This issue is about the third question budding entrepreneurs ask me.

The first question is “How do I price myself?” which is understandable but the wrong place to start.

The second question is “How do I find clients?” which is actually what seasoned entrepreneurs need to be asking, too.

The third question is “What do I need to start a business?” and it’s the same thing I still need every day after running my business for 13 years:

Grit, tenacity, and an unwavering trust that you’ll figure it out.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not a six-month runway of savings.

While that’s comfy, sometimes it’s actually TOO comfy. The pressure of a rent payment will light a fire under your tush and activate your tenacity in a way that nothing else can.

That route is not exactly for the faint of heart. It’s just to say that you do not need investors to start or grow a business.

If you don’t have six months saved, you will find out how efficient you can truly be.

You also don’t need to have a stack of clients lined up.

I promise that a lack of clients will force you to put yourself out there in a way you wouldn’t if you were being safe. And even if you get rejected by your first 10, each one of those rejections is a rich lesson in what you need to tweak ASAP.

You don’t need rich parents.

You don’t need to look like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos or any of the other privileged people who seem to have it easy.

The adversity you have faced in your life is your strength. It’s where grit comes from. Grit is what you need to keep going when you get that 10th rejection.

Don’t get me wrong, getting comfortable with rejection is no pizza party. I’ve had more fun writing out my will.

Even these days, 13 years into starting my business, I still have dreamy potential clients turn me down.

You wanna know what helps? Normalizing it. Take a deep breath and email me about your last rejection.

You bring your grit, tenacity, and unwavering trust. I’ll bring the support.