go back to earlier steps. Doubt at this point isn’t failure; it’s a signal that your idea might need refining or redirecting.
Step 4: Be Ready to Adapt
If you’re excited, and the idea feels aligned with your purpose, your skills, and your trajectory, great. But remember: Your current idea is only a starting point.
It will change. And persistence is not about defending the idea at all costs—it’s about staying committed to the process of learning, adjusting, and improving.
Step 5: Visualize the Business Model
Now it’s time to put things on paper—or screen.
I like to use Coggle.it because it’s visual and flexible, but any tool works. The goal is to clarify your thinking and spot gaps or assumptions early on.
Two Notes Worth Repeating
Talk to others. Bounce your idea off friends or family who you know will give you honest feedback. That can help reveal blind spots, refine your message, and strengthen your offer.
Don’t overthink it. Starting something new is a big decision, and it’s easy to get stuck in preparation. Don’t wait for perfection. Act reasonably fast, so you can begin testing and adapting with real-world feedback.
My New Business Idea 😰
So here’s what I’m building:
I’m starting a new service designed for companies with more than fifty employees:
a readiness assessment for adopting AI and workflow automation technologies.
Why this? Because I’ve seen the same problems come up again and again:
They feel stuck, trapped in long-term relationships with third-party providers that no longer serve them well.
They still rely heavily on manual work, despite having invested in modern technology.
Their reports are weak because their data is dispersed and inconsistent.
Their business processes are undocumented or outdated, which creates confusion and inefficiency.
This assessment aims to spot opportunities for improvement and suggest practical next steps. But I also want to surface deeper dynamics: organizational culture, satisfaction levels, collective fears, and hidden strengths.
The assessment will be done in person, through interviews and real-time analysis, and presented as a graphical report.
From this first step, I expect opportunities to offer longer-term consulting services. But more importantly, this idea feels deeply aligned with my values.
Just like here on Substack, or in my Coworking spaces, I want to share what I know and use it as a way to help people improve the quality of their work—and their lives—within a community.
I’ll create a new Substack publication, sharing with you my learnings on Workflow Automation, Business Process optimization, new tools, etc. That’s a way for me to build in public and keep my skills sharp.
Any feedback?
We learn faster when we learn together.
Love,
Jose.
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Good read..
Thank you 🙏