Skip These 11 Business Mistakes We Made — Signed, The Collective
Mistakes happen to all of us—especially when we’re building businesses, growing careers, and trying to make big things happen. But Every misstep comes with a lesson that can push us forward.
Inside The Collective by CNYWN, our members are a mix of entrepreneurs, leaders, and ambitious professionals who’ve all had their share of “well… won’t do that again” moments. So we asked them: What’s one mistake you’ve made—and what did it teach you?
Now we’re sharing their responses with you, so you can learn from their experiences, skip the detours, and reach your goals with a little more ease.
Here are 11 mistakes our members made—so you don’t have to.
1. stop saying yes to everything
One of the biggest mistakes I made in my career was saying yes too often.
In the beginning, I felt like every opportunity mattered. I wanted to prove myself, build a name, and show that I could do it all. So I said yes to every project and every client, even when the value wasn’t really there for me.
the outcome? I was stretched thin and pouring energy into work that didn’t align with my goals.
It took me a long time to understand that saying yes to everything was holding me back. learning to say no has given me the freedom to focus on the people and projects that bring out my best work.
my advice: saying no isn’t shutting a door; it’s choosing the right one to walk through.
— Collective member Elana Agrasto, COO & Entrepreneur
Elana Agrasto, COO & Entrepreneur
Elana Agrasto is the Chief Operating Officer of Daniella’s, a beloved culinary institution in Syracuse, New York, known for its commitment to quality, tradition, and community.
As COO, Elana oversees operations for both of Daniella’s signature restaurants: Daniella’s Steakhouse, established in 1960 and hailed as "The Best Little Steakhouse in Syracuse," and Daniella’s Fresh Seafood and Pasta House, a coastal-inspired dining destination known for its expansive menu and event-friendly atmosphere.
2. Put The ScOpe In Writing
Early in my career, I assumed alignment based on conversations and a lump-sum engagement fee. that led to scope creep and avoidable frustration on both sides.
It taught me how critical it is to detail the scope in the engagement letter from day one—a simple step that makes engagements run much smoother.
my advice: set clear boundaries and communicate them early. Define the scope in your engagement letter, and note that anything outside of it will be billed as time and materials.
It’s not just about protecting your time, it’s about ensuring the quality of your work and honoring your expertise.
— Collective member Alanna Abreu, Consulting Principal
Alanna Abreu, Consulting Principal
Alanna Abreu is a Consulting Principal that helps businesses of all sizes—start-ups to seasoned companies—build strong financial reporting systems while guiding them through the complexities of the business lifecycle.
By providing financial clarity and strategic insights, she empowers business owners to focus on what they do best: grow their passion and achieve long-term success.
connect with alanna on LinkedIn.
3. Honesty Builds Trust In Teams
for many years, I believed that a good leader meant never cracking, never letting your team see you falter or struggle.
But I did falter, and I did struggle. Running a growing family business is challenging, and I never let anyone know that. I truly believed that if I didn’t appear resilient and strong 100% of the time, our team would lose faith in me and in our company.
when things became very difficult and I DID START to crack, I found that our team appreciated me more and stepped up in ways I never anticipated TO HELP ME.
my advice: Do not set a standard that you or anyone around you cannot live up to. In the end, honesty and authenticity will only build a stronger bond between you and your team.
— Collective member Jennifer Savastino, CEO, Gannon Pest Control
4. don’t let others define your path
One mistake I made earlier in my career was letting other people’s expectations influence the direction I took, instead of trusting my own gut.
I ignored that instinct for too long. I kept taking on service tasks and support responsibilities even when I felt ready for a bigger challenge. Looking back, the only thing that held me back was allowing others to dictate what they thought I should be doing.
The moment I finally trusted myself and made the switch mentally, my career opportunities opened up. I found work that energized me, played to my strengths, and that gave me opportunities I never would have had if I’d stayed where others wanted me.
my advice: Only you can decide the role you grow into. Your gut usually knows the right next step, and you can’t let someone else define your path.
— Collective member Ashley Franczak, Partner, P&C Practice Leader
5. Build The Foundation First
My biggest mistake was trying to buy success before I built a foundation.
I poured money into ads, coaches, and masterminds, thinking they’d fast-track my business, but I didn’t have clarity on my offer, message, or the structure to support growth. I learned that visibility doesn’t fix what’s unclear.
my advice: Before you invest in being seen, make sure you know exactly what you want to be known for. Get grounded in your process, your value, and your offer. Don’t skip the build just to chase the buzz.
— Collective member Yarden Carroll, Founder & CEO, Crowned Creative
Yarden Carroll, Founder & CEO, Crowned Creative
Crowned Creative Marketing helps businesses in Central New York and beyond elevate their brand and achieve sustainable growth.
Their tailored strategies connect Businesses with their ideal audience through lead generation, offer creation, and visibility solutions.
Connect with Yarden on LinkedIn and follow her on Instagram.
6. Empower Your Team
In the early stages of my business, I tried to take on everything myself — from answering every message to handling DAILY tasks I should have delegated.
I often kept responsibilities from my staff believing I could make things easier for everyone else AND do them better. being hands-on in every area felt productive, but it led to burnout and slowed our growth.
my advice: delegate tasks early on. Trust your team with responsibilities, even IF it feels uncomfortable at first. Delegating not only frees you to focus on strategic growth, but also empowers others to take ownership and bring their best ideas forward.
— Collective member Raisa Zhovklaya, Owner Project LeanNation, Syracuse
Raisa Zhovklaya, Owner Project LeanNation, Syracuse
Raisa is a former Neuro-Stroke Certified Nurse passionate about health and wellness, now dedicated to bringing accessible health resources to the community through Project LeanNation.
