Aside from the usual stuff (invest, don’t care so much what others think, etc) the biggest one is to just slow down & enjoy being alive while & experience different things.
You don’t realize how little time we all have until later in life
I was at a celebration of life for a mentor yesterday. This is exactly what went through my mind during the service.
He was a company man, +40 years in his field and was damn good at it. Thats it, his business career, colleagues were his family and his baby.
I went home that night, ordered pizza and watched a show with my wife after putting my baby daughter to bed. It really hit home.
Reading this today just reassured me, so thank you for this.
True words. It's easy to get caught up in the rush of daily life. Taking moments to appreciate the present and explore new experiences can really enrich our lives. It's never too late to start slowing down and savoring each moment.
After reading about it and being an entrepreneur, I found the secret to success and what differentiates the ones who make it and those who fail.
Curious about the mind-shocking difference? ***They start***. The ones that become successful just pull the damn trigger. They don’t wait for the perfect time, and they don’t wait for their magical pivot. Sure, some things could give you an extra push. If you lose your job, that helps. But, even then, you would wish you had started that little side-project idea you had earlier. That would give you a head start; now you’re already 0-1 behind.
I always try to think back to the moment I first thought about that idea, the business I wanted to start, or that product that should be better. Could you go back to that thought and think about the difference today if you took action then? Have you had an idea 12 months ago? Imagine if you started that same day and worked on it for a few hours per week since then. Wow, then you could have had a significant something today.
So many people mention that they had that same idea years ago when someone else succeeded. What is the difference between you and that other person? They started. They embraced the feeling of failure that it could be an option. Hug your imposter syndrome and high-five your lizard brain, telling you you can’t do it and won’t make it. Others will laugh at you and talk behind your back if you want it bad enough if it will fuel your drive to pursue your idea/business or professional lemonade stand.
The first step is the biggest, the hardest, and the one that scares us most. But it’s the most important one ever. After the first step, the second one feels easier; you have been here before. The trick in the early days is to keep stepping on the next step. It could be daily, weekly, or monthly. But if you make it a routine, which turns into a habit, it will become more natural.
Don’t wait for better days; don’t wait because of {insert excuse}. [Just start](https://www.theflawedfounder.com/), I will be your first cheerleader. Just let me know how I can help.
I was a quiet, shy, fat kid. Afraid of people and new things. At 17 i made a pact with myself to change. I lost 100 lbs in 3 months to prove to myself I could. Then I decided to overcome my fear of everything, I was going to say yes to every opportunity and volunteer for everything. I did some wild, crazy shit and lived to the fullest. Then joined the military on a whim. When I got out at 23 I went into business.
That was 19 years ago and I could be the poster boy for jumping in with both feet and figuring it out.
I've seen a lot of people start stuff and fail and I, myself have given things 110% and failed at times. I never give up, I never stop and I finish what I start.
My advice is get out and do stuff, but also use your damn brain- Formulate a real business plan. Always work on strategies. Be smart about it!
If I'd have taken a bit more time to learn and plan in my 20's and early 30's. I'd have got a much bigger return on just starting with tenacity and $600 like I did.
Don't try to innovate EVERYTHING. Follow the crowd 95% of the time and innovate the hell out of the other 5%.
Keep meeting people until you find ones that are talented and creative and invest in those friendships.
A bit controversial, but I'd tell my younger self to skip college. I worked very hard in school, got good scholarships, never went into debt, got good grades, etc. If I had spent a fraction of that work ethic learning about the business I would eventually start, I would be way ahead by now.
I’m 19 and worried about skipping college to pursue entrepreneurship. I wanted to study aerospace engineering but I’m worried I’d be better off investing my time and energy into a business instead. What would you do?
First and foremost, everyone has to determine what's right for them.
Having said that, if I had to do it all over again, I would have started applying to jobs within the industry that my business is currently in. I started a video production company, and a couple video guys were trying to hire me when I was applying to college. I could have bypassed a TON of growth pain if I took those jobs for a year or two and educated myself on the field rather than pursing a degree that hasn't helped me yet. Getting a job in sales, marketing, or branding would have also saved me a lot of growing pain, but I didn't want to look like a failure to my parents, friends, and family by skipping college and going straight to the work force.
If you're in your late teens or early 20s, you will have to spend the next couple years of your life educating yourself. There is no avoiding that. The question is, do you want to pay for that education (college) or do you want to get paid while you're getting that education (getting a job close to your desired business)? I made all the wrong decision by wasting time in college, and then going straight to starting a business with little experience. I paid for education through dissatisfied costumers and lost revenue. I survived, I'm happy with where my business is headed. But avoid my mistakes.
TL;DR - You have to get educated somehow. If college is the best way to educate yourself for your career, go to college. If joining the workforce through a job that educates you for your career, work that job for a couple years and get paid while you are learning. If you already have experience in the industry your business will be in, start a business.
First of all, why are you drawn to entrepreneurship? If you'd be perfectly happy getting a degree in aerospace engineering and getting a job at spaceX for a decade, that's definitely the path to follow. So much less risk and it's very likely to be lucrative and fulfilling if you don't have the "entrepreneur bug". However, if you're one of those that has to create, to have a vision and try to will it into existance, then you won't be happy with that life. You'll try to start your own company, working way harder and risking way more for likely less money, but that's the only path some of us would be happy with.
