Build something you believe in -- because that’s the first step to building a great brand. There is only one true thing to power you forward -- you believe in your purpose.
Don’t aim for 10% improvement. Make it radically better and different. In today’s society we collectively create amazing products, services and companies through entrepreneurship. Dig deep and decide right now to build something radically different and radically better.
Prepare to be copied. Don’t start unless you’ll survive imitation. Your key is a system of ‘continuous innovation’.
Build up reserves of money and energy for bad luck and mistakes. Run as lean as you possibly can and do not waste money or energy.
Never, ever give up control -- until you sell. Relinquish control and you risk losing the culture and vision of the company you set out to build.
Don’t compromise on the big things -- compromise on everything else. Vision. Purpose. Core values. Write these things in stone and never budge.
Figure out how to achieve your goals on a tiny budget -- then cut that number in half. No fancy offices. No fancy full color brochures. Your goal is to stay alive until you can nail your secret formula for success.
It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Build systems for the long-haul and focus on small-connected steps.
Take care of your family, personal and spiritual health -- if you aren’t laughing or smiling on a regular basis, recalibrate. The notion we need to kill our family relationships, personal health or level of sanity to build our own business is sadly misaligned.
Build the enterprise and the brand as if you’ll own them forever. When you start and build a business based on passion and purpose, you build a far more valuable enterprise.
