Facing challenges is a part of life, and almost a guaranteed certainty in business. Some challenges are merely minor setbacks, but there are others that make you question whether you should give up and move on to something else. This fact is especially true for entrepreneurs.
When it comes to founding your own business, you’re responsible for not only starting from scratch, but also for ensuring it is successful. It is likely that you will make decisions along the way that did not work out how you expected or resulted in taking an undesirable route to your end goal. Looking back, there are likely countless things you wish you had known at the start that would have made the journey to success easier.
One of the best things about being an entrepreneur, however, is that there are others who are on their own versions of the journey, and they are either going through the process with you or they already have. The ones who came before you and successfully got to where you are wanting to go are the best people to look to for advice and guidance.
I’ve learned a lot of lessons since founding my FitTech company, FIX Health, in 2012 and I continue to learn lessons now as we ramp up our newest product, A Step Ahead. As the first video game company to enter the corporate wellness space, there wasn’t a set standard or formula we could have followed to ensure our success.
Everything we learned, we learned as we went along, and I’m always willing to share those things with others if it means that someone else’s journey towards success doesn’t have to repeat the mistakes, (ahem) “learning opportunities,” that we have already made. Summing up all of our business bumps and bruises from our journey, here are the top three pieces of advice I would give anyone, regardless of industry.
Don’t Get in Your Own Way
Founders often succeed because they don’t stop to think about how hard something is going to be. Many times, the impossible hill to climb is only climbed by those who start before they consider the journey. One step at a time.
When breaking new ground, these ‘blue ocean businesses’ can only have a chance at success if the founders focus on the original, inspirational idea without worrying too much about what could stand in their way.
How do you accomplish this?
You have to be resilient, treat your failures and setbacks like the real-life university courses they are, and you especially have to take the time every once in a while to look back and appreciate how far you’ve come since you started.
The Little Things are Actually Big Things
I first heard this from a friend of mine who was in the special forces, and it’s both true and important — how you do one thing is how you do everything. The little things — the really little things — matter more than most people think. Cleaning up spilled coffee, accommodating someone’s office preferences, holding the door for someone with their hands full — these grains of sand are the mortar for bigger picture actions and successes.
If you allow yourself to cut corners on the little things, plenty of corner-cutting will creep into your big picture key tasks, and those will put a limit on how successful those tasks and initiatives can be.
Lend a Hand
I believe in helping people who cannot obviously help me.
I always look for opportunities to lean in and help someone out who cannot help me, and I’m humbled by how many times experts in their fields have been willing to take the time to learn about my business or business problem and offer me some expert perspective on it.
I often find myself in a position to connect people I’ve met but never worked with, using the old, I-know-a-guy-you-should-talk-to-about-that phrase.
I try to make those connections whenever they make sense and it’s a great way to maintain a network. You never know when someone you’ve been in touch with off and on for years might find themselves in a position to help you or need your business’ services. Taking a chance to introduce two people could spark something you, and they, never expected. Plus, it only takes a few minutes of your time to send an introductory email or text.
Success is a team effort and expert advice from other entrepreneurs could be what makes all the difference in yours. I came to understand these fundamental truths over time and hope that by sharing them here, folks can pass along the goodwill in their journeys too.
About A Step Ahead
A Step Ahead, powered by FIX Health, is a wellness app that leverages technology and the expertise of FIX Health’s team of health professionals to help individuals take control of their health and wellness. The app is designed to enhance employee health and well-being by using the engagement techniques from video games to drive physical activity in employee populations. With its comprehensive features and access to FIX Health’s team of health professionals, A Step Ahead is the perfect tool for anyone looking to improve their health and well-being. For more information please visit https://astepaheadchallenge.com/challenges/
