lessons on entrepreneurship
It is so desirable to be an entrepreneur! Set your own hours, freedom, having ownership of your life, and making a difference - all part of the magic of working for yourself.
While entrepreneurship is pretty darn awesome, it's also associated with:
hustle. busyness. stress. burn out. fear. uncertainty. self-doubt. sleeplessness. no time for family or self care. hard.
In the non-stop hustle, many entrepreneurs literally lose themselves. Often to the point where they forget who they are and why they started the business in the first place.
After working with 100’s of entrepreneurs and being one myself, here’s some things I have learned that will help you thrive —
1) THE BUSINESS SIDE OF GROWTH IS EASIER THAN THE HUMAN SIDE
If you're not well the business side doesn't matter. If your team doesn't trust you, the business side doesn't matter either. Put your time, energy, and money to building trust, getting to know people, and taking care of yourself and each other.
2) THE NUMBER OF SOCIAL LIKES YOU HAVE DOES NOT EQUAL THE QUALITY OF YOUR SERVICE/PRODUCT OR HOW MUCH MONEY YOU MAKE
Are you obsessing over your social likes? That time could be going somewhere that actually gets you clients, sales, impact, and money. Some of the most successful entrepreneurs I know aren’t on IG. Worry less about likes and more about relationships and the awesomeness of your offerings.
3) BE GENEROUS WITH YOUR WISDOM, YOUR KINDNESS, YOUR LISTENING
Putting yourself in an ivory tower of importance or fear is dangerous and limiting. And if you aren't taking care of yourself it's very easy to be fearful, ego-driven, and take a scarcity approach to your business. Get your mind right. Take care of yourself. No competitors, just allies in your cause.
4) TALK ABOUT YOUR FAILURES BEFORE THEY BECOME WINS
Often we hear about failure in the business world after an entrepreneur has achieved. Just listen to any of the amazing How I Built This podcasts. The stories are inspiring AND these stories can makes many entrepreneurs afraid to talk about their present shortcomings until they've overcome them too. Talk about losses now so you can learn now. Don’t complain or make excuses. Keep going, keep growing.
5 - IT’S HARD TO THINK ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE WHEN YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT MONEY
Make choices so you can worry less about money and focus more on your vision. Most entrepreneurs have a bridge job at some point. If you work retail, teach yoga, or pour drinks at a bar to pay the bills while you grow, you’re not alone and it’s ok. AND... know when it’s time to let that bridge go so you can fully step into what you're creating.
— What lessons have you learned? —