7 Lessons From My First Year of Entrepreneurship
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Being your own boss is not for the weak! In 2023, I decided to take the road less traveled and pursue my passion. As early as high school, I remember just knowing that I couldn’t lead a regular life. That inner knowing is something that has lead me to join the world of entrepreneurship, where the possibilities are endless…or so I thought. I knew that the world of entrepreneurship was not an easy one, but boy did Jesus try and test me. I felt like I was the one in the desert for forty 40 days and nights! However, despite the challenges, I grew and learned in ways that I probably would not have had I stayed at my 9-to-5. Although I am by no means an expert, my first year as an entrepreneur gifted me valuable lessons that I believe anyone entering the space can take with them. 1. The biggest battle you will face as an entrepreneur is winning the war against your self.
My first month of entrepreneurship was rough not because I lacked resources, time, or money. It was rough because I had more shadow work to do than anticipated. While 9-to-5’s offer stability and structure, the daily grind can mask and suppress a lot of underlying issues and pains. As a result, jobs can become crutches for personal insecurities. However, once you leave that space, you must be ready to tackle your shadow self head on. Any unhealed shadow wounds will manifest when you begin your business journey. If you’re insecure about money, it’ll show. If you’re stubborn, it’ll show. If you’re a people pleaser, it’ll show. If you lack boundaries, it’ll show. As an entrepreneur, you are your business. The business and personal are ONE. Therefore, any unhealed aspects of the personal will bleed into the business. Make an effort to consistently tackle your insecurities and create systems to regularly check in on your spirit. I started every day journaling about each stage of my past: my life from ages 5-10, middle school, high school, college, and my time in corporate. The point of this exercise was to release any baggage I incurred from previous years. By journaling, I was able to analyze every layer of the onion I pulled back. Although messy, it paved the way for much needed spiritual healing and cleansing. The spirit must be right for one’s entrepreneurship endeavors to blossom. 2. Repeat after me “I need a therapist.” Now repeat that 10x.
That being said, it is essential to have some sort of therapist or counselor. Firstly, they can help you do the necessary shadow work to succeed and hold you accountable in this new season. Even the most self-aware and disciplined person can benefit from having another person regularly check and test their mental. When you set out on a business idea, it’s easy to get married to the original plan. Simply having another person to challenge your thought process or present alternatives can work wonders for you. Additionally, it’s important to have another person to talk to as you navigate the highs and lows of having your own business. The last thing anyone wants is to succumb to their doubts and negative thoughts when things go awry or when things progress slowly. Having a therapist who can help you preserve your sanity can be essential in pushing your forward despite the pitfalls. Entrepreneurship can often be a game of mind over matter. 3. Repeat after me “I need a mentor.” Now repeat that 10x.
In addition to a therapist, you need a mentor. Navigating entrepreneurial endeavors without mentorship is inadvisable. Remember that there are millions of people in the U.S. and billions of people on the planet. Many have come before you and many will come after. Learn from them. There is always someone who has done or is doing what you want to do AND making money off of it. Find that person, vet them thoroughly, and set up a schedule to work with them in some capacity. Trying to do everything on your own is tiring. Additionally, we as humans were not designed to function in a state of hyper independence. If you’re struggling to find a mentor, pray for one, attend events for people in your field, or research and connect with high-achieving people relevant to your work that you admire. In fact, sometimes the mentor you need is right under your nose. It could be another friend, a family member, that co-worker that always has meaningful conversations with you. Mentors are all around. 
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4. Create your very own Money Team.
Every entrepreneur needs a “Money Team.” Although the team can generate wealth, the name really refers to a group of individuals with a shared set of goals and values. They bring out the best in each other. They hold each other accountable. As you build your business, you’ll need friends who ask you why you haven’t dropped that video you’ve been talking about for 3 months. You’ll need friends who read your blogs and share your content. You need friends who attend shared functions with you. You need friends who simultaneously push you to the next level and push themselves forward too. Each member of the “Money Team” should make up for one another’s weaknesses in some way. If someone is more well-spoken, then they can help the friend who struggles with in-person marketing. If someone is a Canva wizard, then they can help the friend who struggles with making graphics. A true Money Team can have healthy internal competition. However, they realize that they real competition is between them and the outside world. Be open to reshaping your team as needed, but you need a core. You need a foundation. Popular examples of “Money Teams” include Lebron James and his best friends from high school, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince along with James Lassiter, the Wayans Family, etc. 5. Make time to stop and smell the roses. Make time for non-business relationships.