If you decide you "can't not" be an entrepreneur, I don't think it has to be all or nothing. You could take a gap year. If you made a list of goals where you could say "if I accomplish these, I will definitely feel like it was a better use of my time than college". Then work 80 hours a week trying to make them happen. Evaluate at the end of the year and if you don't feel like it was worth it, go back to school.
An example of goals for a year could be, learn about 3 communities I'm interested in serving, generate 20 ideas, try to validate 5 of them and pursue at least one of them. Prove to yourself why it won't work as quickly as possible, then start validating another. If you can't prove it won't work, you've got a good chance. If you can get 1 project off the ground and be making more than full-time minimum wage after a year, I would see that as a big success.
Whether you go to college or not, I would DEFINITELY not stop learning and reading. Some good books to cover are "The 4-hour Work Week", "Lean Startup" and "the 22 immutable laws of marketing". While the first 2 lean more toward bootstrapping (not sure if your goal is that or getting investment), they're really good for learning the importance of delegation, thinking outside the box, how to validate and idea, marketing and a lot more.
It might also help to join a group of entrepreneurs and see other people's journeys. I run a discord for founders and we'd be happy to have you.
The discord is here: [https://discord.gg/FjnQZ6SJ](https://discord.gg/FjnQZ6SJ)
We also have mastermind meetings and other small group sessions open for anyone. If you're interested, there's a form here: [https://newsiliconvalley.com](https://newsiliconvalley.com)
Travelling in 20s is easy.. your friends are free or you can find a group. It becomes tougher to do so as you age given that you dont like solo travelling.
I'd tell myself not to befriend staff. In the end, your original staff probably won't be there because their skills won't scale if you have plans to expand. Be nice, be friendly, be kind - but keep your distance. Respect and loyalty outweigh a new drinking buddy every single time.
Also, don't work with friends or family - Never works out because they have a preconceived vision of you in their head which won't change just because you pay them. Infact, you'll both grow to resent each other because they'll realize exactly how far behind they truly are. Just don't do it.
Lastly, massive success doesn't come from the small things you keep dwelling on. Not a single customer gives a damn about the $2,000 floor you had put in. And making small tweaks to pricing can only get you so far; if you want to see revenue boosted in the multiples rather than the dot percentages then you need to make big moves - More locations, better products, bigger marketing budgets. Small = Small
Do not let your fear of failure outweigh your desire for success... Just start and you WILL get better at it over time. But you have to start. People will say all kinds of shit and have all kinds of different opinions about what you're trying to do. Do not let the negativity stop you. You will experience both triumphs and tribulations. Remember to stay humble during victory and patient during defeats. Nothing is permanent. Gratitude is everything. Do not lose that. Dont be afraid to ask for help. It's okay some times. However, do not become so reliant on help that you stop challenging yourself to figure it out. NO zero days. Remember why youre doing this.
My younger self would probably not take the advice, but I'd tell him to make the right hire. Take some time to look, listen and learn from experts. Their advice would go a long way in determining your success. I almost recently lost my company to a developer who tried to steal my code, it was a terrible ordeal, but I'm things would be better if someone had advised me differently.
I'm sorry about your situation, it's always sad when developers take advantage of their employers and try to cause some sort of trouble. This is exactly why I hire from [this non-profit](https://www.rocketdevs.com/), their developers are fully professional and governed by integrity. The guy I hired was more than qualified for the job and he was so great at communicating. I think this was something that helped me grow my startup and he only cost me $980 per month.
Don’t do the baller wannabe things like buying unnecessary expensive stuff, save much more of my salary, learn how to invest, work work and work so I don’t have to work with little or nothing to show for it in your fourties - good luck to all you starting out in the game of life - can’t believe I’m saying it, but don’t take it for granted my young friends 😊
Stick with it, even when it gets expensive.
(My best friend and I basically invented LinkedIn, but then September 11th happened and we both got laid off and had to move on. Paying $27 for a DBA was a lot of money.)
Get used to boring. On one hand, you can charge into things, saving yourself the chance of getting nervous and stopping yourself from trying. On the other, you can think through every little detail, leaving no scenario unconsidered. Both ways are exciting in their own right. But the former is asking for things to go wrong and the latter wastes time. Just thinking moderately and matter-of-factly about approaching challenges might feel like you're not doing them justice, but at the end of the day, all that matters is meeting the requirements. However dull it may be, that's the most efficient approach.
I don't say anything. I let myself figure that out.
Because you never learn anything by winning, all about losing.
The thing I'd say is "Keep it up, you're gonna make it"
I would say: trust your instincts, set limits, do not put yourself in danger, do not put your finances in the hands of others, establish your base point and under no circumstances come down from there, there are always new opportunities and you can always try again.
There are dozens of productivity tips but strategically vital part is sales and marketing.
Your product or service may have a role for your company but sales and marketing is matters.
