The Truth About 2025: My Raw Review of Small Business Reality
Join Julie Riga for an unfiltered, brutally honest conversation about what 2025 really looked like as a small business owner—the months of hustling with no results, the corporate friends who disappeared, the Friday nights spent questioning everything, and why she's still standing (and not quitting).
In This Episode:
✨ Why 2025 felt harder than any previous year for small business owners
✨ The reality of hustling for months with zero visible results
✨ How to handle rejection, frustration, and the urge to quit every Friday
✨ Why doing business alone guarantees failure—and how community saves you
✨ The uncomfortable truth about sales: 80% of your time for the first two years
✨ What happens to corporate relationships when you start your own business
✨ How to pivot fast, learn faster, and keep moving forward
Key Takeaways:
📌 Community is non-negotiable—isolation leads to quitting
📌 If you hate sales, entrepreneurship will break you (Julie doesn't sugarcoat this)
📌 You'll want to quit every Friday—that's normal, not a sign to stop
📌 Corporate friends often disappear; complete strangers will support you first
📌 Never get comfortable with your pipeline—clients can cancel anytime
📌 Pivot your approach without abandoning your purpose
📌 The thrill of building your dream is worth the brutal journey
📌 You need introductions and connections, not just money
📌 Self-care isn't optional when the journey gets this hard
Memorable Quotes:
"2025 was harder than the other years. I sat here for months hustling, hustling, hustling—and saw no results."
"If you're not willing to say that 80% of my time in the very beginning is gonna be devoted to selling, just go get a job."
"All of your corporate friends will ditch you, or some of them will. There's a very select few that still talk to me."
"Complete strangers will help me first than some of the people I worked very closely with and helped tremendously."
"You're gonna wanna give up every day, or at least every Friday. I wanted to give up every Friday this entire year."
"I can't make the impact I need to make inside of a job because there's too many rules and regulations."
"I am a catalyst for you to reach your next level of success."
Perfect for small business owners, entrepreneurs, corporate professionals considering a leap, and leaders who need permission to keep going when the journey gets brutal.
Connect with Julie:
🌐 julieriga.com/lead
🎧 Stay On Course Podcast
📱 LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
📞 Ready to discover your purpose and break through to your next level? Schedule a call with Julie
Services Offered:
💼 One-on-One Coaching: Purpose discovery and leadership development
🎨 Brand Building: Design support to build your authentic brand
👥 Leadership Programs: Team development and organizational growth
📚 Training Programs: Skill development for holding space at your next level
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💡 Share this episode with entrepreneurs and leaders who need to hear: "Don't give up."
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