The Power of Showing Up Online Before You’re Ready

So many small business owners get stuck in perfection. “I’ll launch when my branding is done.” “I need professional photos first.” “I’m not good on camera.” “I’m still figuring out my offer.” “I just need one more week…”

I’ve heard it all — and I’ve said it myself, too. But let me lovingly call this out: that voice in your head telling you to wait? It’s not strategy. It’s fear dressed up in perfectionism.

And while you’re tweaking your fonts or rewriting your bio for the tenth time, people who need what you offer are scrolling by. They’re looking for someone to connect with. Not a perfect brand. A present one.

When I started sharing my crafting journey online, I didn’t know I was doing marketing. I wasn’t selling. I was just posting what I was making, what I was learning, and where I was stuck. And guess what? People showed up.

I didn’t have a logo. I didn’t have a Shopify store. I didn’t even have product photos — just phone pics in bad lighting.

But what I did have? Curiosity. A camera. And the willingness to share.

That content worked. Not because it was polished, but because it was real. People related to the messy middle way more than they would have to a polished, finished brand. They saw themselves in the figuring-it-out version of me.

Every polished post starts with a messy one. Every confident video starts with one where you hit delete five times. Every “viral” reel usually starts with just one brave post that flopped quietly in the background.

The truth is: perfection delays connection. And connection is what builds trust. And trust? That’s what turns followers into customers.

If you’re waiting for the perfect moment to start sharing, stop waiting. The perfect moment is the one where you open your phone and show up as you are. Yes, even if your hair is wild. Even if your background is cluttered. Even if you don’t have it all figured out yet.

Your presence matters more than your polish.

What holds so many founders back is the belief that they have to perform to be taken seriously. That they need the visual brand, the curated grid, the pro photoshoot. And while yes — design matters eventually — it’s not what gets people to trust you.

People don’t buy because your aesthetic is good. They buy because your message is clear. Because your vibe is aligned. Because they see themselves in you.

If you're waiting to be ready, ask yourself this: Ready for what? Ready to be seen? To be judged? To succeed? To fail?

All of that is part of the deal whether you launch with a perfect website or a scrappy Instagram post.

Here's what showing up before you're ready looked like for me:

• Posting shaky behind-the-scenes videos from my garage workspace

• Sharing my craft fails and lessons learned

• Talking about how overwhelmed I felt juggling business and motherhood

• Answering DMs with voice notes while feeding my baby

• Trying things, failing publicly, then trying again the next day

None of it was strategic in the traditional sense. But all of it built trust. All of it made people say, “Oh wow, she’s doing this for real.”

And that realness? That’s what built the foundation of Only The Sweet Stuff.

When you start sharing before you feel ready, a few magical things happen:

1. You become relatable. People are drawn to honesty. It’s refreshing. Especially in a world full of filters and highly curated content.

2. You learn faster. When you’re in motion, you’re getting feedback. You’re testing ideas. You’re figuring out what resonates.

3. You attract the right people. Not everyone will vibe with you — and that’s a good thing. Sharing your real voice filters in your people and filters out the rest.

4. You build momentum. Starting now gets you out of the idea spiral and into action. And that action stacks up.

I’m not saying never invest in branding or strategy. I’m saying don’t wait for those things to start building relationships. They’re not prerequisites. They’re enhancements.

Let me ask you this: Would you rather launch with a perfect website and zero community? Or would you rather start scrappy and build a community that’s already rooting for you when you go live?

One is about appearances. The other is about connection.

And connection converts.

So if you’re sitting on a product, a service, an idea — and you’re stuck in the loop of “I’m not ready” — here’s your permission slip:

Post the thing. Write the caption. Record the reel. Tell the story. Go live. Be seen.

Not because it’s perfect. But because it’s yours.

You don’t need to be the best. You just need to be brave. You don’t need to be polished. You just need to be present. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to take the next step.

Because the version of you that’s figuring it out in real time? That’s the one people will root for.