VIEWPOINT: 10 Make or Break Lessons Every Entrepreneur Should Consider

We [recently] celebrated entrepreneurs with National Entrepreneurs Day on Nov. 25. This [marked] an excellent time for entrepreneurs around the country to take a moment to reflect, appreciate, and celebrate. While they get caught up in the daily life of what it takes to start a business and keep it running, it’s essential also to celebrate the act of being an entrepreneur. There are also crucial lessons that all those who start their own business should consider to get the most out of their experience.

 I get it and realize that we are busy all year long, but when National Entrepreneurs Day comes around, we need to take a small break to reflect and celebrate. We need some encouragement from time to time, so take some time to give yourself a silent, or not so silent, toast for the occasion.

 According to NorthOne, there are around 582 million entrepreneurs globally, with 31 million in America. Each year, millions of people in the U.S. open a business. Some make it, some do not, but every one of them was the effort of someone bold enough to give something a try. They put themselves out there to offer the world a service or product.

 When someone gets serious about starting a business, they begin learning. All along their journey, there are lessons that they learn that help them navigate the field. These can be powerful messages for others wanting to deepen their understanding of the business world.

 Here are 10 make-or-break lessons that every entrepreneur should consider:

• Act. It is easy to put things off and think that one day, you will start the company, do something to grow it, or offer a new product or service. There is no better time than the present. Putting it off will keep entrepreneurs from having a first position. The timing will never be better than now, so don’t hesitate.

• Evolve. Be open to your ideas changing and taking a new shape. That’s how a company grows. This is how you hone your product or service to improve, so be open to new ideas and improvements.

• Trust. It is often difficult for entrepreneurs to trust others and let them into their business. Any business that wants to grow needs to trust others because you can’t do everything alone. Finding the right people to hire, trust, and empowering them is essential, and then get out of their way so they can help you.

• Forgive. Learning to forgive will be crucial because mistakes and failures will happen. They are all learning lessons, so take what you can from them, forgive, and move on. Try to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

• Connect. It is vital to find people you jell with and connect with them. Look for those who share your work style, who do what they say they are going to do, and who have creative ideas. 

• Accept. Getting caught up trying to ensure everything is perfect is the enemy of making progress. Perfection does not exist, and chasing after it is exhausting and futile. Put your best effort forward and accept that change happens and things are imperfect. Do not let that imperfection hold you back.

• Focus. Mindfulness is the key to happiness. Forget focusing on what has already happened and what lies ahead. Each day, focus on that day, so you can make it the best it can be.

• Learn. There are lessons to learn along the way as an entrepreneur. Be willing to push the ego aside and accept that you don’t know everything. Being a success means you can accept learning new things and will be resilient during challenging times.

• Risk. Be willing to take risks. As the old saying goes, if you take a risk and win, then you will be happy. If you lose, then you will be wise. Either way, the experience will enrich your life and you can’t ever win without taking the risks.

• Persist. Being a successful entrepreneur means sticking it out for the long haul. There will be setbacks and bumps in the road, but only those who stick with it during those times will become successful.

There is no doubt that entrepreneurship is hard. If you are an entrepreneur, take time to celebrate your accomplishments, even if it’s only for a few moments.           

Dan O’Toole is CEO of Arrive (formerly Dronedek), which offers smart mailboxes that accommodate most deliveries, including food, medication, and other items needing protection from porch pirates or adverse weather conditions. Deliveries are put into the weather-proof box via drone; nobody besides the rightful owner can access it. Arrive’s smart mailboxes also enhance public safety by aiding emergency services in locating homes that have placed 9-1-1 calls.