Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Ranked by Cost and Ease
Starting a Business in DeLand? Avoid These Mistakes
Downtown DeLand storefronts ran 98 percent occupied in the city's latest redevelopment report. When space is that tight, the lease you rush to sign is the mistake that costs the most.
The DeLand startup mistakes that cost the most are rarely the ones owners worry about: signing a lease before running the numbers, opening without cash for slow months, and pricing to match the shop next door. The craft is yours; the business side is where Dr. Paul helps, so you make each call with clear numbers. Dr. Paul has seen the same seven mistakes across 1,000+ owners. Below, they are ranked by what they cost and how easy they are to avoid, with the DeLand rules that trip people up.
Questions first? Call or text (321) 948-9588.
Last Updated: 10/29/2026 · Written by Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
The Ranking at a Glance
Seven Startup Mistakes, Ranked by What They Cost
Two questions decide where a mistake lands. How much does it cost you if it happens? How easy was it to avoid? The worst ones are expensive and easy to dodge, which makes them painful twice.
| Rank and mistake | What it costs | How easy to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Signing the lease before the numbers | Highest. Years of rent you cannot walk away from. | Easy. Run break-even first. |
| 2. Opening with no cash runway | Very high. Slow months close the doors. | Moderate. Save or fund three to six months. |
| 3. Pricing to match the competition | High, and it grows with every sale. | Easy. Price from your costs. |
| 4. Mixing business and personal money | Medium to high. Tax trouble and no idea if you profit. | Very easy. One bank account. |
| 5. Building out before checking local rules | Medium. Redo work, fines, delays. | Easy. One call to the city. |
| 6. Doing every job yourself | Medium, slow burn. Burnout and a business that cannot run without you. | Moderate. Write it down, then hand it off. |
| 7. No calendar for renewals and taxes | Low to medium. Penalties and late fees. | Very easy. Set reminders on day one. |
Ready for Help?
Four Ways to Work With Dr. Paul
01 · Start Here
Business Consulting
Bring your plan, lease draft, or budget. Dr. Paul helps you find the mistakes on this list before they cost you.
Business consulting →02
Business Plan Writing
Need a lender or landlord to say yes? Dr. Paul writes the business plan and five-year financials with the numbers checked first.
Business plan writing →03
Fractional CFO/COO
Already open and one of these mistakes is showing up? Dr. Paul works with you monthly, part time, to find the cause and fix it.
Fractional CFO and COO →04
Small Business Education
Free guides on common startup mistakes, planning, and bookkeeping for owners who learned the trade first. Prefer to write your own plan? See the templates.
Free guides →The DeLand Side
Three DeLand Rules That Catch New Owners
Mistake number five gets its own section, because DeLand has a few local rules that owners from other cities do not expect.
Historic Downtown Sign Rules
Much of downtown sits in a historic district overlay. A 2020 local news report described signs that generally must be wood or a compatible material, with colors approved by the Historic Preservation Board, no internally lighted signs downtown, and no animated electronic signs citywide. The city's workshop draft of its sign code carries the same color approval and lighting limits. Confirm the current sign rules with the city.
City Business Tax Receipt
The City of DeLand requires a business tax receipt for every business located in the city, and it renews every year. Renewal notices go out by email in July. Miss it and you could be operating without one.
No County Receipt Needed
Volusia County no longer requires a county business tax receipt for businesses located in the county. Owners who move here from Orange or Seminole County sometimes chase paperwork that is no longer required.
Sources: The Beacon, January 2020; City of DeLand, draft sign code (Article 900); City of DeLand, Business Tax Receipts; Volusia County, Business Tax Receipt; Downtown DeLand Historic District.
The Downtown DeLand Historic District has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1987, along Woodland Boulevard. That history is part of why downtown draws visitors. It is also why a storefront change there could need a conversation with the city before you spend a dollar. Three local stops before you sign: the City of DeLand business tax office at 120 S Florida Avenue, the city's Historic Preservation Board for anything that touches a downtown facade or sign, and MainStreet DeLand for the downtown business community. For services and more on the city itself, see Business Consultant DeLand.
The Detail
Each Mistake, Why It Happens, and the Fix
Signing the Lease Before the Numbers
The space feels perfect, so the owner signs, then builds the numbers backward to justify it. A lease is often years long with a personal guarantee. It is the hardest mistake on this list to undo.
Work out break-even in sales per day for that rent first. The viability test shows how.
Opening With No Cash Runway
Owners budget for the build-out and forget the months before customers find them. Then a slow season hits and there is nothing in the bank.
Fund three to six months of fixed costs before opening day. Three is the floor.
Pricing to Match the Competition
The shop down Woodland Boulevard charges a certain price, so you charge the same. But you do not have their costs, their rent, or their regulars. Thin margins look fine until the bills come.
