Starting a side business feels a bit like adopting a high-maintenance pet. You’re excited at first, but then you realise you’ve committed to something that needs constant attention and refuses to follow your schedule. While everyone talks about success stories, we rarely discuss the subtle ways new entrepreneurs accidentally torpedo their ventures before they even get going.
Here are seven common self-sabotage tactics new side hustlers perfect in their first month—and none of them involve spending their startup money on lottery tickets. Unfortunately, they’re far less obvious than that.
1. Treating It Like a Midnight Snack Run
Some people approach their side business the way they approach late-night cravings—sporadically and without a plan. They work on it whenever the mood strikes, which usually means when they’re running on coffee fumes and questionable judgement.
The reality is that successful side businesses need consistent attention. Whether you find office space for lease in Abbotsford to create a professional business presence or simply dedicate 30 minutes a day during your lunch break, you need to give your side business dedicated, focused time if you want it to succeed.
2. Getting Stuck on Little Details
Nothing kills momentum quite like spending three weeks designing the perfect business card or agonising over font choices for your logo. We get it—playing dress-up with your brand is fun. But if you’re spending more time choosing between eggshell and cream for your website background than actually building your product or service, you might be avoiding the real work.
3. The Social Media Maze
Many new entrepreneurs convince themselves they need to be on every social platform immediately. They create accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and even the platform formerly known as Twitter. Then they spend precious hours cross-posting the same “Just started my journey” message everywhere, instead of focusing on what their business actually does.
4. The Perfect-or-Nothing Paralysis
Some people won’t launch until everything is perfect. Their product needs one more feature, their website needs one more tweak, their process needs one more refinement. Meanwhile, potential customers are out there, willing to pay for something that’s good enough to solve their problems. Perfectionism is the enemy of progress, especially when you consider that few ideas are genuinely unique. If you’ve thought of it, you can guarantee at least one other person has too. And if you keep delaying your launch, you’re effectively delaying your bid for market share.
5. The Solo Superhero Syndrome
New side hustlers often think they need to do everything themselves. They’ll spend six hours learning Photoshop for a single graphic when they could have hired someone for $20. Time is a finite resource, and sometimes the most entrepreneurial thing you can do is delegate.
6. The “Build It and They Might Come” Philosophy
Too many people create their product or service in complete isolation, then launch it into the void, hoping customers will magically appear. They haven’t talked to potential customers, tested their idea, or even checked if anyone wants what they’re selling. It’s like throwing a party without sending invitations or checking if your friends can make the date.
While you don’t want to get trapped in the perfectionist’s dilemma described in point four, you certainly should dedicate some time to market research, creating customer personas, and testing your idea with real people (not just your family and friends).
7. The Comparison Rabbit Hole
Nothing kills motivation quite like spending hours stalking competitors on social media, convincing yourself they’ve got it all figured out. Their polished Instagram feed makes you feel like a fraud, and suddenly you’re questioning whether your home office (aka your kitchen table) is professional enough. Remember: those competitors probably started their journey making the same mistakes you’re making now.
The path to side business success isn’t about avoiding all mistakes—it’s about avoiding the ones that will sink you before you start. Focus on providing value and maintaining consistent effort. Above all else, keep in mind that every successful business started with someone who was just as uncertain as you are.
Want to avoid these pitfalls? Start by picking one thing your business needs to accomplish this week. Not this month, not this quarter—this week. Make it small, make it specific, and make it happen. The rest will follow, even if your business cards aren’t ready yet.
Photo: Katie Polansky / Unsplash
