Just do it.

Got something you’ve been wanting to start but don’t know where to begin? Here’s my advice—the stuff you won’t find in business books and how-to guides: don’t write a business plan. Just do it.

When I started the poetry open mic, I did not sit down and decipher how I wanted to advertise, what our brand would be, or who my target audience was. I was sitting on a swivel chair sharing with my boss about my love for spoken word poetry, and he suggested we start an open mic, and boom, a seed was planted.

Sometimes it isn’t something you’ve been longing to do for years. Sometimes you had never even thought of it before, it just as well could not have happened, but by some stroke of luck the stars align and a seed gets planted and you go with it.

And I went with it, collaborating with local artists to build a stage, create a poster and determine the details. Heck, I didn’t even have a cohost (I knew I needed a cohost) by the time we set the start date. And yet, by some stroke of luck she showed up weeks before and joined in. We planned, we prodded, and then we just ran with it.

Sure, this thing that we created is not alive today—thanks, covid—but it speaks to the creative spirit that I believe is the start to anything great—the willingness to start out good enough. I stuck the signs up with duct tape. I advertised on Facebook, Instagram and word of mouth and that’s it. And somehow I grew this thing from a fledgling bird—events had never been seen before in this space—to a fully attended, shoulders-bumping-into-each-other gathering. Just by doing it.

I knew there were things to be tweaked—better signage that didn’t fall off throughout the night, larger outreach, a way to generate income—but I also knew that if I did all that before getting started, I never would.

I think the worst thing you can do as a creative person is sit still. Think. Plan, even. The best things happen by jumping in, getting your hands dirty, and figuring out to kinks as you go. Same goes for my greeting card business. Did I sit down and determine my brand and marketing plan before getting started? No. The idea was given to me after a long line of creating cards without even knowing I was, and then I made a website overnight. The user experience wasn’t great, I didn’t know how to accept payment, but I did it, and that made all the difference.

Today, as I continue going on, I still hit walls when I want to strategize my way to success. When I try to find answers in instructional guides, and even in my own mind. But I have to remind myself that that is not how to get there. I have to remind myself that instead of thinking my way into what I want my aesthetic to be, I should create it. Rather than discerning my target audience in my head, I should talk to the people on my block. Instead of sitting top heavy, trying to be what I think I should, I should get going, and become whatever I already am. Willing to start imperfectly, all my kinks exposed, and iron them out along the way.

Will you join me?