Price from your unit cost plus your share of overhead. Then decide how far above that your customer will go.
Mixing Business and Personal Money
One account for everything means you cannot see whether the business makes money, and tax time turns into a shoebox project.
Open a separate business account before the first sale. Pay yourself from it on a schedule.
Building Out Before Checking Local Rules
Order the sign, paint the front, start the work, then learn the rules. In historic downtown DeLand, that order could mean doing it twice.
Call the city before you order, paint, or build. Ask about zoning, signs, and the historic district.
Doing Every Job Yourself
It feels cheaper to do it all. It is, until you are exhausted, the books are behind, and the business cannot run for a day without you.
Write down how each task is done. Hand off the ones that do not need your skill first.
No Calendar for Renewals and Taxes
Business tax receipts, sales tax filings, insurance renewals. None are hard. All of them are easy to forget in a busy first year.
Put every renewal and filing date on a calendar the week you open.
Downtown by the Numbers
Downtown DeLand Is Nearly Full. That Changes Which Mistakes Hurt Most.
The city's downtown redevelopment agency reports on itself every year. Three lines from the latest report matter to a new owner.
Source: City of DeLand, Downtown Community Redevelopment Agency Annual Report, FY 2024 to 2025.
Near-full storefronts could mean less room to negotiate, which makes the costliest of the DeLand startup mistakes, mistake one, signing before the numbers, even more expensive. Run break-even before you fall for the one open space. A busy event calendar may bring crowds, so plan staff, stock, and cash for event days instead of guessing. Grant money runs through MainStreet DeLand's Design and Grant Review Committee and then the CRA, so ask before you build, not after. MainStreet DeLand, a nonprofit, holds a CRA agreement through September 2027 to run downtown promotion and events.
From the Book
Dr. Paul's Insight: Fix the Cause, Not the Symptom
"Why did you bring the wrong thing?"
Dani frowned. "Because I grabbed the wrong box off the truck."
"Why did you grab the wrong box?"
There was a long pause. Then Dani said, in a much smaller voice, "Because I can't tell them apart. The shelves in the truck don't have labels. I just know where everything is." Another pause. "Usually."
Chapter 5 · If It Fits, I'll Haul It: A Raccoon's Fire Drill
Dr. Paul's take: Every mistake on this page shows up first as a symptom: cash is tight, the sign gets rejected, the owner is exhausted. New owners in DeLand treat the symptom and move on. Then it comes back. The fix is to keep asking why until you reach the decision that started it, usually a step taken out of order before opening. That is root cause analysis, and it sits inside the Organize step of Organize-Plan-Grow™.
Read the Book
Root Causes, Better Decisions, and Plans That Get Done
Dr. Paul's Fabled Forest Business School Series · Book 1
Management and Leadership for Small Businesses
The seven mistakes on this page each trace back to a chapter of the book: root cause analysis, decision-making, planning, and doing too much yourself. Every chapter is taught through a Fabled Forest owner with a real problem and a clear fix. Part of Dr. Paul's Fabled Forest Business School Series, written for owners who would rather learn from someone else's mistake than make it themselves.
Get Book 1 on Amazon →Prefer to Watch? Start Here
Dr. Paul covers the same ground on video, with the numbers on screen.
Dr. Paul's Organize-Plan-Grow Strategy for Startup & Small Business Growth
Dr. Paul’s Organize-Plan-Grow Strategy for Startups and Small Businesses | Business Growth Simplified. (5:18)
How to write a Startup Strategic Plan
How to write a startup strategic plan that sets your direction. (13:03)
FAQ
Startup Mistake Questions DeLand Owners Ask
What is the most expensive mistake when starting a business?
Do I need a business tax receipt to open in DeLand?
Are there sign rules in downtown DeLand?
How do I avoid the most common startup mistakes?
Can Dr. Paul review my plan before I open in DeLand?
Find the mistake on paper. It is cheaper there.
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More for DeLand and Central Florida Owners
Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Business Consultant, Author & Educator | 14+ Years | 1,000+ Clients Served
Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA is a business consultant, author, and educator, and the founder of Quality Business Plan. He works with DeLand and Central Florida owners on business planning, financial modeling, fractional CFO services, and the everyday problems of businesses that depend too much on their owners. He is the creator of Dr. Paul's Organize-Plan-Grow™ Strategy, author of numerous published books on Amazon including Dr. Paul's Fabled Forest Business School Series, and publisher of over 1,000 business-focused videos on YouTube. He has taught as an adjunct college instructor and teaches in Florida public schools.
This page is for general educational purposes only. It is not legal, financial, tax, accounting, or other professional advice. The ranking reflects general patterns, not a statistical study. Local rules are cited to their sources and change over time; confirm current requirements with the City of DeLand. For decisions about your own business, consult a qualified professional.