You know those posts that start with:
“If I was restarting a business again , here’s what I’d do…”
Yeah. I actually did that.
Not in a hypothetical, reflective, “looking back with rose-tinted hindsight” kind of way.
In a real-life, shut-down-my-business-and-got-a-job kind of way.
And then, after two years of working in someone else’s business, I decided it was time for a change. So, without a plan, I quit my full time job and I set about restarting a business.
No dramatic burn-it-down moment.
Just a quiet, firm decision:
It’s time. Let’s go again. But let’s do it differently this time.
Did I still have followers on Facebook and Instagram?
Yes.
But let’s be honest about what that really looked like:
- I hadn’t posted consistently in over two years
- The people following me didn’t know what I did anymore
- I wasn’t sharing value-driven, strategic business content. I was sharing life updates, Disney trips and memes.
So technically I wasn’t at zero followers.
But I was absolutely at zero engagement, zero visibility, and zero trust.
And when you’re building a business, you don’t need followers.
You need attention.
You need connection.
You need an audience who knows what you do and why it matters.
And I had to rebuild all of that from scratch.
So, what did I do differently the second time around?
Here’s what made the difference for me. Not a perfect plan or a viral moment, but a series of intentional (and messy) moves that created momentum.
1. I didn’t overthink – I just started.
I quit my job and started showing up.
Now, because of who I was working for at the time, there was an announcement.
And when it went live, my phone lit up like a bloody Christmas tree.
But that initial buzz didn’t build my business.
It didn’t create content.
It didn’t sell offers.
It didn’t get my confidence back.
I did that.
Not with a big launch or some fancy comeback campaign but with consistent action.
I posted what I knew. I offered help. I showed my face.
And every small step created real momentum.
2. I used what I already knew.
I didn’t reinvent myself.
I didn’t buy ten new courses.
I didn’t pretend I was starting a different kind of business to feel shiny.
I looked at what I was good at—business strategy, tech, simplifying the complicated stuff—and doubled down on that.
The truth is, most people don’t need to start over with a brand-new identity.
They need to start with what’s already working and refine the hell out of it.
3. I prioritised my email list.
I cannot shout this loud enough:
Your email list is your business insurance policy.
The second time around, I didn’t wait until I had a big audience.
I didn’t wait until I had the perfect freebie.
I started list-building from day one.
Because social media might get you seen…
But your email list gets you paid.
4. I sold before I felt ready.
Let’s just say I launched messy.
I didn’t wait for polished sales pages or fully-built funnels.
I put my offers out there while they were still scrappy—because the value was there, even if the formatting wasn’t.
And guess what? People bought.
Not because it was perfect, but because it was clear and useful.
This time around, I let go of the perfection paralysis and focused on helping people now.
5. I showed up as me.
No watered-down version.
No trying to sound like “the professionals.”
Just… me.
Straight-talking. A bit sweary. Highly practical.
Someone who makes business feel doable instead of daunting.
And funnily enough? That’s what people wanted all along.
If you’re exhausted trying to play the role of “online business owner,” try just being a human who helps other humans. It’s wildly effective.
? Bonus Truth: Cold followers ≠ a warm audience
Let me circle back to this one, because it matters:
Yes, I had people “following” me on social media.
But I hadn’t posted about business consistently for two years.
I’d gone from posting three times a day to the occasional check-in and meme.
When I came back, my audience wasn’t cheering.
They were confused. Quiet. Disconnected.
I had to rebuild that relationship from scratch.
So don’t fall for the myth that restarting is easier if you “already have an audience.”
If they don’t know what you do, trust what you say, or care about your content…
You might as well be starting with a blank slate.
And that’s okay. Because I did. And I’m building something even better this time.
Starting again isn’t a weakness.
It’s a power move.
It’s saying:
“I believe in what I do. I’ve learned from what didn’t work. And I’m ready to build something smarter, simpler, and more aligned.”
This time, I’m doing it differently.
No fluff.
No waiting.
No pretending.
Just solid strategy, simple tech, and unapologetic clarity.
And if you’re in the season of “starting again,” let this be your permission slip to go for it before you feel 100% ready.
Shelly Shulman 