There are three things that changed my life, things I wish I had known before I started a business. After so many ups and downs, I've realized that no matter how hard you try, you can still fail in business. At the same time, if you know the right strategy and apply the right approach, you will always be successful. Hard work is not always enough. The right direction is.
Real-life lessons I learned about starting a business
Some say that a thousand-mile journey starts with the first step. I knew that as a teenager trying to make some extra money. I started by selling mix tapes on Amazon when I realized that starting my own business would be the best way to gain financial freedom one day. But I didn't know how to build that business. As time moved on and I met mentors, I learned these three lessons.
1. Be your own boss.
Being your own boss is a crucial thing to make some decent money. Working for others is fine, but it won't get you anywhere in your business career. If you constantly work for other people, your bosses, CEOs, managers and people who are higher on the professional ladder, you will constantly struggle with money. Working for a salary – no matter how high it is – will always make you just a worker, not a boss. Quit your job and focus on your own business.
Then you can finally take responsibility for your life. It is a matter of taking a conscious approach to your life and career. No matter how good your salary is in the company, there is always a chance to lose the job or face the financial problems that you cannot handle the right way. For all these reasons, being your own boss is a responsible and brave choice to change your financial situation completely.
2. Trade value for money.
You have probably heard about the term "trade time for money." This is the worst thing you can do in your career. Trading time for money will not only leave you with no time, but it will also leave you with no money. People spend endless hours working for money, and, at the end of the day, they end up broke, because they've been working for low rates. At the same time, living expenses continue to grow.
How can you trade value for money and be financially free at the end of the day? Giving your best to increase your value is the answer. If other businesses in your industry have a similar product, you should go one extra mile and give something more to your customers. Be the best in some areas of your business or deliver some extra service that will increase the value of your product. The money will flow in for sure. Money is constantly connected to value, and it is a fact that can be proven in every single financial segment. The more value you give, the more money you will make. Period.
3. Stay ahead of time.
Huge money makers are constantly ahead of time. They are not adjusting to the present time, but they create the future time. So many entrepreneurs that I spoke about told me the same thing. If you are not able to think in advance, you won't be the first. Or as fabulous Grant Cardone says, "If you're not first, you're last."
That is a constant fact in business as well as in life. If you are not giving your best to create the opportunities, circumstances and chances for yourself, you will constantly wait for someone else to give you the right opportunities and chances. You will be passive, and you will be the product of your time.
On the other hand, if you want to be a leader, you need to stand in the first line. You need to raise your voice about the better price for your product or service, you need to be the first to claim your rights, and you need to speak about your ideas loud enough so that people can actually hear you and follow you. All these characteristics of leaders are the things that we all have to nurture. We live in a world that is fast and cruel, and if we only sit and wait, we will get nowhere. We need to be advocates of our luck, which means fighting for a better future and creating better circumstances in the present moment.
Each journey is unique
My journey started with low income. I was trying to sell some mix tapes at a good price, but I only got some small amounts of money. When I changed my strategy and improved the business, I was making $3,000 a day. I knew that I had to have the right vision to reach my goals. Selling and buying was the best business for me at the time.
Later on, I developed crucial strategies for making money that bring me a huge money flow today. It was all possible because I believed in my journey and I refused to be an average 9 to 5 worker. I started my own business called Disrupt, which completely changed my life.
I change lives daily, and I am happy to see how other people make a similar success I have been making all my life. My goal is to empower people to follow their dreams and to stay on the track of success. I deliver the vision we all need in daily life. It is staying confident on your own journey and delivering the value that cannot be compared to anyone else in the industry. This is how you make success and progress on your life's journey. [Need help making your small business plan? Check out our reviews and best picks for business planning software on Business News Daily.]
Do what you love
If you have your own business, you must love what you do. This is the life lesson I've learned from the best people in the industry.
Many other entrepreneurs, including Tai Lopez, Gerard Adams, John Mallot, Casey Adams, Jason Capital, believe that the value you give to your customers is always a representation of your effort, passion and dedication to each customer. People literally feel how valuable your product or service is by simply searching for the practical and useful side of your product or service. If they find something unique that you have implemented in your offerings, they will follow you forever. At the same time, if your customers think that you are there only to profit from them, they will leave you and your brand.
You must be centered on your customers, and that is where real brand-building starts. Your customers are the mirror of your success, so make them look good. Give them something that will change their lives for the better, deliver an extra service they cannot find anywhere else, make them feel awesome while using your product or service. Only by satisfying your customers' needs, your brand will be able to grow. At the same time, your financial statements will grow and that will enable you to improve strategies and invest in even better solutions that will further improve your business.
Give people what you would like to get from someone who cares about you. It is the commitment, passion and over delivering of value that will change the game. It is your decision to lead the game and be the first. You can reach financial freedom and give people what they need. It is a sure way to stay on track and be the one whose voice is heard and understood.