My 3 Rules for Entrepreneurship

#1 Talk about it

The first few opportunities that were given to me when I started out my wellness ventures were through word-of-mouth. My friends know a few people who might be interested in what I’m doing, did I want to chat with them?

“Yes, yes I do very much”. I took every opportunities I had to chat with people and to tell them what I’m building. When my friends and old coworkers asked what I was up to, I would talk about it. Don’t take it personally, people don’t know the latest version of you, your priorities, or what you have to offer. It’s your responsibility to make it known.

People in your circle are often more than happy to be helpful, especially if they like you. If they’re willing to stick their neck out for you, take those opportunities with both hands, they might not come around again.

#2 Build publicly

One of the best ways to build trust with people who know you and those who don’t is to build publicly. Show them what you’re doing, what you’ve tried, how you’ve succeeded, how you’ve failed.

The human experience is messy and full of ups and downs. We don’t just want to see success stories, we want to see failures, conflicts, triumphs. People want to share in those experiences, to feel seen, to be a spectator, to be inspired. Whatever the reasons are, your stories are unique and worth sharing.

“Once we take our personal unseen experiences and make them seen, we help others, and even ourselves, to understand what we are going through.”

— Matt Haig, The Comfort Book

A long time perfectionist and over-achiever, this is a rule I’m still grappling with, but I’d like to think I’m making progress each day. To be vulnerable is to be human, and to humanize our progress allows more compassion for ourselves and others as well. We’re all on this road to discover, to build, and to create a meaningful life, whatever that means for us.

#3 Ask for what you want

Every successful entrepreneur I read about, followed, or talked to have this one quality. They ask for what they want and they do it often. The answer could very well be a “no”, but out of all the “no’s” there will be at least one “yes”. You only need one “yes” to start.

Admittedly, this is another quality I’m grappling with. I always thought I was not good at sales or marketing, but that’s a limiting belief I’ve placed on myself since my very first job selling Cutco knives out of high school. I decided then that I wasn’t good at sales and that’s a narrative I’ve told myself over and over again.

Since embarking on this road of entrepreneurship, I’ve since changed my way of thinking (thanks to all the YouTube gurus, business podcasters, and builders). I see it now as an exchange of value, I have something you might want and if you buy it, I can solve your problems. I love this way of thinking, I’m all for problem solving.

You never really know what the answer will be until you ask.