What Starting a Business Really Feels Like (and What Helped Me)
- Cat Markel
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Starting a business can feel a little like stepping off a cliff… hoping something solid appears beneath your feet.
Because at some point, you realize no one is coming to tell you what to do next.
This month actually marks my three-year anniversary of this crazy business journey, and I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on how it all started.
When I first decided to take the leap, I kept thinking about that scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The one where Indy is deep inside the temple, working his way through all the puzzles to find the cup of the covenant. He reaches a cliff with a huge gap in the rock. There’s no visible path forward.
After reading his father’s journal again, he takes a breath… and steps out into what looks like thin air.
And somehow, a bridge appears beneath his foot.
That was me.
Stepping off the cliff… trusting that God was going to help me figure this thing out.
Spoiler alert — just like Indiana Jones, I didn’t fall.
But I definitely didn’t feel confident at first.
I had no clue what I was doing.
And honestly, there are quite a few things I wish someone had told me in the beginning.
For starters… it can feel lonely.
You’re sitting in your office...which is often your living room, bedroom, or extra room...and there is no one telling you what to do.
No boss.
No clear priorities.
No performance review telling you if you’re doing it “right.”
I remember thinking, "Why is this so hard?"
I always knew what to do at my old jobs.
Suddenly I was responsible for everything.
Offers.
Messaging.
Pricing.
Marketing.
Sales.
Accounting.
Systems.
Decisions.
So many decisions.
What exactly am I offering?
Is this clear?
Is this good?
Would someone actually pay me for this?
Am I focusing on the right things?
Should I change direction? Should I stay the course?
At one point, I asked my furry overlords for guidance.
They stared at me, blinked slowly, and waited for snacks.
Not especially helpful.
Eventually, I found something that made all the difference.
Community.
Other business owners. Other women. Other people building something meaningful on their own.
People who understood the questions running through my head because they had asked the same ones.
I also found a coach who helped me sort through the noise.
She guided me. She questioned me and pushed back when I needed it. She helped me see what was actually important… and what was just distracting me.
We worked through what needed to stay. What needed to grow. What needed to be simplified. And what I could let go of completely.
But maybe most importantly, she helped me trust myself again.
That support changed everything.
Because even when you can figure things out alone… it doesn’t mean you should have to.
I’ve grown so much over these past three years.
I still have moments where things feel uncertain. I still have days where I wish someone would just tell me the “right” answer.
But I don’t feel alone anymore.
I know I have people I can turn to when I feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure what step to take next.
And that’s one of the many reasons I started offering coaching.
Not because I have everything perfectly figured out.
Not because there is only one right way to build a business.
But because I know how powerful it is to have someone in your corner who can help you think clearly again.
Someone who can help you see what’s working, what needs adjusting, what no longer fits. And what might be possible next.
We’re all building something.
And none of us are meant to figure everything out alone.
If you’ve been feeling stuck, scattered, or unsure what to focus on right now… you’re not behind.
Sometimes you just need a little clarity.
Sometimes you just need a conversation.
Sometimes you just need someone to help you see the next step.
And sometimes… you just need a bridge to appear beneath your feet.
If you’ve been trying to figure everything out on your own, you don’t have to.
Sometimes one conversation can bring more clarity than months of second-guessing.
You can explore coaching options here - COACHING
Or start small with the Brand + Content Checklist
Cat Markel
Helping women solopreneurs build a business that fits their life with clarity, alignment, and steady growth.
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