🚀 “Ship It.” And 8 Other Lessons I’ve Learned Since Starting My Business

In November 2024, I registered the business name Dru Cost Consulting.

I wasn’t certain of the direction I wanted the business to go in—and I’m still testing different ideas out. But I’m so glad I gave it a go. I’ve wanted to run my own business since my early 20s.

Now, eight months later, slowly, the direction of this business is coming together. And I’ve learnt a lot. Not just about marketing or systems or strategy—but also about the mindset, the resilience, and the thinking needed to embark on this journey.

Here are 9 things I’ve learned so far:

1. You Don’t Need to Know Everything

I used to think I couldn’t start until I knew more. That I needed one more qualification, one more course, one more plan.

But entrepreneurship isn’t about having all the answers — it's about knowing how to find the answers, asking the right questions at the right time, and figuring things out as you go.

It’s a researcher’s game, not a perfectionist’s. It’s about being resourceful, not perfect.

2. Try, Try, Try Again (and Stay Calm When Nothing Works)

I’ve learnt that progress is the name of the game. It’s step by step—showing up, trying again, tweaking the website, the product, the process. Trusting the learning curve. Being patient.

When nothing works, you have to stay calm. Don’t panic. Don’t spiral. Step back. Rethink the problem. Look at it from a different angle. Take a walk. Go have some fun—yes, fun. Let everything go for a bit. Then come back.

Nine times out of ten, the solution shows up after the break.

3. The Point of No Return

There’s a moment where you’ve invested so much—time, energy, money, identity—that turning back just isn’t an option anymore.

I’ve passed that point. I’ve announced it publicly. I’ve poured hours into it. I've written articles, built systems, tested tools.

There’s sunk cost, yes. But more than that—there’s momentum. It’s sink or swim now, and I’ve chosen to swim.

4. A Little Obsession Goes a Long Way

I won’t romanticise it: this business has consumed a huge part of my life. I think about it constantly. I wake up with ideas and go to bed writing landing page copy in my head.

But that level of obsession? It moves things forward. And that internal drive, even without external validation yet, has carried me through.

5. Growth, Joy & Perspective

Even if this business never becomes what I hope it will, I won’t regret trying.

I’ve learnt so much by trying that there is nothing to regret.

I’m seeing the world—and myself—differently. I’m noticing patterns, testing beliefs, experimenting. And I’m having fun. Not always, but often enough to know I’m going in the right direction.

6. There Are Other Ways to Live

We’re told there’s one path: get a job, get married, have kids, keep your head down, climb the ladder, retire.

But building this business has shown me that there are other ways to play this game called life. And they don’t have to look like what everyone else is doing.

It’s okay to live differently. It’s okay to design your own version of success.

7. It’s Mostly a Solo Journey — But Finding a Few People Changes Everything

For the most part, starting a business has been a solo experience.

But recently, I’ve started to slowly find others who are on the same path—or a few steps ahead of me. And that’s gold.

I’m lucky to know a couple who are dear friends of mine—the husband has run a successful business for years, and now his wife is part of it too. We’ve had some great conversations, and I’ve been able to ask questions and hear their insights.

Just knowing people like them exist—people who’ve built something sustainable and meaningful—gives me hope. It reminds me that it is possible.

8. Don’t Quit the Day Job (Yet)

Yes, I’ve been tempted to quit and go all in.

But there are two reasons I haven’t:

• Working on my business makes the 9–5 more bearable. It gives the day job meaning.

• Keeping my job means I can cover my living costs while I build my business slowly and intentionally. It allows me to stay client-focused.

My job funds the dream.

9. Good Enough — Ship It!

My favourite phrase these days? “Ship it.”

I say it to myself over and over throughout the day—especially when I’m tempted to tweak and test and experiment just a little more.

Because yes, I love refining things. But what I’ve realised is: if you don’t ship it, what’s the point?

The goal is to get it out into the world. To test it publicly. To build in real-time.

That means letting go of perfection. It means releasing something when it’s good enough to share—not when it’s flawless.

That’s why I’ve embraced building in public. People have seen my website, my products, my content in various raw and unfinished stages—and I’m now completely comfortable with that vulnerability and exposure.

It’s honest. It’s real. And it’s the only way to learn what actually works.

Final Thoughts

I don’t have it all figured out.

But I’m here. Still building. Still showing up.

If you're where I was a year ago—wondering if you're ready—let me say this:

You probably won’t feel ready. Do it anyway.
The learning will come.
The confidence will come.
And you’ll grow in ways you didn’t even know you needed.