About Project LeanNation: PLN offers prepared meals, protein shakes, InBody scans, 1st Phorm supplements, and ongoing support to help you improve your overall health—whether your goal is to lose weight, build muscle, or simply have convenient, healthy options for your busy life.
7. don’t underprice your expertise
One mistake I made early in my business was pricing my services too low.
I wanted to be accessible and attract clients, so I set my rates based on what I thought people would pay rather than the real value of my time, expertise, and the transformation Bellezza Styling offers.
now, my pricing reflects the level of attention, expertise, and personalization I bring to every session. and it’s attracted clients who are truly ready to invest in themselves and their style journey.
my advice: Don’t be afraid to stand in the value of what you offer. When you price with confidence, you attract clients who see and respect that value too.
— Collective member Elizabeth Gullotto, founder, Bellezza Styling
Elizabeth Gullotto, founder of Bellezza Styling
Bellezza Styling offers comprehensive styling coaching services, encompassing personal styling, personal shopping, capsule wardrobe creation, and closet organization.
Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn and follow her on Instagram.
8. Learn, then do it your way
I thought I had to do things the way I was told or the way everyone else did, instead of listening to myself.
I appreciate everything i learned from mentors and coaches, but somewhere along the way, I lost myself in the process. I found myself building a business I didn't want, running it in a way I didn't want, and doing things I didn't want to do.
my advice: it’s amazing to learn a process or methodology, but the KEY is making it your own. There’s magic in combining what you’re taught with what you want and what feels aligned for you. That’s where our unique abilities shine and how we set ourselves apart as both employees and entrepreneurs.
— Collective member Elena Nicole, Life/Health Coach, Content Creator
Elena Nicole, Life/Health Coach, Content Creator
Elena is a certified health and life coach and content creator. She helps women who want to get healthier do it in a realistic and sustainable way while helping them feel more empowered, confident and in control in health and life.
Elena is also a UGC (user-generated content) creator and creates short form video content for businesses and brands to use in their advertisements, website and organic social media.
9. Trust when a job isn’t right
I stayed too long in a role that wasn’t a good fit.
The first red flag: there wasn’t enough work to fill a day, and no resources for other projects. On top of that, I didn’t mesh with the team, and the boss had a tendency to yell in meetings.
After six months, I took a course outside of work that allowed me to pivot into an exciting new role, but in the meantime, my confidence had plummeted.
my advice: Know when a role isn’t the right one for you—something better will come along.
— Collective member Lauren Lusher, Divorce Mediator
10. Make Room For Your Future Self
I thought i had to hold on to what no longer served me.
but Saying yes to everything and everyone didn’t give me the space I needed to use or develop my new skills. There was no room for growth.
my advice: trust yourself. We can’t grow without pulling the weeds around us. What does not serve you will suffocate you.
— Collective member Dawn Ambrose, Trichologist
11. Don’t Decide From Fear Or Pressure
when i first started, I didn’t know much about how to run a business. then, i came across a course. the promise was magnetic: learn how to build a thriving business and grow your revenue.
It sounded like the answer. There was only one problem — I didn’t have the money. I took out a credit card and charged $10,000.
Even as I said yes, my body was screaming no!
by the second day of the program, I could feel something was off. each expert they introduced had another upsell, another promise. By the end, I realized I hadn’t learned how to build my business, but how to buy more of theirs. The final offer? A $45,000 coaching package for one year.
i felt used, ashamed, and deeply betrayed, but the truth was, I had betrayed myself. That day, I made a vow: never again would I override the wisdom of my body for the voice of someone else’s authority.
This lesson cost me $10,000, but it taught me something priceless: to listen to my body's wisdom with unwavering trust. The forgotten truth is that your body always knows more than your mind. Your nervous system is your compass and most trusted inner guide.
When something feels heavy, tight, or sickening, that’s your body speaking to you, saying no. And when something feels expansive, light, warm, or “yummy,” is your body saying yes! So it is vital to learn what your embodied yes and no feels like when you make any decision in life, including business.
Now I don’t make decisions from fear or pressure, I make them from alignment — from joy, excitement, and the quiet sense of “this feels right.
my advice: Don't give up your own authority, even if you aren’t an expert yet. Instead, listen to your body, your heart, your truth, because the deepest breakthrough comes not from ignoring your intuition, but from finally learning to trust it.
And finally, learn how to drink nectar out of any situation, because in every mistake there is an opportunity for growth, healing, and deep expansion.
— Collective member Mirabai (Dorozan) Roberts, Therapeutic Self-Relationship Coach
Mirabai (Dorozan) Roberts, Therapeutic Self-Relationship Coach
As a trauma-informed coach with over 15 years of experience, Mirabai supports women in transforming self-doubt into self-love and creating relationships, success, and abundance that feel aligned with their souls.
At the Center for Self-Relational Study, she is devoted to helping women feel safe, worthy, and whole.
the Center for Self-Relational Study guides empaths and sensitive leaders to awaken Self-Loving Awareness—a new way of being rooted in compassion, courage, and authenticity. Their integrative approach blends somatic healing, mindfulness, and neuroscience to help clients restore self-trust, reclaim their power, and live boldly as their true selves.
Connect with Mirabai on LinkedIn and follow her on Instagram.
About the collective:
The Collective by CNY Women’s Network is a growing membership community for women across Central New York, offering connection, leadership development, and transformative experiences year-round. Want to get more connected? Become a member today!