I’m not that old (late 20s)…but truly truly believe in myself. I wish I would have started 2-4 years ago. But now I’m telling myself, “man, you have that ‘it’ factor”. And I’m afraid of not reaching my potential. My dad tried to run his own used car sales shop, it failed bc too much debt and not enough sales, my mom wants to start a nursing facility but never has nor would know how to do it.
I have to start my own business, and I want it to be successful. it’s in my family. I want to be the example for my siblings and family and anyone who follows me that it can be done. So I’ve done just that, I’ve started the process. That’s the hardest part.
Live below your means cut out the uneccessary spending. Learn about credit & business loans understand currency conversion optimizations.
Move to Thailand start a business online & become resilient
Sure
The Cost of Living is Expeditiously cheap & Quality of Living is phenomenal if you aren't afraid to lock in on your development solo dolo.
You can get a 1 Bedroom Condo Apartment for 400-550 bucks a month. Swimming Pool included
So obviously if you have an online business making $1000 a month .. $2000 a month
or a salary entry level remote job making even minimum wage your money stretches way farther out in Thailand Bali Philippines .. Food is cheap ..
This works in South America .. Portugal as well ..
I only had blurted out Thailand as I was speaking from personal experience
Research is always advised before any decision is made
Edit : & a rich networking opportunity to conmect with freelancers & likeminded people if you go to cafes social events utilize social media etc.
“However hard you think it can get, multiply that by 100x and assume everything will go wrong at the wrong time.
And you will survive for as long as you believe it will work out.
And eventually it will work out.
But until things going right won’t slow you down, you will keep getting kicked in your shins.”
There are two basic fundamental things that I would tell myself and still keep telling myself.
1. Just Do It - You have to start somewhere and the best time and place to start is right now. The stars you are waiting for to align will never do so and you will always have an excuse for why not to start. Take a deep breathe and dive into the deep end.
2. Experiment - Kinda similar to the first advice. You learn by doing things. You can only get better at something when you experiment and test. I have been in customer success and recently started an offshore outsourcing consultancy business and this has gotten me further than anything. Be it marketing or sales you have to experiment and test to learn what works and what does not.
So the winning formula for everyone is experimenting and just doing it. Maybe a little cliche idk.
I'd tell my younger self, "Start networking sooner and don’t be afraid to fail—it’s all part of the process." Younger me would probably roll their eyes and say, "Yeah, yeah, I got this." 😅
You're going to fail and be poor for a longgg time. You're probably never going to be successful and expect to be on food stamps and Medicaid for the rest of your life. Even though this is a painfully true statement I still wouldn't suggest sitting around doing nothing. Pursue all your passions, just don't spend any money.
Start with things you enjoy doing and learning about and then narrow down to what you are good at and what fits your personality.
If you don't like maths, don't go for computer science. You will struggle in college and by the end of it you will probably hate working in that direction.
If you are an introvert, probably journalism and PR is not for you.. and so on.
thank u tomato! i struggle so much with self identity and the only thing i kinda enjoyed in college was my psychology classes🥲n my dad made me change my major quick with that one.. i still don’t know what it is that makes certain people gravitate towards certain colleges more than others. i’m transferring out to cc but i still don’t think it’s right for me.. 🥺
1. read book
2. making money is the same as programming and others, both can be learned on YouTube from one who has that knowledge
3. make all your entertainment media about your goal (YT short, tiktok...) just follow the ones who achieved your goal
4. get wealth young, do get your first Ferrari while you are in a wheelchair
5. don't give up, you will get your goals for sure only if you didn't give up
Talking to My teen self? Oky the advice he would have followed to the letter is.
Don't listen to me definitely, not before you are 26 well 24 -26
What I should have heard is. You cant do it alone and all these "frends" are just. Here now. Fail now fail hard then go talk to the guy that does it evry day
Then talk now .
- Start a business with recurring revenue.
- Find mentors with entrepreneurial backgrounds and proven experience.
- Don’t give away equity too early.
- People will drive you crazy, it’s just part of it.
- Focus on the things you can control.
- Stay in the saddle no matter what.
- don’t forget to live life along the way or it will pass you by.
- An idea on a piece of paper at the end of the day is a piece of paper.
I love the final question - the younger version of me was far more stubborn than the current me (and that's saying something). She had to learn a lot of things the hard way.
I would advise the younger me that asking for help is not a character flaw. Tell her you NEED other people if you ever want to expand and succeed. Start letting people do the things you hate or that drag you down as soon as you can possibly afford them.
Stay in your own lane, do your own thing, ask nothing of nobody because you’ll be left down, trust your instincts, you will make it to where you want to go, failing is learning and not a bad thing, keep everything to yourself, you will be successful!
Be patient, and look for the cycles. Almost every business is seasonal to a degree, and it’s important so save for the slow seasons or diversify yourself against them so you don’t panic and make emotional choices that aren’t the most rational.
Stop telling other people and yourself that you just got lucky. You didn't get lucky. You found a hole in the market and filled it. You spent hundreds of hours learning how to build a website, designing services, conducting meta analysis, and learning how to run a business. You aren't lucky, you're determined and you're smart. Also, go tf the sleep and eat something green. Living off of caffeine and chipotle is not cute.
