It took me 116 days to go from 0 to 1 customers

But it took only 105 minutes to go from 1 to 2

August 19, 2016. I sent a text to my friend Alex.

I have a business idea. I think I can build and launch it in 2017.-Declan

A few minutes later I received a text back.

No. You start building today and launch in 2 months.-Alex

What transpired after those texts was the hardest thing I’ve ever done (okay it was the second hardest thing, becoming a father was #1).

I took a raw idea and built a business. Easy to write, hard to pull off.

I experienced a roller-coaster of emotions as I excitedly set out on this new adventure only to encounter a brick wall — the market.

After announcing the launch of SHRPA in October, I spent weeks trying to explain it in a way that would get people just as excited about it as me. I believed in my product. But the market stood strong, seemingly unconquerable.

I tried hosting a webinar. I tried cold emails. I tried promoted Instagram posts.

Nothing.

I’m not a marketer by trade. Selling is not my strong point. I didn’t feel comfortable in this new arena.

Fed up with marketing tactics, I laid it all on the line and decided to speak from the heart. Tired, I just wanted to reach one person who resonated with my message.

So late one evening, I hit publish on this piece:

I’m building a community of goal-getters, you in?_I don’t believe everyone is capable of reaching their dreams. Many try, few succeed._blog.myshrpa.com

A few days later, my calendar started filling up with Calendly invites of people interested in SHRPA.

After meeting with potential customers, some said no, others maybe. Today, one said yes.

This goes out to anyone looking for their first

I’m not a success story (yet).

I wouldn't even consider myself an entrepreneur (yet).

But I know turning an idea into a product or service is hard. Finding your first person to buy said product or service is damn hard.

It officially took me 116 days to go from 0 to 1.

But an hour and 45 minutes later, I went from 1 to 2. By the end of this week, I should be able to go from 2 to 5.

I can now move past this first hurdle. I can stop thinking What if this doesn’t work out?

I can move forward.

And so can you.

If you are just starting out, keep moving forward. Process feedback, iterate, repeat. Keep moving forward until you hear your first yes.

Then run. As fast as you can.

If you connected with this post, please consider hitting the ❤ button to support my work

Hello, my name is Declan. I’m a husband, father, writer, and founder of SHRPA. My mission is to get 1,000 people serious about going after their goals and dreams.

To achieve my mission, I created an exclusive membership site available only for a select few. Are you one of them?