3 Things I Learned as an Entrepreneur

I always knew from a young age that I would one day want to be my own boss.  While I always fit in working in groups and being on teams, I never really imagined working for someone my whole life the way my parents did.

When I joined the Navy in 1983, it became very clear that I was not a good fit (even though I made it work) for an organization where I had very little control of my own success.  In 1996, after nearly taking a swing at my boss in the Navy, I knew that I’d start a consulting and training business.

To get there, I had to exit the Navy and work in a few jobs in HR to get some experience.  While I was successful, I wasn’t comfortable.  In 2004, I officially quit my bosses once and for all and started my business.

It took several iterations, names, and focuses to get where it is today, but I learned some great lessons along the way.  In the spirit of National Entrepreneur’s Day, I thought I’d share them with you, and more importantly show you how those lessons can help you in your role as The Boss.

Lesson #1:  Love What it is You Want to Be/Sell/Do.  Honestly, if I wasn’t passionate about helping develop, I might have quit a long time ago.  Having your own business Is really hard.  The highs can be sky high but the lows are pretty bad.  If you don’t love what you do, think about another line of work.

That goes for you in your management role. If you don’t love people, get out.

Lesson #2:  Hire Good People and Delegate.  At one time, I thought I could do everything.  That meant developing programs, teaching workshops, and doing consulting visits. That was on top of having to invoice clients, book travel, and do sales.  Finally, I bit the bullet and hired a director of operations.  Without Lisa, my business would not run.  Period.  She has a personality and skillsets that are different than mine and complements me.

If you’re The Boss, hire good people and delegate!  There’s no way you can do everything and believe it or not, your people are probably better than you in some tasks.  Let them do it!

Lesson #3:  Be Clear on Your Purpose, and Don’t Deviate.  While I knew big-picture-wise what I wanted to do in my business, I couldn’t figure out a focus or a brand that I liked.  I deviated numerous times and probably had 15 different logos with 6 different d.b.a. names.  It wasn’t until just a few years ago that I finally got focused (again, thanks to Lisa) and now we have clear direction.

If you’re The Boss, define your own purpose, goals, and most importantly, your values.  Your team should know at all times what you stand for and what you expect.

There are more lessons than these but these are the most profound.  Think about how you can apply these lessons to your own role and get busy building the best “company” you can.