The Unglamorous Side of Entrepreneurship
The Unglamorous Truth: 4 Steps to End Your Year Strong | I Am What an Intellectual Property Attorney Looks Like.
Here’s the thing about entrepreneurship: it’s not always as glamorous as it looks.
Case in point? A few weeks ago, I found myself dealing with a suspended business bank account—right before payroll.
The culprit? Months of failed attempts to log into the California Franchise Tax Board website. I tried to resolve it online, but nothing worked.
So there I was, physically walking into my bank, only to be told that they couldn’t help.
I spent hours on the phone verifying basic information.
I booked an appointment with the Franchise Tax Board, drove to Sacramento, ran to make it on time, and still heard: “You’ll need to print out more documents and book another appointment.”
And I still had a long to do list of legal work on my plate.
Not necessarily something you’ll see on Instagram, right?
For many, entrepreneurship looks like freedom and flexibility.
And yes, it can be all that and more. But it also comes with responsibility—cash flow, team payroll, operations, and solving problems you didn’t create. It’s unglamorous.
It can be exhausting. And sometimes, it means physically showing up, running between banks and administrative offices, and solving issues no one else will fix.
So, as the year wraps up, I want to take this Founders’ Letter to share four key activities you can prioritize now to hit the ground running in 2025.
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1. Strengthen Your Banking Relationship
The Franchise Tax Board ordeal taught me this: your banking relationship matters more than you think.
If your bank isn’t responsive, proactive, or aligned with your business needs, now is a great time to make a change.
Smaller credit unions and local banks often excel at building meaningful, dynamic relationships with small businesses.
A good banker can help you navigate challenges, offer timely solutions, and be an advocate when things go sideways.
Take the time to evaluate your options:
Does your bank know your business well?
Do they support you during challenges or delays?
Would a smaller institution better meet your needs?
Having a great relationship with my local banker helped me “unfreeze” by assets while giving me time to get the tax issues figured out.
I am forever grateful.
2. Strengthen Your Team Systems
If you want your business to operate independently of you, streamlined systems are essential.
At Firm for the Culture, we rely on tools like:
Gusto for payroll,
Clockify for tracking productivity and time,
WISE for international payments,
Slack for team communication.
End-of-year is a great time to evaluate your tools and processes. Ask yourself:
Are your onboarding systems smooth and efficient?
Do your team members have the tools they need to succeed?
Are there inefficiencies that need streamlining before the new year?
A business that can run without you isn’t just efficient—it’s scalable.
Throughout the year, you’ve probably engaged with potential clients who were interested but didn’t move forward.
Sometimes the timing wasn’t right. Sometimes budgets were tight.
But the end of the year is unique.
Many businesses are looking to make strategic investments for tax purposes before December 31.
Now is the perfect time to:
Circle back with “not-yet” clients,
Share how your services align with their 2025 goals,
Make it easy for them to say yes.
Sometimes a simple follow-up is all it takes to turn a warm lead into a strong start to the new year.
4. Protect Your Intellectual Property
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this.
If you’ve been thinking about protecting your intellectual property—whether it’s trademarks, brand names, or creative assets—now is the time to act.
Why? Because in 2025, trademark costs and fees are increasing.
Your IP is one of your business’s most valuable assets.
Protecting it now ensures that no one else can profit from the brand, ideas, or identity you’ve worked so hard to build.
If this is on your to-do list, let’s not put it off any longer.
Set up a call with us today, and we’ll help you protect your IP before the fees go up.
Here’s to the Unglamorous Wins
So I’ll end with this: entrepreneurship may not always look pretty, but the unglamorous moments—the systems, the follow-ups, the responsibilities—are what build momentum.
As we close out the year, these four activities can help you position yourself for success in 2025:
Strengthen your banking relationships.
Strengthen your team systems.
Revisit “not-yet” clients.
What’s on your list to close out the year strong?
I’d love to hear from you—drop a comment or reply to share how you’re setting up for a thriving 2025.
Here’s to doing the unglamorous work that leads to extraordinary results.
If you need further guidance, reach out to me and my team at Firm for the Culture.
We’re here to help you navigate the copyright, trademark, and thought leadership journey.
Can’t wait to help you protect your dynamic impact.
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Thanks for reading.
See you next time.
#ForTheCulture