Every day is an opportunity to learn something new. Friends, family members, co-workers and peers are all happy to give you their take on your current situation. Advice from mentors can be especially valuable, especially to entrepreneurs. You have the opportunity to learn from the mistakes they made in business and avoid similar obstacles that may come your way as a result. Mentors come from all walks of life, and can provide you with the perspectives you need to keep your business moving and prospering.
To help, eight members of
Forbes Coaches Council provide the one piece of business advice they wish they had followed early on in their careers, something that they now share with all their clients. Here is what they had to say:
Photos courtesy of individual members
Coaches share some tips they wish they’d known earlier in their careers.
1. Network And Engage Early On
I wish I had more of an opportunity to network and engage with business professionals in high school before I wasted my time and money on an education that wasn’t right for me. It turned out OK, but it would have been nice to have a pathway to success earlier on in my career. – Kathleen Houlihan,
Dream2Career2. Be True To Yourself
I’m grateful to my mom and mentors who consistently reminded me, “to thine own self be true.” As difficult as that is in business environments that can feel unwelcoming to difference, having a clear sense of self — values, skills, strengths, weaknesses, blind spots and my effect on others — has served me well personally and professionally. – June Stewart,
Amplify Partners, LLC3. Learn Through Practice And Coaching
The skills needed to find a job are different, but complement the skills needed to do a job. Most job hunters make the mistake of learning through trial and error rather than learning through practice and coaching. Great business leaders, athletes and entertainers all have people who guide them in their careers. Most people, unfortunately, think they have to figure it out on their own. – Jeff Altman,
The Big Game Hunter
4. Be Aware Of Your Blind Spots
Self-awareness is just as essential as business acumen and technical know-how in leadership. Taking the initiative to identify your blind spots and understand your impact is critical to driving change and innovation. I wish that I would have known the importance of letting go of ego and how a deeper level of introspection can have a positive rippling effect. – Indira Jerez,
INNERtia Project5. Start Learning Now
People are not born entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is a learned skill set available to everyone. If you think you want to become a business owner, start learning now. Read books, attend seminars, ask questions, build a team of mentors, start a small business. The sooner you start, the more time you will have to strengthen your entrepreneurship muscle. – Rick Bisio,
The Educated Franchisee6. Keep Your ‘Entrepreneur Hat’ On
One piece of business advice I wish I had followed earlier in my career was to elevate the level of conversations I was having. It took me a while to realize that I needed to keep my “entrepreneur hat” on at all times. I now share with my clients that even very early on as an entrepreneur, they need to think about how they can start to be seen as a thought leader in their industry. – Sharma Graham,
M.A.D.E. To Lead7. Play To Your Strengths
A good piece of business advice to keep in mind is that there are riches in the niches. Narrow your focus and know who you are, what you’re best at, and then play to your strengths. – Greg Atkinson,
Greg Atkinson Consulting8. Follow Your Heart
It’s important to be passionate about the work you do and have a meaningful reason to get out of bed every day. Figure out what inspires you and where you can make a positive contribution to your community or the world at large. When your work aligns with your core values, the focus and determination required for success come easily. – Lauren Wiswall,
CoachLogix
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