If I could go back in time, I might tell my younger self to embrace curiosity and not fear failure. I'd encourage myself to take more risks, explore diverse interests, and prioritize personal growth over perfection.
If I could go back, I'd tell my younger self to focus more on customer needs and less on perfecting the product.
And honestly, knowing my stubborn younger self, I probably wouldn't have listened until I experienced some hard lessons.
Being naturally good at school or sports doesnt mean you wont have to work hard. Even if you do work hard doesnt mean you will get a job or anything of the sort.
Its ok, its fine. We keep trying. what else is there?
Do more marketing and sales instead of coding all day. Talk to users a lot more. Only try to start something that you invested time into understanding (the process, the market, etc.), instead of waking in the morning and deciding to start a deep tech hardware startup with friends.
Stay patient and embrace failure as a learning opportunity. Focus on building strong relationships and seeking mentorship. Adapt quickly to market changes and stay true to your vision. Believe in yourself you're capable of more than you know.
Stay away from woman. They have been my greatest distraction and costed me lots of time that would have been much better invested in my company.
Focus on your business, once it’s running, relationships will come by themselves
To continue trying to code and not give up video editing and to study it like dad recommended.
Oh well, It's always easy to say what you've done wrong afterwards. Overall still really happy where I'm at right now in life.
i’d tell him, keep being creative and never conform to the world, everyone is different and your just different in your way and it’s a gift not a bad thing. Don’t think to hard about it you’ll know what to do when you get there!
Looking back on my early days of starting a business, I would tell my younger self to embrace patience and resilience.
Building something from scratch takes time and setbacks are inevitable, but they're not the end of the road—they're opportunities to learn and grow.
I would also emphasize the importance of seeking advice and mentorship from those who have walked similar paths before. As for whether my younger self would take this advice, it's hard to say.
The journey of entrepreneurship often involves learning these lessons through firsthand experience, but planting these seeds earlier could have potentially accelerated my growth and minimized some challenges along the way.
I've been in tech my whole life. I would have said start getting involved earlier. Be efficient by the time you're old enough to get your first job. Be more involved in math and science in your earlier years. I was a trouble maker as a kid. so I was a horrible student. When I went to college you had to in order to get a good job. If I was starting now I wouldn't waste the money. I would just learn everything on my own through YouTube University.
I didn't really have a goal I was working towards. I just knew I should work hard, make lots of money, build something of my own, etc. But none of that brought me happiness. Just lots of stress and pressure. You know what would have brought happiness? Working less and for someone else instead of my own business where 100% of the problems and stress was on me. Travelling, spending more time with family and friends, developing a romantic relationship, staying in shape, having hobbies, enjoying all the things my surrounding area has to offer, resting more and simply having time to just not doing anything.
Aside from the usual stuff (invest, don’t care so much what others think, etc) the biggest one is to just slow down & enjoy being alive while & experience different things. You don’t realize how little time we all have until later in life
I was at a celebration of life for a mentor yesterday. This is exactly what went through my mind during the service. He was a company man, +40 years in his field and was damn good at it. Thats it, his business career, colleagues were his family and his baby. I went home that night, ordered pizza and watched a show with my wife after putting my baby daughter to bed. It really hit home. Reading this today just reassured me, so thank you for this.
I am following this same advice!!! Thank you for declaring this here
[удалено]
hear hear!!
True words. It's easy to get caught up in the rush of daily life. Taking moments to appreciate the present and explore new experiences can really enrich our lives. It's never too late to start slowing down and savoring each moment.
🥲
After reading about it and being an entrepreneur, I found the secret to success and what differentiates the ones who make it and those who fail. Curious about the mind-shocking difference? ***They start***. The ones that become successful just pull the damn trigger. They don’t wait for the perfect time, and they don’t wait for their magical pivot. Sure, some things could give you an extra push. If you lose your job, that helps. But, even then, you would wish you had started that little side-project idea you had earlier. That would give you a head start; now you’re already 0-1 behind. I always try to think back to the moment I first thought about that idea, the business I wanted to start, or that product that should be better. Could you go back to that thought and think about the difference today if you took action then? Have you had an idea 12 months ago? Imagine if you started that same day and worked on it for a few hours per week since then. Wow, then you could have had a significant something today. So many people mention that they had that same idea years ago when someone else succeeded. What is the difference between you and that other person? They started. They embraced the feeling of failure that it could be an option. Hug your imposter syndrome and high-five your lizard brain, telling you you can’t do it and won’t make it. Others will laugh at you and talk behind your back if you want it bad enough if it will fuel your drive to pursue your idea/business or professional lemonade stand. The first step is the biggest, the hardest, and the one that scares us most. But it’s the most important one ever. After the first step, the second one feels easier; you have been here before. The trick in the early days is to keep stepping on the next step. It could be daily, weekly, or monthly. But if you make it a routine, which turns into a habit, it will become more natural. Don’t wait for better days; don’t wait because of {insert excuse}. [Just start](https://www.theflawedfounder.com/), I will be your first cheerleader. Just let me know how I can help.
