The lessons I have learned this year have been vast. Here is a highlight reel:
- Interns can be good or bad. Make sure you get the good ones
- Assistants can be a help or a hurt to your business. Make sure you get the ones that help you. When you find THE ONE, don’t let that one go.
- People do not often see your vision as it is generally in YOUR head. Want people to see your vision? You need to share it
- Changing course is easy for you because you see where you are going. Changing course for a team is not as easy. Again make sure you share.
- Get 75% up front or be taken when you own a small business. Many people think SMALL means WALK ALL OVER THIS ONE. Be cautious. Trust no one.
- Having a small business is super hard. don’t try it unless you are committed. (I did not say Be committed though by the end of a year running a small business you might want to be)
- Contrary to popular belief, being an entrepreneur does not mean doing what you love 100%. It means doing what you love like 10-20% if you are SUPER lucky and the rest is doing all those things you hate…like math. 🙂
- Business does NOT come to you. You have to go get it. Market, Network, Connect, Join Chamber of Commerce’s and Meet Up Groups. Go to Social Gatherings for fun or business. Putting yourself OUT THERE online or in person is like winning the Willy Wonka Golden Ticket. (Just don’t get trapped in the funhouse)
- Making connections all your life is like high school. Some people like you, some don’t, some are the cool kids, some are not, some are haters, some you hate. Make and keep the connections that you connect with. the rest will weed off and you will be left with a great grokking group
- Going to events is also like high school. There are places you don’t want to be caught dead in and places you are always trying to get in.
- Don’t push business connections. It is either gonna hppen or it won’t. Pushing is like being pushy in dating. Don’t be the crazy one.
- Enrich yourself. Connect with good coaches, read audiobooks, take e-course, listen to those who are doing it right. Ignore the ones who are doing it wrong or don’t know what they are talking about.
- Back to being like High School…it DOES matter who you hang around. Make sure you hang with the right crowd.The ones who are doing what you are doing or have what you want to have are not ones to look UP to, they are ones to LISTEN to and LEARN from.
- Remember your P’s and Q’s. When busy, stressed or frazzled this is MOST important.
- Smiling can get your through most anything.
- Music can get your though the rest.
- Your idea of something and someones elses idea of something could be different. Make sure you both are on the same page.
- Exercise your brain as well as your body. It will do both a world of good.
- Working all through the night does not work to your advantage. More mistakes seem to be made this way. Get plenty of rest. Work when you CAN’T sleep. SLEEP when you can. (I know ya all think I don’t rest but I do actually get about 4-6 hours of sleep a night)
- Make sure you PLAY and WORK. Being able to incorporate them together is awesome. But sometimes they are like arguing kids in the back of the car. You might just need to separate them. 🙂
- Let go of your electronic leash. You will be amazed at what can happen when you set electronics down.
- Be Brave. I know it’s scary but if you really want it, you have to Be Brave to get it.
- Be Fearless. Leaping when there is no net that you can see is sometimes the only way the invisible plank shows up underneath your feet.
- Be Bold. Sitting in a corner being shy will not get you where you want to go.
- Be Fabulous. You are Fabulous. It’s in you, as Gatorade says. Just do it, says Nike. All these signs and quotes are trying to tell you what you already know. Stop allowing the lies that some person told you long ago rule you. You ARE Fabulous. Now own it. Walk that catwalk, Baby and strut your stuff!
I am sure there are many, many more, but I just wanted to jot down the ones that REALLY stuck out in my mind.
Have any to add? Please comment here on on Facebook. I ALWAYS love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.
My 2014 is filled with Road Maps, signs and play by plays that I plan on paying a LOT more attention to so hopefully I don’t have such HARD lessons next year. Regardless, all lessons are good ones because they teach us.
Happy New Year Everyone! Be Fabulous!
Trisha Trixie
TrishaTrixie™ Sprinkler of Fabulousness 
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