I recently had my one-year anniversary. This time last year, I was hosting a launch party, launching not only one thing but three different things. I know I'm crazy.
I launched:
Whoo, I'm tired just saying this!
It has been a journey: some good days and some not-so-good days. I do have to say it has all been worth it! I learned a lot during this year, a lot. I will share it all overtime, but today I want to share the top three things I learned during my first year in business that I hope will help a new or seasoned entrepreneur during their journey.
#1 Be Persistent
Everyone talks about being consistent, which I agree is very important. Consistent means behaving or acting the same way or doing something the same way over time. Persistent means continuing to do something despite difficulties and challenges. And believe me, there will be difficult days.
One of the quotes I have on the wall in my office by Michelle Obama reads, "There is no magic to achievement. It's really about hard work, choices, and persistence."
#2 It Takes a Village
You know the phrase: it takes a village to raise a child—well, it takes a village for a business to grow and succeed. We are always under the assumption that in order for my business to succeed, “I have to do it all.”
The minute I started asking for help, friends, family, and my advisory committee was the minute things started to move.
You can not be afraid to ask for help and support. I know this is not the case for everyone, but I have been truly blessed with a very supportive group of family and friends. It was not just monetary support—buying my book, purchasing a ticket to the retreat. It was client referrals, introductions to potential partners, giving constructive feedback, and watching my kids when there was a last-minute meeting that I had to attend.
#3 Always Be Prepared for Tomorrow
Things can change on a monthly, weekly, and sometimes even daily basis. There could have been months without new leads or opportunities.
Then one day, you get an opportunity that will change the path of your business. Instead of being distracted, I focused my efforts on brainstorming new ideas and programs and creating new ideas. I also continued to educate myself and learn new programs, all while putting processes and systems in place so that when that opportunity came, I would be ready. And I was.
True story, I had not received a call in weeks, and then one day, I got a call about an opportunity. The next day I got another call, and the same thing happened two more times that week. I went from not having any new opportunities for weeks to four in the matter of a few days.
Support Makes a Difference
So, for the question, would you go back? NO! Even on my worst days, I never second-guessed my decision. I knew God had brought me to this dream of mine, so I knew he was going to carry me through it. He didn't bring me here to fail, that I was sure of.
Thank you for supporting my ventures, listening to the podcast, liking my posts, and just being here.
To commemorate this year, if you did not hear, I hosted the Commit to Thrive Retreat in New Orleans. The retreat was filled with phenomenal speakers who are experts in their field and ready to engage, empower, and transfer knowledge to the women ready to commit themselves to thriving.. What once was a dream became a reality. You can read more about the experience in my retreat recap blog!
New episodes of the podcast will be back in August! In the meantime, we will replay the top podcast episodes from season 1. We hope you enjoy and have a great summer!
Cheers to this milestone, and cheers to many more years of success!