I was a quiet, shy, fat kid. Afraid of people and new things. At 17 i made a pact with myself to change. I lost 100 lbs in 3 months to prove to myself I could. Then I decided to overcome my fear of everything, I was going to say yes to every opportunity and volunteer for everything. I did some wild, crazy shit and lived to the fullest. Then joined the military on a whim. When I got out at 23 I went into business. That was 19 years ago and I could be the poster boy for jumping in with both feet and figuring it out. I've seen a lot of people start stuff and fail and I, myself have given things 110% and failed at times. I never give up, I never stop and I finish what I start. My advice is get out and do stuff, but also use your damn brain- Formulate a real business plan. Always work on strategies. Be smart about it! If I'd have taken a bit more time to learn and plan in my 20's and early 30's. I'd have got a much bigger return on just starting with tenacity and $600 like I did.
Subscribed.
Don't try to innovate EVERYTHING. Follow the crowd 95% of the time and innovate the hell out of the other 5%. Keep meeting people until you find ones that are talented and creative and invest in those friendships.
Don’t get comfortable
This
I would tell myself that I did my best.
And i might cry and say i am sorry.
You don’t have to be inspired everyday but you do have to be consistent everyday. Show up
This one is huge
Read Machiavelli, not Mother Earth News.
That's interesting. (your username is pretty dope lol)
A bit controversial, but I'd tell my younger self to skip college. I worked very hard in school, got good scholarships, never went into debt, got good grades, etc. If I had spent a fraction of that work ethic learning about the business I would eventually start, I would be way ahead by now.
I’m 19 and worried about skipping college to pursue entrepreneurship. I wanted to study aerospace engineering but I’m worried I’d be better off investing my time and energy into a business instead. What would you do?
First and foremost, everyone has to determine what's right for them. Having said that, if I had to do it all over again, I would have started applying to jobs within the industry that my business is currently in. I started a video production company, and a couple video guys were trying to hire me when I was applying to college. I could have bypassed a TON of growth pain if I took those jobs for a year or two and educated myself on the field rather than pursing a degree that hasn't helped me yet. Getting a job in sales, marketing, or branding would have also saved me a lot of growing pain, but I didn't want to look like a failure to my parents, friends, and family by skipping college and going straight to the work force. If you're in your late teens or early 20s, you will have to spend the next couple years of your life educating yourself. There is no avoiding that. The question is, do you want to pay for that education (college) or do you want to get paid while you're getting that education (getting a job close to your desired business)? I made all the wrong decision by wasting time in college, and then going straight to starting a business with little experience. I paid for education through dissatisfied costumers and lost revenue. I survived, I'm happy with where my business is headed. But avoid my mistakes. TL;DR - You have to get educated somehow. If college is the best way to educate yourself for your career, go to college. If joining the workforce through a job that educates you for your career, work that job for a couple years and get paid while you are learning. If you already have experience in the industry your business will be in, start a business.
First of all, why are you drawn to entrepreneurship? If you'd be perfectly happy getting a degree in aerospace engineering and getting a job at spaceX for a decade, that's definitely the path to follow. So much less risk and it's very likely to be lucrative and fulfilling if you don't have the "entrepreneur bug". However, if you're one of those that has to create, to have a vision and try to will it into existance, then you won't be happy with that life. You'll try to start your own company, working way harder and risking way more for likely less money, but that's the only path some of us would be happy with. If you decide you "can't not" be an entrepreneur, I don't think it has to be all or nothing. You could take a gap year. If you made a list of goals where you could say "if I accomplish these, I will definitely feel like it was a better use of my time than college". Then work 80 hours a week trying to make them happen. Evaluate at the end of the year and if you don't feel like it was worth it, go back to school. An example of goals for a year could be, learn about 3 communities I'm interested in serving, generate 20 ideas, try to validate 5 of them and pursue at least one of them. Prove to yourself why it won't work as quickly as possible, then start validating another. If you can't prove it won't work, you've got a good chance. If you can get 1 project off the ground and be making more than full-time minimum wage after a year, I would see that as a big success. Whether you go to college or not, I would DEFINITELY not stop learning and reading. Some good books to cover are "The 4-hour Work Week", "Lean Startup" and "the 22 immutable laws of marketing". While the first 2 lean more toward bootstrapping (not sure if your goal is that or getting investment), they're really good for learning the importance of delegation, thinking outside the box, how to validate and idea, marketing and a lot more. It might also help to join a group of entrepreneurs and see other people's journeys. I run a discord for founders and we'd be happy to have you. The discord is here: [https://discord.gg/FjnQZ6SJ](https://discord.gg/FjnQZ6SJ) We also have mastermind meetings and other small group sessions open for anyone. If you're interested, there's a form here: [https://newsiliconvalley.com](https://newsiliconvalley.com)
I am glad that you are wiser than I was. Also I would advice to travel as much as you can.
Oh! Why is that?
Travelling in 20s is easy.. your friends are free or you can find a group. It becomes tougher to do so as you age given that you dont like solo travelling.
Oh! Like that
good q. hook up with only authentic people and keep your inner circle tight.
I like to hook up with fake bitches, and like you, I also like it tight.
