15 Lessons From 15 Years as an Entrepreneur

According to the author When he started his business, he had no idea what he was in for.  In his case, ignorance was bliss! Despite being an avid reader, he learned many lessons that business books, podcasts, and AI don’t mention.

1. Care about the future more than the present.  Entrepreneurs have to make tough decisions. It helps to think about what is best for the future of the business. It was especially enlightening for the author when he started to think about the business separate from his role and began to consider decisions through the lens of what would benefit the future CEO and leadership team.
2. You will make mistakes. You will say and do things you wish you could take back.  As a business owner, you make mistakes with people, and while the lessons are valuable, they are more difficult to overcome.
3. You will get your heart broken.  It is only natural to have an emotional attachment to your business. Things will happen, people will leave, and clients will leave, all of which will impact you. While the old adage, “The people who got you here won’t get you there,” is true, the emotional reality is difficult and real. Prepare yourself.
4. You can’t do it all. Build a team you can trust and then get out of the way.  Any entrepreneur who says they are doing it all isn’t being honest with themselves. 
5. Get comfortable with risk.  People say starting a business is a risk, and it is.
6. Get comfortable with change.  In any industry, you can count on change, and if you aren’t evolving with it, you will be left behind.
7. You will have to say hard things.  As a business owner, you will inevitably have to engage in difficult conversations with clients, employees, and vendors. On the flip side, it means knowing when the right thing is to stay silent, even if it’s the hardest thing.
8. Don’t hire people like you.  Hiring people who are different from you is a huge asset to your business. Look for and lean into the strengths of others.
9. Sometimes you are the hero; sometimes you are the villain.  Being a business owner is hard, and at any given moment, you could be a hero for one person and a villain for another. You can’t need either title.
10. You are the last person standing.  At the end of the day, you have maximum responsibility and accountability. Take ownership of the mistakes and give credit to others for the successes. 
11. You have maximum flexibility and maximum responsibility.  Becoming an entrepreneur, drawn by the promise of flexible schedules and high earnings. It’s not quite that simple. “With great power comes great responsibility.”
12. Don’t ignore your weaknesses, lean into them.  You can’t be an expert on everything, but don’t ignore what you don’t understand. It’s important to have a high-level understanding of all the pieces of your business.  
13. You will have great influence in and out of the business. Be mindful.  You often won’t realize who you inspire.
14. Find a peer group.   Take every opportunity you have to learn and get advice. People in the same position who work in different industries are valuable resources.  
15. It’s so fun.  Creating. Innovating. Learning. While I’ve had other titles and roles, I love my crazy life because after 15 years, I’m still having so much fun. The best is yet to come.