How to Crush These 5 Common Startup Challenges
Launching a business is thrilling, but it can be tricky too. You’ll likely come across a few common challenges, but don’t worry—they’re totally doable with the right approach. Here are five startup challenges and easy ways to handle each one.
- Finding Money to Start Your Business
Starting a business in high school with little money might seem tough, but it’s more possible than you think. Around 31% of startups start with less than $10,000 in funding. Even if $10,000 sounds like a lot, you can actually get started with even less—just a few hundred dollars.
For example, pretend you want to make custom coasters. Here’s what you might need:
- Supplies like wood or resin for the coasters
- Paint or markers for unique designs
- Basic packaging
- A simple website
To raise money, you can work a part-time job and put a bit aside each paycheck. You can also try crowdfunding to share your vision online and attract people who see the value in your product and want to support you.
- Getting and Keeping Customers
When you start your business, it’s important to get people to notice it. A great way to do this is through social media. Share photos, videos, or blog posts to show off your product or service.
Set up an Instagram or Facebook page, post often, comment on other posts, and always respond to messages. Try to create a community of people who like what you do—they might become your first customers. You can also try a simple website builder, like Wix or Shopify, to create a site to drive sales.
- Managing Time and Staying Organized
You have an assignment due tomorrow, basketball practice in the afternoon, and maybe even a birthday party to plan. As a high schooler, you’ll need to juggle many roles. Good time management keeps you on track and avoid burnout while growing your business.
Here are some tips to stay organized:
- Use tools like Google Calendar to plan your daily tasks.
- Write down deadlines for both school and work, and prioritize each task.
- Spend a little time on your startup daily—even 30 minutes. Consistency makes a big difference!
- Handling Criticism and Setbacks
Starting a business can mean facing criticism from teachers, family, or friends, which can feel discouraging. But don’t let it stop you. Use helpful feedback to improve, and aim to look at mistakes as ways to learn and grow.
Staying positive and open to learning helps you succeed in the long run. Also, finding supportive people around you can make a huge difference! Look for mentors, join online groups, or go to local business meetups to get advice and motivation to keep going.
And remember, criticism is about your work, not you personally. Take care of yourself by prioritizing mental health: get enough sleep, avoid overworking in school or business, and stay active. Self-care keeps you balanced and strong.
- Standing Out in a Crowded Market
Posting your business on social media is just the beginning. To stand out, make sure your product is high quality and has something unique that sets it apart from others. For example, if you’re running a coaster business, you could add custom QR codes that link to fun, personal content. This makes your product more interactive and memorable.
Also, work on a strong elevator pitch. This short summary helps you quickly explain your business’s unique value. An elevator pitch should include:
- Your name and business
- Your mission or purpose
- How your product solves a problem
- A call to action, like “Customize your coaster now!”
An elevator pitch helps your business by quickly showing its unique value to potential customers, investors, or partners, making it easy for them to understand and get interested.
Final Thoughts
Every startup faces its own challenges, but it’s is a chance to learn and get stronger. Get support, plan your money carefully, and see each obstacle as a step toward growth. Keep moving forward—every success story has challenges behind it.
You might be the next high school entrepreneur to win a Kantner Foundation scholarship! Click here to find out how.
