When I first started my Etsy shop, I had no idea it would ever turn into a multi-million-dollar business. Honestly, I was just an 18-year-old making things I loved and hoping a few people would buy them. I didn’t have investors, a business degree, or some magical road map. What I did have was a lot of trial and error… emphasis on the error.

Scaling a business is rarely a straight line — it’s more like a messy doodle. Along the way, I made a lot of mistakes that slowed me down, stressed me out, and sometimes made me question if I should keep going. Looking back, I can see those mistakes clearly, and I want to share them so maybe you can sidestep them on your own journey.

Here are the 8 biggest ones.

1. Setting Unrealistic Goals

When I first started, I didn’t think, “I’ll hit a million dollars in a year!” Big goals are great, but they can also crush your spirit if they’re way too far out of reach.

In the early days, I learned to focus on small, doable wins — five more sales this week, ten new followers on Instagram, one new product launch. Over time, those tiny wins added up. It took me ten years to reach $10 million in revenue, and the first five years? I only made $25,000, so it all took time.

2. Believing My Own Limiting Thoughts

I never thought “I don’t have the money to start,” “I don’t know how to run a business,” or “I need to quit my job first.” None of that was true. I started with cheap, handmade products, reinvested every sale, and learned as I went. I was a law student, and running my business in my free time. When I didn’t know something — taxes, trademarks, leases — I asked for help. (Pro tip: your CPA, local city hall, or even a quick email to a professional can save you hours of Googling.)

3. Waiting for Everything to Be Perfect

Perfectionism is sneaky. It disguises itself as “high standards,” but really, it’s just fear in a fancy outfit. I used to delay launches because my website wasn’t perfect or my product photos needed “just one more edit.” Now, sometimes products come in and I am not 100% satisfied, but I make it work. Making tweaks for the next round and putting the “bad” products on sale is still moving forward.

4. Obsessing Over Data

I love a good sales chart as much as the next entrepreneur, but I’ve also learned that data can be a trap. Spending weeks analyzing numbers instead of acting on them is just… procrastination with spreadsheets.

Now, I ask myself simple questions: Did this product sell well? Yes? Make more. No? Move on. Sometimes your gut will tell you more than your analytics dashboard ever could.

5. Caring Too Much About What People Think

Posting about my business on social media used to make me nervous. I’d think, “What if people from high school see this?” or “What if they think I’m silly?” What is more important is marketing your own products. Those people might see your content and your thoughts, but they didn’t try and you did, so you are way ahead.

6. Trying to Do Everything Myself

For years, I was the packer, shipper, customer service rep, designer, and photographer. It was exhausting. Eventually, I hired help, and it changed everything — not just for my sanity, but for the business’s growth. If you want to scale, you can’t be the entire workforce forever. Even outsourcing one task can free you up to focus on the stuff that really moves the needle.

7. Taking Criticism Personally

No matter what you sell, someone will have something negative to say. Early on, one mean comment could ruin my whole day. Now? I skim past the noise and pour my energy into the people who actually like my products. I am a sensitive person so sometimes my feelings do still get hurt, but I try not to let them cut so deep.

8. Making Every Product Myself

I used to believe that if I didn’t make it with my own two hands, it somehow “didn’t count.” But as demand grew, so did my need for help with production. Outsourcing part of my process gave me back my time and let me expand my product line. You don’t have to do it all. You just have to make sure it’s done well.

Scaling from a side hustle to a multi-million-dollar business wasn’t about one big lucky break — it was about learning from every misstep and refusing to quit.

If I could go back and give my 18-year-old self advice, I’d say:

• Keep your goals big but your expectations flexible.
• Don’t let fear or perfection stop you from starting.
• Ask for help sooner.
• And above all, just keep going.

You never know — your messy little doodle of a business might just turn into something extraordinary.