Ever heard the saying “Even in the midst of chaos, you’re living in an answered prayer?” The saying holds true as every season of life, no matter how unfortunate, bears some kind of fruit. Whether you stop to recognize the budding berries is your choice. Expressing gratitude for the answered prayers, no matter how small, helps you see that you have more than you realize. Additionally, it’s easier to find joy in your day when you adopt this mindset. In a similar vein, making time for activities and people outside of your business could very well save you. Entrepreneurs emphasize having more control of their time and more freedom, but the stress of kickstarting your business can result in neglecting other aspects of life. It can be hard to smile with gratitude as you constantly hash and rehash your process. Not to mention the ways one can neglect personal relationships—forgetting to call friends and family, neglecting your dating life, missing out on new friendships, etc. Before you know it, you have success in career, but instability in other aspects of your life. Or, you lack success in career because of the instability in the other areas of your life. While I believe that entrepreneurs should strive for balance, I also recognize that sometimes different seasons require different protocols. In the early stages, one may need to spend less time socializing on the weekends. There will be sacrifices for sure, but setting up some time weekly to do something unrelated to business can counteract this. Doing a life inventory regularly also helps. Ask yourself, “Do I want to get married? Do I want to have kids? Do I want to have deep friendships?” None of these goals can happen overnight. There needs to be an investment in these areas for them to materialize. The only solution is to make time for these goals no matter how far off they seem. Your life will fly by faster than you think. The days are long, but the years are short. 6. Pivoting is the most essential skill.
If you’re watching the NBA Finals, you’ve seen players on both the Celtics and the Mavs pull off a variety of moves and difficult shots. However, without a doubt, viewers watch players pivot every game. Pivoting is one of the most common moves players use. When players pivot, more opportunities to score arise. The defender, no matter how much of a worthy opponent, becomes easier to conquer. This can only happen, though, if the player decides to look their challenger in the eyes and create something out of nothing. Although it’s been years since I’ve seriously played basketball, I quickly realized that I could use this philosophy for my entrepreneurship ventures. The bottom line is—you gotta learn how to pivot. If something or someone ain’t working out, pivot. Try something else. Use a different skillset. Pray for a new lane to open up. You gotta be ok with shifting and being flexible with your methods. If God gave you a vision of being an entrepreneur, then that is something you should pursue. However, the vision isn’t the first step. Be married to the vision not the methods. How many times is there ever only been one road to a destination? Not many. Think of your brand goals the same way. There are many ways to achieve the dream. You have to be open to much more than you’re used to. It’s the only way. Instead of holding onto what you thought was the answer, utilize that three point stance, and pivot! 7. In-person interactions are still in.
In the world of social media, SEO, likes, and followers, many lose themselves in the digital world. While online connections are very valuable, the truth is that nothing beats in-person interactions. When I first began my journey, I immersed myself in online branding and content. I posted consistently, made different kinds of content, become really well-versed in Canva, graphics, and designs. I had lots of fun during this process, and I doubled my following simply from being consistent. However, the most meaningful and long lasting relationships that I formed always came from in-person interactions. Algorithms fail you in areas that in-person conversations do not. When I worked in corporate, I used rideshare to get to work on most days. All of my coworkers thought I was crazy! Little did they know that when I spoke to my driver during those trips, 9 times out of 10 what I did resonated with them in some way. On these car rides, I was able to build my confidence regarding pitching myself, discussing my future goals, and connecting with people outside of my traditional network. It was a very beautiful experience, and it would not have happened if I was hell-bent on gaining clients or relationships solely, or primarily, through social media. Additionally, at vending events, I found that it was easier to explain my brand to people face-to-face. Individuals who spoke to me were able to assess me as a person, which established trust. I built the vast majority of my email list via in-person connection too. Although I have pivoted from my initial venture, I still carry the lessons I learned from that earlier period. I look forward to making new in-person connections with people and maintaining the ones I have already made! 
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I want to make it clear that I am far from being a seasoned entrepreneur. I still have yet to see the gains that I want for myself in my business. I hope that the seven points I mentioned are ones that people can use if they choose to go down this route. I am open to returning to the workforce if necessary, but even then, I’m still grateful for this experience where I learned and developed a skill set that I would not have had if I stayed in the 9-5 cycle.
The lessons I learned are things that I still work on and incorporate every day. Even as I write, I look at the lessons I discussed and measure how well I have incorporated what I learned making my second trip around the sun. My prayer is that the new venture yields even more rewards than I could possible imagine. Lastly, in all things, use your intuition and God as a compass for your life and life purpose. Mentors, therapists, and money teams are foundational in your journey. But nothing works without God and a dynamic spirit. Pay attention to the signs and people in your life, as they can tell you whether you are heading down the right path. Entrepreneurship may be associated with money and physical assets, but the work is more spiritual than I initially realized. With this newfound knowledge from both the aforementioned lessons and the spiritual side of having a business, I know that this is just the beginning of the blessings that are yet to come.