Let’s talk about a HUGE marketing budget mistake I see it all the time.

A business owner brings me their project… right when they’re almost out of money.

They’ve burned through their budget on development, inventory, operations—everything except the part that actually MAKES them money: marketing.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

Entrepreneurs pour months (even years) into creating the perfect product, service, or offer. But when it’s time to actually sell it? They’re out of cash.

And then comes the desperation.

• No budget for testing.
• No time for a real strategy.
• No resources to scale.

Now they’re bootstrapping, duct-taping, and scrambling to make something—anything—work.

💥 Here’s the truth: Marketing isn’t an afterthought—it’s the foundation of your business success.

If you don’t plan for marketing from the start, you’ll always be playing from behind.

An example is another company I was helping last year who blew their marketing budget on non-essentials before the launch and, when launch day came, it was day 1 of the company failing because their marketing budget was GONE.

After 25+ years in marketing, I’ve learned one simple rule:
The businesses that win are the ones that plan ahead.

The smartest entrepreneurs do three things differently:

✅ They set aside a marketing budget before launching.
✅ They plan their sales and lead generation strategies early.
✅ They treat marketing as essential—not optional.

How to avoid this marketing budget mistake?

I just got off a phenomenal call with a client who brought everything to the table with plenty of runway to do this the right way.

And the coolest part?

When we start early, we don’t just “make it work.”

We make it unstoppable.

Ans it helps you avoid probably THE biggest marketing budget mistake!

If you’re still in development mode, pre-launch mode, or just thinking about scaling—NOW is the time to talk about marketing.

Here’s what to do instead:

1️⃣ Set aside at least 10-20% of your revenue (or funding) for marketing.
2️⃣ Define your customer journey BEFORE you launch. (Who’s buying? How do they find you? What’s the conversion process?)
3️⃣ Start building your audience NOW. (Email lists, content, ads—get ahead before you need sales.)
4️⃣ Test small before you scale. (Don’t wait until you’re broke to figure out what works.)
5️⃣ Get expert guidance early. (Working with the right strategist before launch makes all the difference.)

Waiting until you’re “ready” is the worst strategy you can have.

Let’s talk NOW.

Because playing from behind is survival.

But planning ahead?

That’s how you set yourself up to dominate.

Need help now? Let’s talk!

You’ll also find great tips in the Ruthless Marketing + Optimize Edge Newsletter.