Running a business forces you to wear too many hats. Most advice focuses on tools, tactics, or trends.
I’m more curious about reality.
If you had to choose ONE skill that actually made the biggest difference, what is it?
Not the one that sounds impressive.
The one that helped you survive slow periods, bad clients, or early mistakes.
If there’s a short story behind it, feel free to share.
I’m collecting real-world lessons from people who stayed in business when it would have been easier to quit.
Business owners: what single skill made the biggest difference to your survival?
byu/Interesting-Wheel350 inEntrepreneur
Posted by Interesting-Wheel350
18 Comments
Keeping my day job.
Data back it up, too. A large study found entrepreneurs who kept their day job reduced the risk of failure by 33%. You have to refine your business over time and maybe pivot here and there.
If you keep your day job, you can ride out the time factor. If you can ride out the time factor, you can survive.
Self-confidence. I don’t know that anything helped me more than knowing that when times get tough, obstacles arise, people have negative stuff to say, that I could depend on myself to figure it out.
Disclaimer: I have never been a business owner, but I have “tried” it a couple times. I’ve now seriously picked up my old project again.
The single biggest skill I think you need is discipline/dedication. Work on your business every day as best as you can, no matter what setbacks you’ll encounter.
I think that’s ultimately what changed for me now that I have gotten a little bit older. And I truly feel like this time I will do whatever it takes to launch my first business at age 29. And I will keep going after launch, no matter what.
Being willing to say no to a customer.
Sometimes they want you to do something that sounds like a simple task. You’ll come out give him the reality check and then they start wanting to talk about making it cheaper or “skipping” important aspects of the job. Or worse they start telling you about some bad experiences with other contractors.
That’s a big red flag for me when they start talking bad about other tradesmen. Or the ever popular “well I know a guy”.
Well ma’am if you know a guy where is he? 😌
Some customers no matter how much you lay it out, no matter how honest you are with them, they still think you’re trying to rip them off. I’ve even offered work for under my usual rates and they still wanted it cheaper.
So when that happens I say something like well this is under our usual scope but I may have referral that can help. Then call up one of the local meth heads with lawnmower and send them over.
They either take him and I get $20 for the referral. Or they call me back ready to make a compromise. 😂
Soft skills for me, the ability to be kind and personable even if things are stressful. My business is technical and anyone can learn it. But to also be someone people want to do work with is big.
Learning to think better about myself, philosophy, decisions, human behaviour.
Stay focused on the goal
Consistency is the answer in my opinion.
Sales
Write a very tight business plan. Get help writing it from a business coach or local business center. Then when you’re finished stick to the fucking plan!
For me, it’s learning how to sit with uncertainty without panicking.
Early on, every quiet week felt like failure. One slow month and my brain would jump straight to this is over. Bad clients hit harder, mistakes felt permanent, and I was constantly reacting instead of thinking.
What changed things wasn’t a new tool or strategy, it was getting comfortable with the fact that dips are normal. Cash flow goes up and down. Confidence does too. If you don’t emotionally overreact, you make better decisions.
There were periods where work dried up, equipment broke, or a job went sideways and cost me money. The businesses that die are usually the ones that make desperate moves at that point. The ones that survive are boringly calm.
Emotional discipline: To do the boring things, the hard things, and take an L here and there and still keep pushing forward.
An accurate understanding on how/where the company is losing money and making money.
Focus on one thing. Resist the shiny things.
The only skill that really matters is the ability to acquire a customer. Sales or marketing depending on the industry.
Business is about endurance, not speed. Don’t give up a potential lifetime of wealth because you had a bad year or two.
Patience
Time management