How to Not Waste $10,000 Like I Did: Build Imperfect but Profitable
Confession time:
I wasted well over $10,000 chasing the image of a “real business.”
Websites. Branding. Fancy software. Half-finished courses. Mentorships that weren’t aligned with where I actually was. On the outside, it looked shiny, like proof I was on my way to success. But the reality? None of it was putting money into my bank account. In fact, it was draining it faster than I could keep up.
Looking back, every dollar I spent was an attempt to look legitimate instead of doing the unglamorous but essential work of refining my offer, talking to people, and building something that actually made money. It’s humbling to admit that, but it’s the truth.
I share this because I don’t want you to fall into the same trap. It’s easy to believe that if you invest in the right “things,” your business will finally click. But without clarity, strategy, and simple execution, you’re just decorating an empty house.
If you’ve ever poured time and money into what made your business look good but not profitable… you know the sting. And if you haven’t yet, I want this to be the moment that saves you from learning it the hard way.
The Aesthetic Trap
Here’s the truth I had to face:
I wasn’t building a business.
I was building the appearance of one.
I thought if I had the polished website, the perfect logo, the fancy brand colors… then clients would come rushing in.
Spoiler: they didn’t.
Because quality clients don’t care about your aesthetic. They care about whether you can solve their problem and deliver results.
Looking legitimate is not the same thing as being profitable.
The Expensive Pitfalls
Looking back, I can see exactly where the money went:
Subscriptions to tools I thought I “needed” but barely touched.
Programs that promised clarity but dumped more worksheets than strategy.
Hours tweaking my website instead of making real offers.
Branding that looked polished but didn’t actually communicate the value I bring to clients.
Sound familiar?
We fall into these traps because they feel safe. They keep us busy. But busy doesn’t pay the bills.
Profit > Perfect
The lie?
“You need everything polished before you can make money.”
The truth?
Clients don’t care about perfect. They care about results.
✨ I sold offers straight from a Google Doc.
✨ I signed clients through email before I ever had a CRM.
✨ I made thousands before I launched a single webpage.
Your business doesn’t need to be flawless. It needs to pay.
What Actually Moves the Needle
Here’s what I wish I knew sooner:
👉 Sell what you already know how to deliver. Don’t wait for your “dream offer” to take shape—profit comes first, refinement comes later.
👉 Talk to people, not just at them. My first $2K didn’t come from 300 posts, it came from three conversations. Relationships build loyalty, and loyalty builds income.
👉 Track revenue, not followers. A 500-person audience that trusts you will outperform 50,000 silent lurkers every time.
👉 Deliver value inside your offers. Skip the filler and focus on results. Transformation builds your reputation faster than aesthetics ever could.
👉 Charge what you’re worth. Don’t give your best away for free (or heavily discounted) because you’re “new.” Value doesn’t start at zero.
👉 Keep tools simple. A Google Doc, an invoice, and a clear offer are more than enough to sign your first clients.
Once I stopped polishing and started selling, everything shifted.
Don’t Waste Another $10,000
Learn from my mistakes. Don’t build a business that only looks good. Build one that pays you.
That’s why I created Start the Damn Business™, because you don’t need another shiny logo or half-finished course. You need clarity, a simple offer, and the confidence to start getting paid.
Inside, we’ll cut through the noise and focus on the only three things that matter right now:
Selling something people will actually buy
Setting up systems that don’t overwhelm you
Building income you can rely on
It’s not about perfect. It’s about profitable. And you don’t have to figure it out alone.
