What advice would you give a rookie business owner?
Perhaps that’s the American dream rooted in all of us. But here’s what I think is so important when giving business advice: Talk about failures. People don’t talk enough about the failures and roadblocks they faced when building their businesses.
When I started my business, I kept comparing myself to established companies. But no one was speaking about the work it took to get there, and I was sure I was doing something wrong. I lost sleep and energy, frustrated at myself for not knowing instantly what I now realize takes people years to learn.
Owning a business takes real work. It may mean staying up until 4 a.m., missing out on important events, or canceling on people, sometimes at the last second, and hoping they understand.
Difficulties will come up, but don’t let them deter you. Put in your best work, ask all the right questions, and know that a business takes one to three years to be secure. So don’t be hard on yourself, and don’t judge yourself by a couple of inevitable failures along the way. The only failure that counts is giving up too early.
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