How I STARTED Beard Sauce

by Megan Lee Webb

 

I was pretty surprised when I was asked to do a post on starting a business. But then I remembered that I HAD started a business, Beard Sauce. I guess it’s just one of those things that happened that was so surreal and amazing that I don’t feel like any of it was me. But the reality is, I did it! I actually did something that I set out to do.

A child doesn’t know how delicious candy is until she tastes it. So she can go on living life for a few months or years not knowing about the fantastic experience of sweet confectionery, but as soon as she gets her little fingers on a chocolate bar, she will always want more. That taste will forever be imprinted in her sensories.

That’s kind of like what successfully starting a business, project or dream is like. You just have no clue how much joy you are missing out on until you accomplish something that you had no idea you were capable of doing. That finger-lickin’ sweet taste of carrying out a dream is a taste you are now familiar with, and you crave more of it.

So, how do you Start?

 

Well, we’ve spent months figuring that out and talking about it, right? We have compiled a vast amount of ideas and resources on how to do this, and I’ve watched it changed people’s lives.

What did I do? How did I, in detail, apply ideas and theories and Start? Here’s what I can remember.

1) Take Advantage of the nerve.

My whole life, I’ve had moments where I’d get an idea for something and actually had the nerve to take action towards making that idea a reality, but the nerve didn’t last long. I would over analyze it and, after a day or so, the nerve would be gone and I would tell myself, “I’ll just write that idea down for the future.” I had lots of days like that when it came to Beard Sauce. There were mornings where I’d wake up and have the nerve to START, and then I’d just go about my routine and become my usual, cowardly self . And then there was that one morning when my Pastor showed our church staff a TED talk about asking people for help, and the nerve re-surfaced. The nerve was so strong that I just couldn’t turn it down, and that night we made the video for our Indiegogo Campaign to raise the starter money for Beard Sauce. Another word for “the nerve” is simply COURAGE. And courage is the result of putting fear in it’s place. When we fear the Lord instead of failure, we are compelled to do what He has made us to do.

2) Get over your pride and ask for help.

If you want your vision and your dream to get in front of the eyes of the world, you gotta get over the stigma that asking for help is strictly for people who you refer to when you use that term, “bless their heart”. We all need it, and asking for help is a wonderful tool that will create a humility in you that will carry on into your business well after your needs have been met.  This sure as heck applies if you are using a crowdfunding site to launch your business or project. The number one reason the Beard Sauce Indiegogo campaign met and surpassed its $ goal was because we consistently asked for help using various social media platforms. And when I say consistently, I’m talking every 2 hours or so. We had a constant stream of updates and calls to action, and got it in front of as many people as we possibly could. A girl in my town, who I’m now good friends with because of this, saw the campaign, posted it on reddit, and we had a $100 donation because a guy saw her post! We had friends and family members call their friends and co-workers and asked if they would contribute. The Builders and Dreamers played a huge role in the campaign, and have proven that it is a blessing to ask strangers for help! (Shout out to the Minions, and the Captain of the #BeardSauceCrew, R DUB!)

3) Get into it like you’re in the car singing your lungs out to TLC’s “Waterfalls”.

Soak in and enjoy every moment of the beginning process. Jump on your couch and run around when you see that someone just donated $50 to your dream. Allow yourself to feel completely nervous when someone wants to do a video interview of you and your idea, and then windmill kick that interview in the shins. Cry when you make a mistake, go get a cup of coffee, and then fix it. Just make sure you experience all of it.

4) Be ever so grateful.

When it’s all said and done, and the start part is over, lavish your humble gratefulness on everyone and everything. Because at the end of the day, you are not the only one responsible for the victory you’ve achieved. The God that created you, put that dream in your heart, gave you that nerve to do something about it, nudged those stranger’s souls into joyful giving and allowed you to see success gets ALL of that glory. You just bask in how awesome it is and say thank you.

Now GO ON! You’ve got something to START.

 

Megan Lee Webb is a dreamer who loves to come up with creative ideas to fix problems. She is passionate about building relationships and community. She is the founder of Beard Sauce, and 100% in love with facial hair. You can learn more about Beard Sauce here.