This Is It: Your Real First Step

Lately, I’ve had a wave of messages asking the same thing:
“What’s the first step to starting [insert idea here]?”

An organic snack brand.
A creative side hustle.
A retail expansion.
A writing career.
A wine bar.

Every time, my answer is the same.

Ask someone who’s done it.

It sounds simple. Too simple. But it’s the shortcut most people ignore.

Why This Works

People love talking about themselves—especially if it involves their own success. Ask someone how they did it, what they wish they knew, or what tripped them up early, and you’ll often get a goldmine of insight (and maybe even a new lead or two).

More importantly: most people are happier to help than you think. They remember being in your shoes.

And no, they’re not going to steal your idea. I heard the same fear during Start-Up School:

“But what if someone takes my idea?”

Honestly? That very rarely happens at this level.

People are more likely to:

• Cheer you on

• Watch from afar

• Buy from you later

• Or want to invest once you’ve done the hard work

The truth is: people don’t want to steal your idea. They want to see if you have the courage to start.

Don’t Let Scarcity Kill Your Momentum

We get stuck in a scarcity mindset.
There’s already a wine bar in town.
Someone else already makes protein snacks.
There’s too much competition.

But there’s more than one bakery in Paris.
There’s more than one productivity podcast.
There’s even more than one version of Batman.

There is room.

The market isn’t waiting for originality. It’s waiting for execution.

Real-World Example

Want to self-publish fan fiction (side note: this is apparently surprisingly lucrative).
Ask a writer how they built an audience and what platform worked.

Thinking of opening a wine bar?
Ask someone how long it took to get their permits and what they wish they’d done differently.

Starting a business?
Ask 3 people in your space what their very first hire was. What software they regret paying for. What their biggest early win was.

You’ll learn faster in one conversation than in 10 hours of googling.

So Here’s Your First Step

• Think of one person who’s done something like what you want to do.

• Send them a message.

• Keep it short. Be specific. Ask one or two questions.

• Then listen.

They’ve been there. Let them help you get there faster.