Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nate Littlewood, co-founder and CEO of Urban Leaf, located in New York, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Urban Leaf is the world's first (and only!) carbon-negative gardening company. We focus exclusively on indoor and urban gardeners. We provide the supplies and know-how aspiring urban gardeners need to play a role in building a food system that they want and the planet needs.
Tell us about yourself
This blog answers this question exactly!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I think I'm most proud of the fact that we've done over $5mn in revenue with $0 outside investment. Bootstrapping is hard, slow, and painful, but boy, oh boy, does it teach you some lessons about how to be efficient and thrifty!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Without a doubt, focus. The world is full of bright shiny objects, and when you tell them you're starting a business, your friends, family, neighbors, classmates, the neighbor down the street, the random guy on the corner - they're all gonna have something to say about it and will likely want to help. Unfortunately, 99% of what they have to offer is a distraction.
You have to get very good and understand where the bottlenecks are in your business and what tools, information, skills, resources, etc., you need to remove that bottleneck. It's a very ending battle, though, because as soon as you solve one problem, there will be 100 more waiting, and once again, you need to figure out which one is most important and deserves your precious time and attention.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Inaction is the greatest mistake you can make. Making mistakes is a part of the process. You will waste time, money, blood, sweat, and tears on things that, in hindsight, don't matter. You will screw things up. Big time. But you have to understand that the best way to learn and grow is to make mistakes. The more mistakes you make, the faster you learn.
Most entrepreneurs try to maintain a glossy facade and only share their victories and wins with the outside world. It's no wonder we look at them and think, 'oh my god, how is that person just always knows what to do?'. They don't. What they don't share is that for every victory, there were 100 failures.
If you're not okay with making mistakes and screwing things up, don't be an entrepreneur.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.geturbanleaf.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geturbanleaf
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geturbanleaf/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanlittlewood/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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