As you mature in your career as an entrepreneur, you gain experience which could become helpful advice to the next generation.
I like to think the experiences I have had, good and bad, have taught me lessons that have helped along the way. Certainly, if I’d learnt some of these lessons earlier, I could have avoided mistakes and made many better decisions.
If I could, I’d hand over all I have learnt to myself at 16 in a handbook of ‘tips for my younger self’. Whether I’d pay any attention to the advice is another matter.
With that in mind, I’d like to pass on this entrepreneur advice to tomorrow’s businesspeople. I hope they heed the lessons and see the benefits of listening to people who have been through it all before.
Entrepreneur Advice
Many experienced businesspeople and entrepreneurs generously and freely share their experiences to try and help the next generation.
Steven Bartlett’s Diary of CEO podcast is a goldmine of advice. Budding entrepreneurs, as well as seasoned business leaders, can benefit from the lessons taught by the successes and failures, professional and personal, of Steven and his guests.
I have always welcomed the advice and shared experiences, and I hope some young entrepreneurs feel the same.
Believe in Yourself
In our early years, it is easy for doubt to seep in. We’re still unsure about our place in the world, uncertain of how to achieve our goals, and do not have the experience to call on (another reason why we should soak up any piece of entrepreneur advice that is offered).
Self-doubt is magnified in the social media age, where we compare our lives and careers with the exaggerated, filtered, glamourous images of success shared by others.
In business, we all experience rejections, mistakes, losses, and failures. The trick is not to be beaten by any of these. See them as a learning experience. Take lessons from each to keep you moving forward. Failure is a part of success and possibly your greatest teacher.
A crucial piece of entrepreneur advice is that you need to believe in yourself, whatever challenges you face and stumbles you experience. If your confidence in your own abilities and ideas is lacking, why would anyone else believe in you?
Building confidence is not easy, but it is possible. Start by identifying three things you like about yourself and keep focused on these. If there is someone you admire and have a relationship with, reach out to them for mentorship, advice, and feedback. And educate yourself.
I strive to be a better version of myself tomorrow, and one way of building that confidence and self-improvement is to ingest knowledge. You may do this by reading professional development books, listening to entrepreneur advice on podcasts, or attending seminars and conferences. Whichever way you gain that knowledge, it will help build your confidence and self-esteem.
Just Say No
Many of us suffer from FOMO – the fear of missing out. That leads us to saying yes to almost everything; nights out, social engagements, business meetings, new deals.
Learn early on that saying ‘no’ is not only okay, but often the right thing to do. Telling you to say no sounds like an odd piece of entrepreneur advice? Let me explain.
As a business person, your time is precious. You need to recognise that. Before automatically saying yes, because you’re afraid of missing out or offending someone, assess the opportunity. Is it a good use of your time? Will it benefit you? Is it right for the business?
If you say yes too easily, you will quickly find your time monopolised and your diary filled with tasks that simply are not your responsibility.
Block Out the Negative
The world is filled with ‘noise’ and it takes effort to block it out. Sometimes you don’t want to. Some noise is useful, helping you to learn and develop.
However, there is much negative noise out there. Naysayers, critics, trolls, and doubters will often have more impact on you than anything positive you hear or read. Don’t let that be the way.
Some people are just negative or behave that way to elicit a reaction. It may not be aimed at you personally, your business, or your industry, but sometimes the loud, negative voices will strike a nerve and distract you.
Opening yourself up to too much negative noise ends up with you struggling to hear your inner voice, which is the one you really need to listen to.
This is most prevalent on social media. These platforms have many virtues but are also breeding grounds for negativity and hate. So, limit your time on places like Twitter and Instagram. Filter out the naysayers and trolls, and try only to take in the positivity you can find in these places.
To summarise this piece of entrepreneur advice: You will have negative days, but don’t let them be caused or fuelled by fools.
Health Matters
In our younger years, natural energy and amazing recovery skills mean we can work hard and play hard. Late nights, bad diet, no exercise and, let’s admit it, more than a few drinks, don’t hold us back. We can still be at our desks bright and early, ready for another day of grafting.
In those years, we tend not to worry about our health. However, as we age, those bad habits catch up on us. A poor lifestyle impacts your appearance, how you feel, and your work.
The ability to think clearly, apply yourself, and put in the hours required by an entrepreneur are all compromised by not looking after our health.
So, an important piece of entrepreneur advice is: take care of yourself.
Get into the habit of healthy eating, getting a good night’s sleep, and taking regular exercise while you are young. It is easier than trying to change the bad habits of a lifetime later on. You will find you have more energy, a clearer mind, and are better prepared for the stresses and anxieties of life and work.
Build Contacts
Professional relationships can be crucial to commercial success. These people could be future customers, clients, suppliers, investors, or mentors.
This piece of entrepreneur advice isn’t as cynical as it sounds. Yes, you want relationships that build your business, but you also need a network of people who understand the life you are living. I’m fortunate to say that, over the years, I have forged relationships with people I met at business conferences and corporate gatherings that are personally invaluable to me.
These are people who have shared my experiences as an entrepreneur, who I can speak to openly and honestly when times are challenging. They have offered me guidance and advice that has helped move me forward.
Building a network of contacts is perhaps easier now than ever, thanks to social media. LinkedIn is, arguably, the best platform for creating business relationships, but I’ve ‘met’ good friends through Twitter and Instagram too.
It is, however, important to be genuine. Don’t use the power of a social media platform to spam people you have no link to.
Just like in real life, take time to talk with the people you want to know and build a rapport that leads to a genuine connection.
You can also build your network by being the person they come to. Using platforms like LinkedIn to speak with knowledge and authority in your area of expertise will make you stand out as a person people want to know.
Remove ‘Stress’
I’m not a fan of the word ‘stress’. I believe that in today’s society, it has lost its true and serious meaning and is used too easily to describe situations that require application and hard work.
However, running a business, especially in the early days, can cause real stress and genuine anxiety, both of which impact on your ability to do your job. That’s why you need to do all you can to remove stress from your life.
Following this entrepreneur advice is easier said than done, especially as many stress-causing factors, like financial worries, cannot be easily removed. There are steps you can take, however. For example, become more organised. Keeping a diary, maintaining meeting notes, and setting reminders to ensure tasks are carried out on time will help make things run more smoothly and remove some stress.
Try a declutter. A cluttered, untidy workplace, whether that’s your spare room turned business hub at home or an office, is not conducive to productive work. Being surrounded by clutter, unable to easily locate the things you need because of the rubbish you have accumulated, causes stress. If it isn’t essential, get rid. Then keep the things you need in good order.
Once you begin to remove stress, you need to rebalance yourself. This sounds very ‘new age’ for a piece of entrepreneur advice, but it does work. Alongside caring for your physical health, you must look after your mental well-being.
Meditation, yoga, and self-affirmation can work, if you let them. More simply, making time to relax and recharge is the key. For some people, it might be switching off all their devices and bingeing the latest must-see box set on Netflix. For me, it is lying down, putting on a podcast, and closing my eyes.
Entrepreneur Advice for My Younger Self
In our younger years, many of us are filled with confidence and bravado and think we know it all. We don’t want to take advice from ‘old’ people who we think have no idea about the business world today.
If I really could speak to my teenage self, I’m not sure they would listen, if I’m honest.
However, I do hope there are some young entrepreneurs and businesspeople out there who are open to benefitting from the experiences of others. There are important lessons, from failure and success, that you can learn.