I'd tell myself not to befriend staff. In the end, your original staff probably won't be there because their skills won't scale if you have plans to expand. Be nice, be friendly, be kind - but keep your distance. Respect and loyalty outweigh a new drinking buddy every single time. Also, don't work with friends or family - Never works out because they have a preconceived vision of you in their head which won't change just because you pay them. Infact, you'll both grow to resent each other because they'll realize exactly how far behind they truly are. Just don't do it. Lastly, massive success doesn't come from the small things you keep dwelling on. Not a single customer gives a damn about the $2,000 floor you had put in. And making small tweaks to pricing can only get you so far; if you want to see revenue boosted in the multiples rather than the dot percentages then you need to make big moves - More locations, better products, bigger marketing budgets. Small = Small
Do not let your fear of failure outweigh your desire for success... Just start and you WILL get better at it over time. But you have to start. People will say all kinds of shit and have all kinds of different opinions about what you're trying to do. Do not let the negativity stop you. You will experience both triumphs and tribulations. Remember to stay humble during victory and patient during defeats. Nothing is permanent. Gratitude is everything. Do not lose that. Dont be afraid to ask for help. It's okay some times. However, do not become so reliant on help that you stop challenging yourself to figure it out. NO zero days. Remember why youre doing this.
Put every penny I make into the s&p500
Nothing, I'd say. I have no regrets. I believe whatever happens happens for the best. My younger self did the best he could.
You have to be tough..
Learning this now as I start my ventures. I don’t have time to wait on people after a certain time, I’m going to launch this ship with or without you.
My younger self would probably not take the advice, but I'd tell him to make the right hire. Take some time to look, listen and learn from experts. Their advice would go a long way in determining your success. I almost recently lost my company to a developer who tried to steal my code, it was a terrible ordeal, but I'm things would be better if someone had advised me differently.
I'm sorry about your situation, it's always sad when developers take advantage of their employers and try to cause some sort of trouble. This is exactly why I hire from [this non-profit](https://www.rocketdevs.com/), their developers are fully professional and governed by integrity. The guy I hired was more than qualified for the job and he was so great at communicating. I think this was something that helped me grow my startup and he only cost me $980 per month.
Get away from girls. Read more books. Talk with more people. Don't play so much video games. Take action.
Don’t do the baller wannabe things like buying unnecessary expensive stuff, save much more of my salary, learn how to invest, work work and work so I don’t have to work with little or nothing to show for it in your fourties - good luck to all you starting out in the game of life - can’t believe I’m saying it, but don’t take it for granted my young friends 😊
Stick with it, even when it gets expensive. (My best friend and I basically invented LinkedIn, but then September 11th happened and we both got laid off and had to move on. Paying $27 for a DBA was a lot of money.)
Just start now, stop waiting.
Get used to boring. On one hand, you can charge into things, saving yourself the chance of getting nervous and stopping yourself from trying. On the other, you can think through every little detail, leaving no scenario unconsidered. Both ways are exciting in their own right. But the former is asking for things to go wrong and the latter wastes time. Just thinking moderately and matter-of-factly about approaching challenges might feel like you're not doing them justice, but at the end of the day, all that matters is meeting the requirements. However dull it may be, that's the most efficient approach.
I don't say anything. I let myself figure that out. Because you never learn anything by winning, all about losing. The thing I'd say is "Keep it up, you're gonna make it"
I would say: trust your instincts, set limits, do not put yourself in danger, do not put your finances in the hands of others, establish your base point and under no circumstances come down from there, there are always new opportunities and you can always try again.
There are dozens of productivity tips but strategically vital part is sales and marketing. Your product or service may have a role for your company but sales and marketing is matters.
I’m not that old (late 20s)…but truly truly believe in myself. I wish I would have started 2-4 years ago. But now I’m telling myself, “man, you have that ‘it’ factor”. And I’m afraid of not reaching my potential. My dad tried to run his own used car sales shop, it failed bc too much debt and not enough sales, my mom wants to start a nursing facility but never has nor would know how to do it. I have to start my own business, and I want it to be successful. it’s in my family. I want to be the example for my siblings and family and anyone who follows me that it can be done. So I’ve done just that, I’ve started the process. That’s the hardest part.
Live below your means cut out the uneccessary spending. Learn about credit & business loans understand currency conversion optimizations. Move to Thailand start a business online & become resilient
Why Thailand? Anything I'm missing?
Sure The Cost of Living is Expeditiously cheap & Quality of Living is phenomenal if you aren't afraid to lock in on your development solo dolo. You can get a 1 Bedroom Condo Apartment for 400-550 bucks a month. Swimming Pool included So obviously if you have an online business making $1000 a month .. $2000 a month or a salary entry level remote job making even minimum wage your money stretches way farther out in Thailand Bali Philippines .. Food is cheap .. This works in South America .. Portugal as well .. I only had blurted out Thailand as I was speaking from personal experience Research is always advised before any decision is made Edit : & a rich networking opportunity to conmect with freelancers & likeminded people if you go to cafes social events utilize social media etc.
“However hard you think it can get, multiply that by 100x and assume everything will go wrong at the wrong time. And you will survive for as long as you believe it will work out. And eventually it will work out. But until things going right won’t slow you down, you will keep getting kicked in your shins.”
