This week, we’re celebrating Geben’s fifth aniversary. We’re not a toddler anymore — yay!
Instead of writing a cheesy, retrospective post, I thought it would be more helpful — for me and you — if I captured some of the most important lessons I’ve realized along this crazy journey. So, with that, here are 50 lessons from my entrepreneurial experience thus far:
- Teamwork really does make the dream work. (Tweet this!)
- Define your all. Don’t let others define it for you.
- Do well by doing good.
- Don’t let the fear of failure stop you from crossing the start line.
- It’s not about the journey. It’s about the people on the journey with you.
- Don’t compare your real life to other people’s “highlight reel.”
- A solid pitch trumps a lukewarm relationship.
- Business development is addicting.
- Partnering and connecting is our competitive edge.
- Own it. Even if you don’t own it. (Tweet this!)
- Work/life integration is more attainable than work/life balance, but you still need boundaries.
- Your reputation is like gold. Fiercely protect it. (Tweet this!)
- The phone is not dead. Stop over-relying on emails and pick up the phone.
- Say thank you. A lot.
- Ask for help when you need it.
- Sometimes you have to take a tiny step back to make a big leap forward.
- A referral is one of the nicest gestures someone can make.
- Writing remains one of the most important skills in PR. (Tweet this!)
- Design your day. Don’t let others set your agenda.
- Freedom and flexibility are two of best benefits of owning your own business.
- If you’re organized, focused, and realistic, you can be a good mom and a good business owner.
- Embrace the crazy.
- Trust is precious. When someone violates that trust, it will feel devastating, but you can recover.
- Follow your instincts. Always. (Tweet this!)
- Plan smart. Implement smarter.
- Be decisive.
- Hire smart people, train them to exceed expectations, and then get out of their way.
- Control your thoughts. Don’t let them control you.
- Sometimes people just need help. And, if you’re in a position to help, then you should.
- Nurturing a relationship is always a good use of time.
- Hire for culture, not just experience. You’re hiring a person, not just a resume. (Tweet this!)
- Do what you do best and outsource or partner for the rest.
- Sometimes the best business decision is saying no to a potential client or project.
- Sometimes you just need to dance it out. (Or shake it off …) (Tweet this!)
- A good playlist can cure writer’s block.
- When you articulate and live by your values, clarity appears.
- A solid, qualified pipeline of potential hires is just as important as the pipeline of potential clients.
- Quick thinking, responsiveness and doing whatever it takes to get the job done matter more than you think.
- When you make a mistake (and you will!), own it, apologize and move on. (Tweet this!)
- Take risks.
- Make the implicit, explicit.
- You are stronger and more resilient than you think.
- Experiment and innovate, but maintain a laser-like focus on the goals you were hired to achieve.
- While unglamorous, job descriptions and budgets are necessary evils.
- Be kind to everyone, not just the founder/CEO, but especially the executive assistants who often have the ability to make magic happen. (Tweet this!)
- Always make a client feel like they’re your only client and top priority, even when you’re being pulled in a dozen different directions.
- Be receptive to feedback, both positive and negative.
- Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
- Nail the basics. Then add some sizzle. (Tweet this!)
- Don’t ever underestimate yourself.