Starting at Zero: The Courage to Begin Again
Written by Danielle Lewis, Founder of SPARK
At the end of this year, I made a teeny tiny decision as a part of our 2025 content strategy at SPARK and started two new instagram accounts to segment our content so it was more relevant for our audience. Our current account @sparkbusiness.global; then added @sparkbusiness.podcast and @sparkbusiness.directory. I was quite surprised at the emotions that came up, after 12 years running businesses just this simple act felt like starting all over again. I mean accounts with zero followers, almost a bit embarrassing!!! (Yes this is a blatant beg for you to follow our new accounts lol!) But it did get me thinking about how some of us might put off making decisions like this or even bigger decisions like discontinuing a product, or even winding up a business… because of the perceived sunk cost.
A sunk cost refers to a cost that has already occurred and has no potential for recovery in the future. For example, your rent, marketing campaign expenses or money spent on new equipment can be considered sunk costs…. but when it comes to making business decisions sometimes the biggest sunk costs we consider is our time, energy, emotions, families support, events missed and purchases sacrificed.
Sometimes making these decisions feels like ‘starting at zero’.
They come with challenges, fears, and the weight of uncertainty. And it’s the one time I appreciate the social media meme: ‘Don’t be afraid to start over. This time you’re not starting from scratch, you’re starting from experience.’
They can also give us the space we need to dream bigger, scale further and create more impact.
Let’s talk.
Starting Your First Business
Starting your first business is the epitome of beginning at zero. You have an idea, a vision, and maybe a small savings account or an investor who believes in you. But you lack customers, reputation, and often, confidence. The early days are filled with questions:
Will this work?
Am I capable?
How do I even begin?
Here’s the truth: every business empire started with zero. Zero sales. Zero followers. Zero certainty. What separates success from stagnation is the willingness to start anyway. Lean into your vision, surround yourself with a support system, and take the first step—even if it’s a small one. Action breeds momentum.
Winding Up a Business
Closing a business you’ve poured your heart into can feel like a personal failure. But what if it’s not? Sometimes, winding up a business is a strategic decision—a way to pivot towards something more aligned with your goals or to free yourself from an unsustainable situation.
Take the time to grieve the loss but also reflect on what you’ve gained:
Skills you’ve developed
Networks you’ve built
Lessons you’ve learned
Winding up a business doesn’t mean starting from scratch. You’re beginning with a wealth of experience and resilience that will serve you in your next venture. As one door closes, another opens, often leading to opportunities you couldn’t have imagined.
Discontinuing a Product
Sometimes, a single product or service isn’t working. Discontinuing it can feel like admitting defeat, but it’s actually a step towards success. Every business needs to evolve, and trimming what doesn’t serve you is part of that process. Think of it as pruning a tree—cutting back a branch to allow the rest to flourish.
Ask yourself:
What isn’t working, and why?
Does delivering this product or service bring me joy or make me proud?
How can I better meet the needs of my customers?
What opportunities does this decision create?
Letting go of a product might just free up the resources you need to invest in your next breakthrough idea.
Testing a New Marketing Channel
It seems like every year there’s a new social media platform that launches. And certainly in the life of a business there are hundreds of sales and marketing ideas to experiment with. But often the weight of learning something new on top of all of the other tasks on your to do list, can just feel too much. But what if it was just the thing that helped you break through?
Ask yourself:
What is currently working, and why?
Will my customers be on this new channel?
Could I enjoy learning something new?
Could this replace a strategy that isn’t performing that well right now?
Testing a new marketing channel could be the key to enjoying your marketing activities and reaching more customers than ever!
Embracing the Hard, Pursuing the Reward
No matter which version of starting at zero you’re facing, the journey is rarely easy. It’s filled with self-doubt, risk, and often, external skepticism. But these moments also teach you the most about yourself and your capacity to succeed.
Here are three strategies to navigate the hard:
Reframe the Narrative: Instead of seeing zero as failure, view it as a clean slate—a chance to rebuild, refocus, and rediscover what truly matters.
Leverage Your Experience: Remember, you’re never truly starting at zero. You’re beginning with all the knowledge, connections, and insights you’ve gained along the way.
Trust the Process: Every successful entrepreneur has faced moments of starting at zero. Those who persevere often emerge stronger, more innovative, and better positioned for success.
The Bigger Success Ahead
Starting at zero doesn’t just teach you about business; it teaches you about resilience, adaptability, and the courage to keep going. Each new beginning builds on the last, forming a foundation for greater achievements. By embracing these moments with curiosity and determination, you open yourself to bigger successes than you ever thought possible.
So whether you’re launching your first business, saying goodbye to an old one, or pivoting your product offerings, know this: starting at zero is not the end. It’s the beginning of something extraordinary.
Here’s cheers to starting at zero gorgeous x