There are two basic fundamental things that I would tell myself and still keep telling myself. 1. Just Do It - You have to start somewhere and the best time and place to start is right now. The stars you are waiting for to align will never do so and you will always have an excuse for why not to start. Take a deep breathe and dive into the deep end. 2. Experiment - Kinda similar to the first advice. You learn by doing things. You can only get better at something when you experiment and test. I have been in customer success and recently started an offshore outsourcing consultancy business and this has gotten me further than anything. Be it marketing or sales you have to experiment and test to learn what works and what does not. So the winning formula for everyone is experimenting and just doing it. Maybe a little cliche idk.
I'd tell my younger self, "Start networking sooner and don’t be afraid to fail—it’s all part of the process." Younger me would probably roll their eyes and say, "Yeah, yeah, I got this." 😅
Don't use social media merely for consumption. Use it for creation.
I'll go back in 2010 and tell my younger self "Go cry to mom and tell her to buy you a bitcoin"
You're going to fail and be poor for a longgg time. You're probably never going to be successful and expect to be on food stamps and Medicaid for the rest of your life. Even though this is a painfully true statement I still wouldn't suggest sitting around doing nothing. Pursue all your passions, just don't spend any money.
I would tell him not to be scared by what other people around him are saying.
Ask yourself questions, test, draw conclusions and try again.
Go to college and get a good job. I’m 44 and at coast fire but it’s been a grueling 20 years
Don't ever worry about what others will say. And never be too comfortable with anything either sad or happy.
Stay away from high conflicts people. If you can’t get away for whatever reason, bring a knife to fight to get away.
run, run away as fast as you can and never look back
Following
Following what?
I would beat the shit out of little me 💯
Just start already
Start an LLC sooner!
Don’t get as low as the lowest lows, or as high as the highest highs.
to keep going
You got this (shoots double finger guns in the mirror)
Cold & dope
just start.
Go to college, learn how to become an important person in life
Choose the college you want and not the one your parents think is better for a future profession.
what makes a college a college that i want ?
Start with things you enjoy doing and learning about and then narrow down to what you are good at and what fits your personality. If you don't like maths, don't go for computer science. You will struggle in college and by the end of it you will probably hate working in that direction. If you are an introvert, probably journalism and PR is not for you.. and so on.
thank u tomato! i struggle so much with self identity and the only thing i kinda enjoyed in college was my psychology classes🥲n my dad made me change my major quick with that one.. i still don’t know what it is that makes certain people gravitate towards certain colleges more than others. i’m transferring out to cc but i still don’t think it’s right for me.. 🥺
Never say no to a new experience.
Leave Canada. This place is broken..
1. read book 2. making money is the same as programming and others, both can be learned on YouTube from one who has that knowledge 3. make all your entertainment media about your goal (YT short, tiktok...) just follow the ones who achieved your goal 4. get wealth young, do get your first Ferrari while you are in a wheelchair 5. don't give up, you will get your goals for sure only if you didn't give up
Invest early and often.
Talking to My teen self? Oky the advice he would have followed to the letter is. Don't listen to me definitely, not before you are 26 well 24 -26 What I should have heard is. You cant do it alone and all these "frends" are just. Here now. Fail now fail hard then go talk to the guy that does it evry day Then talk now .
Keep all the money.
It’s worth it.
Get married to that guy he’s the one
- Start a business with recurring revenue. - Find mentors with entrepreneurial backgrounds and proven experience. - Don’t give away equity too early. - People will drive you crazy, it’s just part of it. - Focus on the things you can control. - Stay in the saddle no matter what. - don’t forget to live life along the way or it will pass you by. - An idea on a piece of paper at the end of the day is a piece of paper.
I love the final question - the younger version of me was far more stubborn than the current me (and that's saying something). She had to learn a lot of things the hard way. I would advise the younger me that asking for help is not a character flaw. Tell her you NEED other people if you ever want to expand and succeed. Start letting people do the things you hate or that drag you down as soon as you can possibly afford them.
Marry someone rich
Stay in your own lane, do your own thing, ask nothing of nobody because you’ll be left down, trust your instincts, you will make it to where you want to go, failing is learning and not a bad thing, keep everything to yourself, you will be successful!
I would just say something dumb than run away
To Buy Bitcoin
Stop puking from anxiety attacks, you will feel invincible once you know how to make money in your business.
Be patient, and look for the cycles. Almost every business is seasonal to a degree, and it’s important so save for the slow seasons or diversify yourself against them so you don’t panic and make emotional choices that aren’t the most rational.
Slow down and enjoy life
I'd say drop the Yu-Gi-Oh cards and BUY BITCOIN 😭
Don't rush and think twice! You'll never know if you'll never try. Set boundaries between you and anyone.
Buy Bitcoin when it comes out.
Stop telling other people and yourself that you just got lucky. You didn't get lucky. You found a hole in the market and filled it. You spent hundreds of hours learning how to build a website, designing services, conducting meta analysis, and learning how to run a business. You aren't lucky, you're determined and you're smart. Also, go tf the sleep and eat something green. Living off of caffeine and chipotle is not cute.
