Contributed by Allen Brewington, Co-Owner of GYMGUYZ in Annapolis and Columbia, MD
Launching a business is a transformative journey, and doing so with a mobile service model comes with its own unique set of challenges. My wife, Lauren, and I, learned quickly that the first year is about more than just executing a business plan—it’s about embracing change, managing obstacles, and constantly adapting. As owners of GYMGUYZ, we discovered that true success in the first year is built on relationships, resilience, and a mindset focused on growth, not perfection.
Throughout our journey, we learned valuable lessons, and we’ve come to realize that thriving as a business owner isn’t about avoiding challenges, but navigating them with purpose and focus. Below are the key takeaways from our experience, offering a roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to navigate their own first year with confidence and success.
- Welcome Rejection as a Learning Tool
In business, rejection is inevitable. Whether you’re trying to build a client base, introduce new services, or hire the perfect team, you will face resistance. For us, the first year was filled with moments of rejection—retaining new customers, launching new marketing campaigns that didn’t take off, and challenges in securing financing. At first, these moments felt like setbacks, but over time, we learned to see them as opportunities for growth. Every “no” became a lesson that helped us refine our approach and make smarter decisions moving forward. Instead of letting rejection hold us back, we embraced it, using each one as a stepping stone to improve and better understand our market.
- Assemble a Team That Shares Your Vision
The right team is crucial for any business, but the importance of building the right team in the early stages can’t be overstated. We quickly learned that it’s not just about hiring employees—it’s about finding individuals who align with your mission and who are passionate about contributing to your vision. The first year was an opportunity to focus on team-building, ensuring that everyone we brought on board was both skilled and motivated. Building a team that believes in the company’s goals helped us maintain momentum and stay focused on delivering the best service possible.
Equally important was our ability to manage time efficiently. Setting clear expectations, establishing effective workflows, and consistently communicating with our team helped us create a culture of accountability and success.
- People Over Profits: The Power of Relationships
It’s easy to get caught up in numbers, but we quickly realized that true success comes from building meaningful relationships. Whether it’s with customers, employees, or the community, taking the time to foster genuine connections is integral to growth. We learned that by prioritizing people over profits, we naturally built trust and loyalty. For example, remembering customer preferences, actively listening to our team members, and supporting local events helped strengthen the bond between us and the community. By focusing on relationships first, the profits followed. Business is built on trust, and when you invest in people, you create a foundation for long-term success.
- Live Your Brand Every Day
Living your brand goes beyond what’s on your website or the logo on your vehicle. It’s about consistently embodying your brand’s values in every interaction. For us, being the brand meant aligning our personal and professional lives with the mission of GYMGUYZ. We made it a point to demonstrate the principles of health and wellness in everything we did, whether engaging with clients, attending networking events, or simply interacting with the community. This authentic representation of our brand helped us build stronger connections, establish trust, and foster a deeper sense of loyalty from customers. Your actions speak louder than your marketing, so make sure your brand is represented in everything you do.
- Keep Your Focus on the Bigger Picture
It’s crucial to understand why you’re starting your business in the first place. Having a clear vision is vital, but so is trusting your instincts. The first year can be a whirlwind of activity and emotion, and it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day demands. But we found that stepping back and reminding ourselves of the bigger picture kept us grounded. It was important to reflect on why we were building our business—what impact we wanted to have and what we hoped to achieve.
While setting clear goals and objectives is necessary, trusting your intuition also plays a key role in navigating the uncertainty that comes with entrepreneurship. Many times, gut instincts helped us make decisions when logic alone couldn’t provide all the answers. Keeping a long-term perspective while managing short-term challenges made it easier to stay focused and resilient, no matter what came our way.
The first year of business is a time of growth, challenge, and discovery. There’s no playbook for every situation, but with the right mindset, adaptability, and focus on relationships, you can turn obstacles into opportunities. Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint, and with persistence, passion, and a clear vision, success is not just a goal—it’s an ongoing process that you can achieve.