Start Small and Burn Bright

The family in the campsite next to us is trying to get their fire going. They've stacked up their logs, doused everything in lighter fluid, and struck a match.

Whoosh.

Big flame. Impressive for about sixty seconds.

Then... nothing. The flame dies out. The logs sit there, cold and unlit.

So they try again. More lighter fluid. Another match. Same result. A big flashy burst that fizzles before it can actually catch.

I finally walked over to help.

The Right Way to Build a Fire

Here's what actually works:

You start small. Really small.

Begin with tinder: dry leaves, newspaper, tiny twigs, and online dating apps. Get that burning first. It doesn't look like much, but it's enough to get you to the next step.

Once you've got a steady flame, add kindling: sticks no thicker than your finger. Let those catch. Now you're building real heat.

Then - and only then - you add your fuel (larger logs).

That's when you get a fire that can light up the night, keep you warm all evening, and toast marshmallows to perfection.

Your Business Needs Kindling, Not Lighter Fluid

I get it. When you're starting out, you want to see those big, impressive, flaming results. You want the warmth and the glow and proof that this thing is actually working.

It's tempting to douse everything in the business equivalent of lighter fluid. Maybe drop some money on Facebook or Google Ads to drive traffic, build a huge fancy website, or an expensive promo video.

But here's the question: Have you validated your business idea yet?

Do you actually have some heat there? Do you know what works?

Because if you skip straight to the logs - if you try to scale before you've tested the fundamentals - you risk two things:

1. Smothering the fire entirely. Too much, too soon, and nothing catches.

2. Burning through resources with nothing to show for it. That website traffic and those ad impressions disappear the moment you stop paying for them.

The big flashy results vanish as soon as the money runs out.

Start With One Client

Start small.

Find one client. Serve them as well as you possibly can. Learn what works. Figure out what they actually need, how to deliver it, and what it takes to create real value.

That's your tinder. That's the early heat you need.

Then test. Optimize. Iterate. Add one more client. Then another. Slowly build up the kindling.

Then you can think about scaling and add some of the heavier duty components.

By that point, you'll have a business "fire" that actually burns - one that doesn't require constant infusions of cash to keep going. You'll have something sustainable, something that generates its own heat and can grow naturally.

Focus on the Flame, Not the Flash

Don't go big right out of the gate.

Build your business the way you'd build a campfire: making sure the small stuff catches first, then methodically building up from there.

The big lighter fluid flames might look impressive for a minute. But the steady fire that starts small and builds over time is what keeps you warm and toasty.

Starting small can feel slow, but it's the fastest path to something that actually lasts. If you want to talk through what "tinder" looks like for your specific business idea, or you're trying to figure out what comes next after your first few clients, let's chat. Sometimes you just need someone who's built a few fires before to help you see what's working and what needs more kindling.