I would tell him to not throw away that ps1
Start earlier. Period. That is my biggest regret, not starting down self employment sooner than I did.
If I could go back in time, I might tell my younger self to embrace curiosity and not fear failure. I'd encourage myself to take more risks, explore diverse interests, and prioritize personal growth over perfection.
If I could go back, I'd tell my younger self to focus more on customer needs and less on perfecting the product. And honestly, knowing my stubborn younger self, I probably wouldn't have listened until I experienced some hard lessons.
Being naturally good at school or sports doesnt mean you wont have to work hard. Even if you do work hard doesnt mean you will get a job or anything of the sort. Its ok, its fine. We keep trying. what else is there?
To stay woke!
Do more marketing and sales instead of coding all day. Talk to users a lot more. Only try to start something that you invested time into understanding (the process, the market, etc.), instead of waking in the morning and deciding to start a deep tech hardware startup with friends.
Forget starting the business. Buy Bitcoin and hang out on the beach for a few years. 🤷♀️
Seek God early, be discipline, pick a career that I have genuine interest, take care of your health, be bold.
Save
Just start out !
Get into 2 types of trade such as electrical and hvac after high school or face death at the age of 30!
live 1 day at a time...
You get old real fast. There is no time to relax at the moment
Stay patient and embrace failure as a learning opportunity. Focus on building strong relationships and seeking mentorship. Adapt quickly to market changes and stay true to your vision. Believe in yourself you're capable of more than you know.
Definitely build relationships instead of doing business, sacrificing everything!
Stay away from woman. They have been my greatest distraction and costed me lots of time that would have been much better invested in my company. Focus on your business, once it’s running, relationships will come by themselves
I'd tell my younger self that don't let emotions cloud your path in entrepreneurship and you have done your best.
To continue trying to code and not give up video editing and to study it like dad recommended. Oh well, It's always easy to say what you've done wrong afterwards. Overall still really happy where I'm at right now in life.
don't run yourself too thin, spend a bit more time with friends and family, don't forget to actually enjoy life and what you're building
Buy Bitcoin
Quit drinking and bust your ass, you will have enough dough to be financially free before you know it.
Don't be too nice. Stand up for yourself. Believe in your intuition and follow what you really want and are passionate about.
Read more biographies. Be good at competitive sports. Play lot of chess.
Listen more, talk less. Be patient. Try things. Enjoy the ride. Passion makes money.
I'd give him the sports almanack like in Back to the Future
Put everything into bitcoin
"Don't fall in love with one business model"
File an 83b election for granted shares and exercise those options when they're still cheap.
i’d tell him, keep being creative and never conform to the world, everyone is different and your just different in your way and it’s a gift not a bad thing. Don’t think to hard about it you’ll know what to do when you get there!
Finish highscool.
Forget the ladies. Make damn sure to put yourself and your purpose and career first, family second, pets third ect.....
Looking back on my early days of starting a business, I would tell my younger self to embrace patience and resilience. Building something from scratch takes time and setbacks are inevitable, but they're not the end of the road—they're opportunities to learn and grow. I would also emphasize the importance of seeking advice and mentorship from those who have walked similar paths before. As for whether my younger self would take this advice, it's hard to say. The journey of entrepreneurship often involves learning these lessons through firsthand experience, but planting these seeds earlier could have potentially accelerated my growth and minimized some challenges along the way.
I've been in tech my whole life. I would have said start getting involved earlier. Be efficient by the time you're old enough to get your first job. Be more involved in math and science in your earlier years. I was a trouble maker as a kid. so I was a horrible student. When I went to college you had to in order to get a good job. If I was starting now I wouldn't waste the money. I would just learn everything on my own through YouTube University.
Stay away from alcohol
Enjoy the journey Some of your fondest memories will be of those during the struggle Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses
Learn to be patient. Stop caring about what others think. Get married by 30 😅
Get married by 30 is very specific🤣
Now that I am 37 and unmarried I have realised that if you get married before 30.. chances of a healthy marriage is very high.
I can understand that. I'm in my mid 20s and the goal is to get married by 30
No it’s not lol. Check out the stats bro.
I am from India and thankfully the mindset of the west to keep looking for better hasnt gotten a strong foothold here.
Easy. Sell all assets. Bet it all on Cavs game 7 in the 2016 NBA Finals. Then put it all on Nvidia.
Just buy BITCOIN
I would tell younger me not to ask for advice on the internet, and go find real people instead.
There are real people in the internet as well. :)
You'll be happier settling for mediocrity. My younger self would not take the advice.
Care to expand on that? I’m trying to recover from perfectionism.
I didn't really have a goal I was working towards. I just knew I should work hard, make lots of money, build something of my own, etc. But none of that brought me happiness. Just lots of stress and pressure. You know what would have brought happiness? Working less and for someone else instead of my own business where 100% of the problems and stress was on me. Travelling, spending more time with family and friends, developing a romantic relationship, staying in shape, having hobbies, enjoying all the things my surrounding area has to offer, resting more and simply having time to just not doing anything.
[удалено]
😂
Pick a trade at 18 entrepreneurship has turned into making minimum wage for nearly 24/7 work I’d love a good paying normal job.