Adam Barish, VP
Cyber Business Group. I asked around to see what several successful entrepreneurs wish they
knew when they started. Maybe this wisdom will give you some valuable
foresight.
I Wish I Knew…
To Surround Myself with Fellow Entrepreneurs
Allen Walton of
SpyGuySecurity
was able to grow his online store to seven figures as a one-man team.
But what he wished he’d known when he started was to build up a network
of fellow entrepreneurs.
He said, “I wish I had surrounded
myself with other entrepreneurs. Starting a business by yourself can be
incredibly lonely and depressing. Nobody knows what you’re going
through. I wish I had been around other entrepreneurs that could keep me inspired and working hard.I wish I had been around other entrepreneurs that could keep me inspired and working hard.”
Lesson Learned: It’s important to have a group of
like-minded entrepreneurs you can call on to bounce ideas off, to share
your worries and concerns with, and lean on as support during the days
big challenges feel overwhelming.
Success Doesn’t Come Overnight
Lori Cheek of
Cheekd started a business that the
New York Times
called “the next generation of online dating.” And while she thought
that meant she’d be a billionaire by the end of the year, she learned
that success as an entrepreneur doesn’t happen quickly.
She said,
“Five years into the entrepreneurial hustle, I’ve
learned that entrepreneurship is being on a mission where nothing can
stop you. It will take twice as long as you’d hoped, cost exceedingly
more than you’d ever budgeted and will be more challenging than anything
you’ll ever try, but if you give it your all and refuse to give up, you
can trust it will be the ride of a lifetime.”
Lesson Learned: Be brave and follow your instincts,
but prepare yourself for a lot of hard work. Success comes to those who
truly strive for it.
Not to Mix Family and Friends with Business
When Lizanne Falsetto founded
thinkThin
Products, she thought bringing in friends and family to her business
was a great way to work with the people she most cared about. But over
time, she realized that these relationships aren’t always best served
within a business setting.
She said,
“Loved ones are convenient because they can be trusted; however, the relationship can easily become damaged in the long run due to personal opinions. You have passion, they have passion. Keep your personal relationships separate from business decisions and everybody wins.”
Lesson Learned: Keep a divide between loved ones and business. Don’t put valuable relationships at risk.
The Importance of a Great Website
Adam Barish, VP of
Cyber Business Group quickly realized that a strong web presence can make or break a
business. And while DIY web design is affordable, it’s not always the
right choice.
He said,
“Not just anyone can design a website, and not every
website that looks good will cause people to buy your product. There’s a
whole industry of professionals in conversion industry. Hire one of
them to design your site, and then A/B test the hell out of it.”
Lesson Learned: Design is important for making a
strong online impression. Some things just require a professional, even
when there are easier and cheaper options available.
Online Advertising Isn’t Always the Answer
Nellie Akalp successfully sold her first
business for $20 million to Intuit, but she still had plenty to learn
when she moved on to her current business, CorpNet. She thought that pouring money into PPC ads would help her get a leg up over her competitors. She was wrong.
She said, “I wish I knew I didn’t
have to try and stand up to our big-name competitors by pouring tons of
money into online advertising. I thought it was the only way we would
survive against them. Little
did I know, we brought in traffic organically via our own marketing
efforts, which stood us apart from those big companies.Little did
I know, we brought in traffic organically via our own marketing
efforts, which stood us apart from those big companies. I was able to
take that crazy advertising budget and invest in growing my sales team
which has taken our business to the next level.”
Lesson Learned: Spend your money on the methods that
actually grow your business by studying the numbers—don’t just go with
what you assume is right.
Wisdom Comes from Experience
All of these lessons are powerful—and I’m sure you have your own
insight that’s shaped your entrepreneurial journey. All kids of
entrepreneurs wish they knew the things they know now, but have
benefited from the learning experience.
The thing to remember is this: As long as you learn
from your mistakes and experiences, you can only improve. Don’t let
obstacles and errors ruin your business—just learn from them, and let
them make you stronger.
Your Friend,
Adam Barish (AKA) AB
