Real Talk on Starting a Business (and Surviving the Overwhelm)

Starting a business usually begins with excitement.

An idea sparks.

Then another one.

Then a conversation adds a twist.

Then something shiny pops up and suddenly… you’ve got too many ideas and no idea where to start.

Sound familiar?

You’re not doing it wrong.

You’re not failing.

You’re not “bad at business”.

You’re overwhelmed - and for creatives, founders, and entrepreneurs, that’s completely normal.

At BHVA, we’ve lived this. Repeatedly.

And we see it all the time in the people we support.

So let’s talk honestly about overwhelm - what it actually is, why it happens, and how to move through it without burning out or giving up.

Why overwhelm shows up so early

Most people who start businesses are ideas-people.

You see possibilities everywhere.

You connect dots quickly.

You imagine ten versions of the future before breakfast.

That’s a strength - until it isn’t.

Because when everything feels possible,nothing starts.

Ideas branch.

Options multiply.

And suddenly your brain is running ten lanes at once… with no clear direction.

Overwhelm doesn’t come from lack of ability.

It comes from too much potential with no container.

The first rule: pick one idea (and park the rest)

This is the hardest bit - and the most important.

You don’t need to kill your other ideas.

You don’t need to abandon them.

You just need to:

stop letting them all shout at once.

Write them down.

Park them.

Pin them somewhere safe.

Then choose one idea to explore properly.

Not forever.

Just for now.

Research before you build

Here’s the grounding question we always come back to:

“Is this something someone will actually buy?”

Not one person.

Enough people.

Research isn’t about killing creativity - it’s about protecting your energy.

If there’s no market, that doesn’t mean the idea was bad.

It just means this version, right now, isn’t the one to lead with.

And here’s the good news:

Once you’ve researched one idea properly, the others start to make more sense too. You see where they could connect, evolve, or come in later.

Progress beats perfection (every time)

This is the trap almost everyone falls into - including us.

You tweak.

You polish.

You rewrite.

You redesign.

And then fear sneaks in:

• What if it’s not ready?

• What if people don’t like it?

• What if I look stupid?

Perfectionism and imposter syndrome are very convincing friends.

But here’s the truth:

Nothing grows while it’s hidden.

Things don’t need to be perfect to be launched.

They need to be alive.

You can tweak copy.

You can adjust systems.

You can improve layouts, wording, delivery.

But only after it’s out in the world.

Feedback isn’t personal - it’s information

When you’ve poured yourself into something, it feels like a baby.

So feedback can sting.

But feedback isn’t an attack.

It’s data.

It shows you:

• what people notice

• what they understand

• what they feel

• where they get stuck

The key is learning to step back and see your work through their eyes - not your own emotional attachment.

That’s where growth actually happens.

You don’t have to do this alone

Overwhelm gets louder when you’re isolated.

Scrolling online won’t fix it - if anything, it makes it worse. Every ten seconds there’s a new “right way” to do things.

What helps?

• trusted people

• honest conversations

• shared spaces

• communities where you can talk it out

Not yes-people.

Not hype-people.

People who ask the right questions.

People who challenge you kindly.

People who help you think, not panic.

Sometimes you don’t even need advice - just space to say it out loud.

There is no single “right way”

Books will tell you there is.

Courses will promise there is.

Social media will shout that there is.

There isn’t.

Yes - most successful businesses share similar structures.

But how you move through them?

That’s personal.

Your pace.

Your energy.

Your values.

Your way.

Your journey doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s to be valid.

A final reminder (the important one)

Overwhelm doesn’t disappear.

It comes and goes.

It shows up at new stages.

It’s part of creating anything meaningful.

What matters isn't avoiding it - it's how you look after yourself when it arrives.

Ask for help.

Talk it through.

Take one step.

Then another.

That’s how dreams actually start moving.

And if you’re in that space right now - you’re not behind. You’re exactly where most real journeys begin.

Your Journey. Your Story.