Epic Mistakes That We’ve Learned From
As the founders of Bean Voyage, we've had our fair share of bumps along the road. At first, these mistakes felt pretty overwhelming, but looking back, they've been some of our biggest teachers. They've helped us better understand what it truly takes to build an organization that makes a real impact. Here, we’re sharing five key missteps that have given us some serious lessons about launching a venture with purpose.
Mistake #1: Overcommitting Without a Plan – Learning to Prioritize
Hey, we’ve all been there—taking on too much and running ourselves ragged! There was a time when we overestimated how many projects we could juggle at once. Early on, we didn’t have the strategic planning in place to know what really deserved our attention. But now, we’re taking a step back and giving ourselves the space to plan better. With the help of some experienced mentors on our board, we’ve learned to focus on what truly matters and say "no" when needed. Trust me, it’s been a game changer.
Mistake #2: Battling Burnout – Prioritizing Well-being
Burnout? Yup, we’ve felt that too many times. We’ve been caught up in the hustle culture, overworking ourselves until it caught up with us. But here’s what we’ve learned: it’s okay to slow down. We’ve made it a priority to promote a healthier work-life balance—starting with making sure our team takes at least one paid day off a month, aside from their regular vacation time. After all, you can’t pour from an empty cup.
Mistake #3: Trust Alone Isn’t Enough – Embracing Legal Protection
We used to think trust was everything—just the foundation of all our relationships. But here’s the thing: while trust is super important, it’s not enough. We’ve learned that having legal safeguards in place is just as vital. Now, we’ve got our legal procedures locked down to make sure we protect both ourselves and our partners from any potential curveballs down the road.
Mistake #4: Chasing Funding at the Expense of Vision – Fundraising Wisely
There was a time when we’d chase funding like it was the holy grail. Driven by the pressure to secure grants, we’d adjust our programs to fit funding criteria that didn’t always match our true vision. But we’ve grown since then. We now focus on aligning grants with our strategic goals, and we’ve gotten comfortable saying “no” to anything that doesn’t fit. It feels way more authentic, and honestly, it’s helped us stay true to our mission.
Mistake #5: Imposter Syndrome – Embracing Self-Empowerment
We know how it feels to doubt yourself. For a long time, imposter syndrome kept us from dreaming big and owning our space in the social entrepreneurship world. As leaders from marginalized communities, we sometimes felt like we didn’t belong or weren’t “qualified” enough. But here’s the shift: we’ve learned to embrace our story and our power. Now, we focus on lifting each other up, sharing our fears, and building a culture of self-empowerment within our team. No more hiding in the shadows.