When I first started my business, I’d look at other entrepreneurs with deep admiration. I’d see them confidently building their brands, connecting with their audiences, and creating content that felt effortless. Two of my biggest inspirations early on were Whitney White of Melanin Haircare and Courtney Sanders, who built her coaching business from scratch. Watching their journeys, I could see the hard work and dedication they’d poured into their businesses. And it was clear to me that success wasn’t just an overnight thing—it was a result of constant effort and growth.

I knew that for my own business, I’d have to follow a similar path. It was never going to be easy, but I was determined to stay committed. Like so many other entrepreneurs, I had to start with the basics—and that meant my early work wouldn’t be perfect. I also knew that this was part of the process.

There’s a quote by Ira Glass that really captures this feeling for me, and it’s something that keeps me moving forward:

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone had told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple of years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t look like the stuff we admire. But we keep doing it anyway. It’s only by doing a lot of work that you get to the point where your work can be as good as your ambitions.” — Ira Glass

This quote perfectly describes my own journey. I’ve been working full-time as a designer for months now, and I’ll be the first to admit—my early work wasn’t great. In fact, it wasn’t even close to what I envisioned for myself. But I knew the only way forward was to do the work—to keep creating, keep making mistakes, and keep growing. And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.

When I first launched my business, everything I put out—whether it was my website, designs, social media posts, or blog—wasn’t polished. Some of it was downright rough. But I didn’t let that hold me back. Instead, I set myself a goal to design two homepage templates every week. I knew by doing a ton of work, I’d slowly but surely refine my craft.

Over time, I started to see progress. And the beauty of this process is that now, when I look back at my earlier work, I can see how far I’ve come. I still keep old blog posts and Instagram posts up, even though they’re not perfect. They represent the journey I’ve been on, the growth I’ve experienced, and the lessons I’ve learned.

It’s not always easy to put yourself out there when your work isn’t perfect. It’s vulnerable to allow others to see your failures and mistakes. But the truth is, we all start somewhere. Every successful entrepreneur has gone through this phase. The key is to keep going.

For anyone out there who looks at other business owners and thinks, “How did they get to where they are?”—I want you to know that it wasn’t by magic. It took years of learning, failing, and refining their work. They kept showing up—even when their work didn’t reflect the work they admired.

Ira Glass’s words have been a huge reminder for me: the only way to get better is by doing the work. If you’re just starting out or struggling to refine your craft, know that it’s okay. Keep putting in the effort. Keep building. Keep learning. You’ll look back one day and realize how much progress you’ve made.

If you’re just starting out or feeling discouraged, I want to encourage you to keep going. Take pictures, record your milestones, and most importantly, don’t give up. The journey may not be easy, but it will be worth it. Keep doing the work, keep refining your craft, and one day you’ll look back at how far you’ve come.

As I continue to build my business and refine my designs, I’m grateful for every step in the journey. I’m learning every day, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next.